Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

WINDSONG'S LEGACY wins $1.1 Million CANADIAN TROTTING CLASSIC
September 26, 2004
By Kimberly Rinker

Windsong's Legacy repeated his Hambletonian and Yonkers Trot victories by sweeping by all of his rivals in the $1,155,500 Canandian Trotting Classic Final for three-year-old trotters on Saturday night at Mohawk Raceway. The son of Conway Hall was timed in 1:53.2 for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer and owners Fredrik K Lindegaard of Lorenskog, Norway, Theodore Gewertz of New York City and Patricia M Spinelli of Oyster Bay Cove, New York.

Cantab Hall finished second with Mike LaChance at the lines for trainer Ron Gurfein, while Justic Hall was third for Bill O'Donnell and trainer Chris Thomas. Fractional times were :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25. Cantab Hall led until the late stretch, when Windsongs Legacy pulled and swept by the leader to win by a quarter of a length over his rival.

Preview Story
With Windsong's Legacy having won the first two jewels in trotting's Triple Crown and Tom Ridge having trotted the fastest mile in the sport's history, it might be easy to overlook Cantab Hall. But the defending Trotter of the Year can reclaim his share of the spotlight with a win Saturday in the C$1.1 million Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack.

Cantab Hall on September 18 won his Classic elimination race by a head over Windsong's Legacy in 1:54.1. It was Cantab Hall's first win since the Stanley Dancer elims on July 9 at the Meadowlands. He was second in each the Hambletonian, Yonkers Trot and World Trotting Derby. For the year, he has won three of nine starts and $566,793. He has won 13 of 19 races and earned $1.02 million in his career.

It was Cantab Hall's first start since finishing second to Tom Ridge in his world record mile (1:50.2) in the World Trotting Derby. Cantab Hall's finishing time of 1:50.4 equaled the previous fastest mile in history. Windsong's Legacy was making his first start since winning the Yonkers Trot at Hawthorne on August 28. Windsong's Legacy has won six of nine starts this year and earned $1.04 million. He has won every final -- the Goodtimes, Stanley Dancer, Hambletonian and Yonkers Trot -- that he has raced this season.

It is likely that divisional honors and quite possibly Trotter of the Year will be decided in the next two months as a number of major races will be contested between now and mid-November. Still remaining are the $200,000 Bluegrass on October 2 at the Red Mile, $400,000 Kentucky Futurity (the final jewel in the Triple Crown) on October 9 at the Red Mile, the $650,000 Breeders Crown on October 23 at Woodbine, the $250,000 American-National on November 6 at Balmoral and the $240,000 Matron on November 18 at Dover.

Al Dente Hanover won the other Canadian Trotting Classic elim by two-and-a-half lengths over In Conchnito in 1:56. Below is the complete field for the C$1.1 million Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario. Horses are in alphabetical order with most recent drivers and trainers listed.

Horse                         Driver             Trainer

Al Dente Hanover       L. Ouellette         J. Caraluzzi

Beardmore                L. Ouellette          L. Anderson

Cantab Hall                M. Lachance         R. Gurfein

Durgin Hanover           J. Campbell        R. Bolon J

Enflammatory             B. Sears             T. Smedshammer

Hurri Kane Billy G        D. Dube             D. Tackoor

In Conchnito               S. Condren         R. McIntosh

Justice Hall                 W. O'Donnell        K. Thomas

Search Mission           R. Zeron              B. Burgess

Windsong's Legacy     T. Smedshammer T. Smedshammer

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