from Standardbred Canada
Mississauga, ON — On Tuesday morning (Oct. 3), Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner Marion Marauder prepped for the upcoming $1 million Yonkers International Trot at Empire City Casino by putting in a qualifying mile over Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont.
The 2016 Trotting Triple Crown winner has battled some sickness as of late. Last week, trainer Mike Keeling explained to Trot Insider that the career winner of $2.2 million in purses had scoped sick after his disappointing eighth-place finish in his Maple Leaf Trot elimination. In turn, Marion Marauder’s connections gave the son of Muscle Hill time to get over his ailment. The bay 4-year-old is now being pointed to the million-dollar International showdown at Yonkers Raceway, which will be contested on Saturday (Oct. 14).
Keeling had veteran horseman Roger Mayotte up behind Marion Marauder for the Tuesday qualifier, which kicked off the seven-dash session.
Mayotte got away second from the outside post six, as Wild And Crazy Guy (driven by Phil Hudon) led the field to the quarter pole in :29.2 over the fast track.
After having been overland at the first call, Marion Marauder cleared to the point in the second quarter. He and Mayotte settled on the engine in the second panel, and the duo was two lengths the best by the time they trotted past the half-mile pole in :58.
Marion Marauder trotted his third panel in :28 seconds. He held a 2-3/4 length advantage on the field at the three-quarter pole, which he clicked off in 1:26.
Mayotte allowed Marion Marauder to trot a bit more in the final quarter. The 14-time career winner was ahead by 4-1/2 lengths at the head of the lane, and he completed his :27.4 final quarter by posting a solid 9-1/2 length victory.
Marion Marauder is owned by Marion Jean Wellwood of Stratford, Ont. and Devin Keeling of Cambridge, Ont.
The second race on the card saw the Gregg McNair-trained and Doug McNair-driven Solar Sister record her third consecutive qualifying win, which was recorded in 1:53.3. The millionaire daughter of Mach Three has not raced in a pari-mutuel dash since early July of this year. After having started from post four, she posted a wire-to-wire win by a head in 1:53.3.