by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Campbellville, ON — With 10 horses entering this morning for the prestigious C$730,000 Maple Leaf Trot, set for July 23 at Mohawk Racetrack, no eliminations will be required for the 2011 edition of the classic.

New Image Media photo

San Pail will be gunning for his third straight Maple Leaf Trot title.

San Pail, Canada’s older trotting horse of the year in both 2009 and 2010, will look to become just the second horse in history to win the Maple Leaf in three consecutive years. Grampa Jim captured the race for trainer Robert Farrington in 1969, 1970 and 1971.

San Pail’s toughest task to date in his career was the 2009 edition of the Maple Leaf Trot against rival Arch Madness. The trotters provided racing fans with a memorable stretch drive, a tussle that saw San Pail eke out a 1:52.1 victory.

Trained and co-owned by Rod Hughes along with Glenn Van Camp, San Pail has career earnings of $1,810,231 for driver Randy Waples. Fresh off a 1:51.4 score in the Open Trot on July 6, Waples believes fans might see a replay of the thrilling conclusion to the 2009 Trot.

“I watched him (Arch Madness) at the Meadowlands in his last start and he looked unbelievable, so obviously he’s going to be the biggest competition that I can see. But I couldn’t be more happy the way San Pail is coming into this race.

“Anybody can win that race, we (San Pail and Arch Madness) can take each other out, but right now based on form, I think that San Pail is just as good as Arch Madness and Arch Madness is just as good as San Pail.”

Arch Madness, a career winner of $2,882,127, captured the 2008 Maple Leaf Trot for driver Brian Sears, trainer Trond Smedshammer and owners Marc Goldberg and Willow Pond LLC.

The 7-year-old son of Balanced Image scored an overpowering victory in the $220,750 Titan Cup on July 2 at the Meadowlands. The 26-time winner scored his victory by eight lengths in 1:50.2.

Before the draw took place, WEG’s media department spoke with driver Randy Waples. To view the video on the Mohawk Racetrack website, please click here.

The 2011 Maple Leaf Trot horses are listed alphabetically: Arch Madness, Define The World, Enough Talk, Four Starz Speed, Hot Shot Blue Chip, Il Villaggio, Lucky Jim, Premiere Steed, San Pail and Triumphant Caviar.

There will be a C$50,000 Maple Leaf Trot prep race on Saturday, July 16. The field will line up as follows: 1. Frenchfrysnvinegar, 2. Four Starz Speed, 3. Lucky Jim, 4. San Pail, 5. Premiere Steed, 6. Define The World and 7. Triumphant Caviar.

The special guest of honor for the Maple Leaf Trot will be former Toronto Maple Leaf great Curtis Joseph. Fans will be able to meet and greet Joseph from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with the first 500 fans to receive a free commemorative autograph card.

Customers can also enter to win a private box at a Toronto Maple Leafs game for 12 people and also be eligible for several ‘second chance’ draws throughout the evening.

A beginner betting seminar will also take place at 6:30 p.m. WEG’s Greg Gangle and leading driver Jody Jamieson will provide customers with insight on how to play the popular Pick-4 wager. Customers will also have the opportunity to ask Jamieson about his drives that evening.

Attendees will each receive a $2 cash card and have a chance to win one of four $50 cash cards, which can be used to wager with.

The Maple Leaf Trot program itself will feature a C$75,000 guaranteed pool for the early Pick-4, which will conclude in Race 7 with the headline race.

Also on Saturday, there will be a single elimination for the Roses Are Red Stakes. Three pacing mares have accepted a bye to the C$385,000 final based on highest money earnings: Anndrovette, Warrawee Koine and Chancey Lady.

Ten fillies and mares who are 3-years-old and up will vie for a spot in the rich final, with only seven pacers advancing. They are: 1. Western Silk, 2. Ticket To Rock, 3. Laughandbehappy, 4. Dreamfair Eternal, 5. Blissful Smile, 6. Voelz Hanover, 7. Ultimate Velocity, 8. Rock N Soul, 9. Didrickson and 10. Bay Girl.

On Friday, July 16, two Armbro Flight eliminations will be contested for trotting fillies and mares who are 3-years-old and up. Each elim will see seven trotters go postward with the top five finishers advancing to the C$349,000 final on Saturday, July 23.

First elimination: 1. Jersey As, 2. Friendly Amigo, 3. Pembroke Heat Wave, 4. Autumn Escapade, 5. Miss Dangles, 6. Frosty Flirt and 7. Southwind Wasabi.

Second elimination: 1. Cross Of Lorraine, 2. Rose Run Keepsake, 3. Kandor Hanover, 4. Yursa Hanover, 5. Action Broadway, 6. Mystical Starlight and 7. Buck I St Pat.