One day before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Luke Schenn was not at a rink or in a studio discussing the showdown, but in Campbellville, Ont., talking horses

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In addition to serving as the special celebrity drawmaster for Mohawk Racetrack's $1.5 million Pepsi North America Cup, the budding defenseman was giving his prediction as to which team will be hoisting the Stanley Cup after Wednesday's Game 7 in Vancouver.

"I'm going to say Boston is going to pull it off," Schenn said during an interview with the Woodbine Entertainment Group, operator of the picturesque Mohawk facility. "It's been such a tight series, especially the games in Vancouver. Boston has kept it within one goal every game in Vancouver, and I think this could actually be the first road victory of the series."

Although Schenn has been forced to watch the NHL playoffs from the sidelines this year, he was right in the mix during Tuesday's Pepsi NA Cup post position draw. The 21-year-old was front and centre when it was determined that Western Hanover colt Big Bad John, the 2-1 morning line favourite, will start from Post 4 in the $1.5 million dash, which will be the highlight of Mohawk Racetrack Saturday, June 18 card of racing.

There is no question that Schenn has experience anchoring blue lines and jostling in front of the crease at professional hockey's highest level, but what kind of experience does he have clenching a program and helping push his longshots home through the lane?

"I've gone to the Calgary Stampede a couple of times. Also, in Edmonton, there is a horse track out there where my buddy's dad used to race horses, so I've been out there a couple of times," he said. "I know it's not as big out here, obviously, but in Saskatoon there is a horse track where me and my buddies used to go when we were younger and watch. It's pretty entertaining, and I have an interest in it, for sure."

Schenn surely isn't the first Maple Leaf, neither past nor present, to find himself enjoying some time at the track.

"I know some other guys who I played with who own some horses and are in this industry a little bit," Schenn explained. "Curtis Joseph is a little bit. Another guy I used to play with, Mike Van Ryn, he has a ranch down in Florida and he trains horses, actually. He got into it and he's pretty involved in it. There is a lot at stake, and it's a business as well, but it's pretty entertaining."

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