Marcus Melander trainee Maryland motored out of post nine and secured a snug trip to a big payday with a 1:53.4 blowout victory in the $575,000 William Wellwood Memorial Stakes for two-year-old trotters on Saturday night, Aug. 24 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driven by Dexter Dunn, Maryland darted for the lead heading for a :28.1 first quarter, but obliged to sit a pocket ride when Emoticon Legacy (Louis-Philippe Roy) came calling out of fourth for the front. Emoticon Legacy took over before a :57.2 half and stayed steady through the final turn as no serious challengers came charging.

Nordic Catcher S (Ake Svanstedt), the even-money favourite, angled first-over out of third, but advanced methodically on the rim to inch within a length of the lead coming to three-quarters in 1:26.1. Emoticon Legacy maintained a tenuous lead off the turn and only trotted evenly while Nordic Catcher S continued to progress and Maryland swung to a seam at the inside for room. Maryland overcame tight quarters entering the final eighth and, once having open racetrack ahead, lifted flight. In a matter of strides, Maryland opened two, then three lengths on an ever-widening lead capped to 4-3/4 lengths crossing the finish in a career-best mile. Nordic Catcher S held second while 130-1 shot Southwind Caspian (Paul MacDonell) saved ground throughout to grab third and Emoticon Legacy faded to fourth while his stablemate Lookatmegoamigo (Bob McClure) inherited fifth. 

“He was really good last week in his elimination, he just struggled in the last turn,” said Dunn in a post-race interview. “Marcus [Melander] made some gear changes and he was so much better tonight. He felt great behind the gate before we left; he was straight and trotting good. We had the outside, so I thought we’d give it a shot. He actually got across pretty good and got a good helmet with Louis [Roy and Emoticon Legacy]. He won that pretty easily. He stretched out really good down the straight.”

A colt by Chapter Seven out of millionaire Venerable's half-sister Crucial, Maryland competes for Florida-based owners Courant Inc., PCW Racing LLC and Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., and the Kentucky-based S. Stewart R. Thorn Stable. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred colt, who was a $475,000 Lexington Selected Sale yearling buy, earned his second win from five starts and has now banked $311,743.  

“Training down, he’s been a smart colt from day one,” said Melander. “In his first start, we thought he was a good horse. He raced great last week [placed third in the eliminations, but] he had a little trouble in the turns. He wasn’t straight enough, so Dexter couldn’t keep up with those up front. I knew he was sharp going into the final. I just had to make him go straight.

“I wanted to try and keep him off the half-mile tracks because he’s running in a little bit in the turns,” Melander also said. “That’s why we’ve been keeping him on the big tracks here and we’ll probably continue to do that, too.”

Sent postward as the fourth choice in the betting, Maryland paid $36.50 to win.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(With files from Woodbine)