Healthy Marion Marauder returns to secure Maple Leaf Trot final berth

“It (last-place finish) was totally out of character and out of form and he didn’t eat after the race. We were disappointed until we knew why and once we did it was gone because we knew what was wrong.”

Marion Marauder has enjoyed a solid 2018 campaign with four wins and three second-place finishes in seven starts. The horse has also earned $316,494 and stands just $4,798 shy of the $3-million career plateau.

Marion Marauder could achieve that milestone with a top-three finish in his $40,000 elimination race, which would also qualify him for the Trot final. But Wellwood has a much loftier goal.

“You like to win because you can choose your post position (for final),” she said. “That plays a major part.

“But I’m not thinking redemption, it’s another big race on his schedule. It’s a very prestigious race, I’d love to win it. He never lets us down. If he does, there’s always a reason.”

Elimination winners will choose their post positions for the championship race, scheduled for Sept. 1 at Woodbe Mohawk Park.

Marion Marauder will race in a competitive elimination. The field includes Emoticon Hanover, Crazy Wow, JL Cruze and Pinkman, who’ve all won over $1 million

Pinkman won the 2015 Hambletonian and will make his first Mohawk Park start since capturing the 2015 Canadian Trotting Classic.

Wellwood said it will be up to Zeron to determine Marion Marauder’s race strategy Saturday night. Earlier this month Zeron drove filly Atlanta to victory in the US$1-million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands Racetrack. His father, Rick, was Atlanta’s trainer.

“We do our thing and Scott does his,” Wellwood said. “We don’t give him any input at all.”

Scott Zeron has been Marion Marauder’s regular driver since midway through the horse’s two-year-old campaign.

Defending champion Hannelore Hanover tops the other elimination field. The six-year-old mare has won 11-of-12 lifetime starts and will chase a third straight Maple Leaf Trot final appearance.

Yannick Gingras of Sorel, Que., will drive Hannelore Hanover, who hasn’t won her last two races. Then again, the reigning Canadian and U.S. horse of the year suffered three straight losses last year prior to winning the Trot.

That elimination field will include Will Take Charge, a five-year-old that’s won eight-of-16 races this year and is coming off a dominant 1:51.2 victory in the Crawford Farms at Tioga Downs on Aug. 12.

Will Take Charge has made $400,000 this season with career earnings of $954,478.

Wellwood said Marion Marauder is looking good heading into Saturday’s race.

“He’s his normal self,” she said. “He’s calm but he knows he’s racing.

“He watches everything I do, he sees me getting things ready. He catches on, he’s a very smart horse.”

And Wellwood said Marion Marauder’s demeanour will turn more serious Saturday.

“He always knows when it’s the day of the race,” she said. “He’s very calm, cool, collected but he has that look.

“He just knows when its time to race.”

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Healthy Marion Marauder returns to secure Maple Leaf Trot final berth

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