On Tuesday morning (October 3), O’Brien Award winner Marion Marauder prepped for the upcoming $1 million Yonkers International Trot by putting in a qualifying mile over Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont.

The 2016 Trotting Triple Crown winner has battled some sickness as of late. Last week, trainer Mike Keeling explained to Trot Insider that the career winner of $2.3 million in career purses had scoped sick after his disappointing eighth-place finish in his Maple Leaf Trot elimination. In turn, Marion Marauder’s connections gave the son of Muscle Hill time to get over his ailment. The bay four-year-old is now being pointed to the million-dollar International showdown at Yonkers Raceway, which will be contested on Saturday, October 14.

Keeling had veteran horseman Roger Mayotte up behind Marion Marauder for the Tuesday qualifier, which kicked off the seven-dash session.

Mayotte got away second from the outside Post 6, as Wild And Crazy Guy (driven by Phil Hudon) led the field to the quarter pole in :29.2 over the ‘fast’ track.

After having been overland at the first call, Marion Marauder cleared to the point in the second quarter. He and Mayotte settled on the engine in the second panel, and the duo was two lengths the best by the time they trotted past the half-mile pole in :58.

Marion Marauder trotted his third panel in 28 seconds. He held a two and three-quarter-length advantage on the field at the three-quarters pole, which he clicked off in 1:26.

Mayotte allowed Marion Marauder to trot a bit more in the final quarter. The 14-time career winner was ahead by four and a half lengths at the head of the lane, and he completed his :27.4 final quarter by posting a solid nine and a half-length victory.

Marion Marauder is owned by Marion Jean Wellwood, of Stratford, Ont., and Devin Keeling, of Cambridge, Ont.

The second race on the card saw the Gregg McNair-trained and Doug McNair-driven Solar Sister record her third consecutive qualifying win, which was recorded in 1:53.3. The millionaire daughter of Mach Three has not raced in a pari-mutuel dash since early July of this year. After having started from Post 4, she posted a wire-to-wire win by a head in 1:53.3.

To view the harness racing results for the Tuesday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifiers).