by Ken Weingartner for the Breeders Crown

TORONTO – The much-anticipated duel between Canadian trotting heavyweights Majestic Son and Glidemaster came to fruition, and for the third time this season it was Majestic Son who reached the wire first, claiming the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters by a length in 1:54.2 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Majestic Son, driven by Trevor Ritchie, took the lead for good as the field made its way toward the final turn, reached the three-quarter mark in a Crown record 1:24.3, and repelled the challenge of Glidemaster down the stretch to add the Crown to his Canadian Trotting Classic and Goodtimes titles.

“I was thinking that I hope I have a big-time horse,” Ritchie said about the duel with Glidemaster over the final quarter mile. “He’s proved it before … but Glidemaster has never been that close to him at the head of the lane, so I knew it was going to be a battle. They’re both champions; we’re just fortunate to come out on top.”

Here Comes Herbie, who finished third, took the lead at the half-mile point, but Majestic Son quickly reclaimed the top spot ahead of the outside charge of Glidemaster and driver George Brennan, who took over the lines for the injured John Campbell.

Glidemaster has won two-thirds of the Trotting Triple Crown – the Hambletonian and the Kentucky Futurity. He has finished second to Majestic Son in each the Breeders Crown, the Canadian Trotting Classic and the Goodtimes.

“I’ve never driven this horse before, but to me he was not trotting 100 percent,” Brennan said. “He seemed a little sore behind when the speed picked up in the lane and I had to steady him. I’m not saying that’s what got him beat. Not to take anything away from the winner, but if this horse had been 100 percent, I think we would have beat him. He still went good and I’m happy.”

Majestic Son has won 14 of 19 starts this year and earned $1.2 million. He is owned by the Majestic Son Stable.