by Bruce Murray, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

Toronto, ON — No one breathed a heavier sigh of relief than trainer Joe Stutzman did on Saturday evening at Woodbine after watching So Lucky Hanover breeze to victory in a second round division of the Cam Fella Series.

The pressure was understandably on Stutzman after he purchased the talented four year-old pacer for C$162,000 at Standardbred Canada’s March Madness Sale last Sunday in London, Ontario.

As expected, driver Chris Christoforou had his sights set on controlling the tempo from the outset with the Camluck gelding and the contest appeared in the palm of his hand from the quarter pole on. After the three-quarter time flashed up in 1:25¹, So Lucky Hanover tossed in a final panel of :28 seconds to seal the deal in 1:53¹.

“I’m definitely feeling better now,” said Stutzman. “We got lucky that we were in the easier division. Chris was really happy with him. He was well in hand and it bravens him up nicely for next week. He’s a handy horse with quick speed off the gate.”

Now owned by Gaetan Bono, Jim Fielding, Paul Henderson and Harness The Power Canada, So Lucky Hanover earned his fourth win in eight starts this year. The first place cheque of C$17,500 lifts So Lucky Hanover’s lifetime earnings to $84,690.

Major Memory (Trevor Ritchie), who made a brief break in stride while trailing the field past the half, made an admirable recovery to grab second ahead of Autobahn Deets.

In the second division, Hustlin Rustler moved to the top just before a testy half of :54⁴ and proceeded to open two and a half lengths on 3-5 favourite Tycoon Hanover turning for home. The four-year-old son of Rustler Hanover was searching for the wire and got it in time as he turned away a charging Diamond Edition and Tycoon Hanover in 1:52⁴. Mike Saftic piloted Hustlin Rustler for owner Gordon Bryan of Calgary and trainer Mark Harder.

The Cam Fella Series culminates on Saturday, March 27.

For the second straight week, Yulestar N measured the field at just the right time to take the C$48,000 Junior Free For All pace. The ten-year-old Cameleon gelding closed in gradually through the stretch as McDylan and Daylon Trooper took one another to task. Driven by Steve Condren, Yulestar N stopped the clock in 1:52¹ to defeat Blue Oxfords and Daylon Trooper. Now approaching $1 million lifetime ($934,744), Yulestar N is trained by Brett Pelling for Enzed Racing Stable Inc. of New Jersey.

Notes: Trainer Mark Harder won with all three of his starters on the program; Pegasus Raider, Hustlin Rustler and Moxie, while driver Luc Ouellette connected three times through the first eight dashes.

Little room separates WEG’s premier drivers and conditioners

There are some cramped confines amongst the upper crust on the WEG circuit, as the race for both top driver and top trainer remain tight as the end of March draws near.

Fresh from hoisting the O’Brien Award as Canada’s Driver of the Year for the third time in his young career, Chris Christoforou has again gotten off the gate well in the WEG drivers’ race in 2004.

Having driven 87 winners heading into Saturday evening’s card, Christoforou, 32, leads the colony in victories from 456 trips off the wings. The Campbellville resident has also posted identical 57s in both the place and show categories on the local circuit. Already having fought his way to C$1,543,050 in earnings this campaign, Christoforou -– a Toronto native -– is triumphing at an impressive 19.1% clip and can boast a .302 U.D.R.

Up from Fort Lee, New Jersey for his first full year on the Woodbine Entertainment ovals, 38-year-old Luc Ouellette has put a charge into the driver’s colony since his arrival.

A native of St. Augustin, Quebec, Ouellette has found the winner’s circle 84 times from 482 mounts and currently sports a U.D.R. of .299. His C$1,556,459 in seasonal earnings currently gives him a narrow edge over Christoforou, who has tallied three more winners. Ouellette has been posing for winner’s photos for 17.4% of his drives at WEG, notching 65 second place finishes and 72 thirds.

Right in the mix is the two-time O’Brien Award winner for Canada’s Driver of the Year, Randy Waples. The savvy Milton resident hasn’t missed a beat so far in 2004, compiling a solid 77-67-49 record on the season. With the least amount of drives among the top three (423), Waples, 38, tops the U.D.R.S. race on the circuit, as he rolls along at .309. The Toronto native is firing right along with an 18.2 win percentage and has bagged C$1,382,430 in purses in the process.

As intriguing as the driver’s race has been, the trainers have also been duking it out for top spot right from the get go.

Riding his .417 U.T.R., veteran claiming specialist Joe Stutzman is having yet another banner campaign.

A 42-year-old Wyoming, Delaware native, Stutzman’s stock has been dominant at WEG, finding the winner’s circle 42 times from 162 starts. Toss in 31 seconds and 28 thirds from 162 starts, and the father of four has nabbed C$739,525 in earnings, which also tops the list amongst conditioners.

Only a score shy of tying Stutzman in the win category is Guelph resident Kevin McMaster, who has hooked 41 winners. Also a guru in the claiming game, McMaster, a native of New Waterford, Nova Scotia, currently sits second to Stutzman in purse earnings (C$677,770). An O’Brien Award recipient in 2000 as Canada’s Trainer of the Year, McMaster’s proteges have also notched 33 seconds and 28 thirds on the campaign from 212 starts. Owning a U.T.R. of .324, McMaster is also clicking right along with a 19.3 win percentage.

Both Jeff Gillis and Nat Varty have also been holding their own in 2004.

Gillis, a 26-year-old native of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, has also established himself as one of the up and coming conditioners on the WEG scene. Having compiled a 33-20-19 record and C$547,820 in earnings from 128 starts this campaign, Gillis, a resident of Guelph, currently sits third amongst his peers in the win category. His 25.8 win percentage is just one-tenth shy of the clip that Stutzman is training at.

Varty, whose performers have given him a 28-20-20 record and C$574,978 in purses from 150 starts, is also right in the hunt in the upper echelon of WEG conditioners.

As the year moves on we can all expect to see the cream of the crop in both colonies to rise and distance themselves from their competitors. Funny though, the same thing was being said in January.