by Karen Briggs, WEG media department

Toronto, ON — The 8-year-old trotter Stiletto is as sharp as ever as he nears the C$1 million mark in career earnings.

The gelded son of Mr Vic, out of the Speedy Crown mare Armbro Natural, has had a long and storied career, with 34 wins in 134 starts, the vast majority of which have been made on the WEG circuit. Trained by Tony Montini since 2005, Stiletto has racked up C$995,856 in career earnings and has collected three wins in eight starts so far in 2008, including a wire-to-wire victory by a neck in his last start on April 19, with Jody Jamieson in the bike. The determined 1:54.1 effort was just one second off his lifetime mark, set as a 5-year-old.

With less than C$5,000 to go to reach the C$1 million mark, owners Basil Michele of Mississauga and Albina Montini of Acton, Ontario are no doubt anticipating Stiletto’s next trip postward. Not bad for a $32,000 yearling purchase who has, mostly, done it the hard way. He has only won two major stakes, the C$118,000 Glorys Comet final in 2006, and the C$183,500 Frank Ryan at Rideau Carleton Raceway later that same year. His single largest paycheck came with a second (to Peaceful Way) in the Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk in 2006.

Stiletto’s next start has not yet been announced, but there’s little doubt that all eyes will be on the gritty gelding the next time he steps onto the Woodbine oval, seeking to become racing’s next millionaire.