Heading into the final quarter of the 2022 harness racing season, Trot Insider takes a look at some of the top ranked Standardbreds in Canada for wins, earnings and records.
Century Mach leads all racehorses in Canada for wins in 2022 with 15. Campaigned by Beaumont, Alta. horseman Kelly Hoerdt, the four-year-old JK Royal Flush mare has made 29 starts so far this year while competing in Western Canada. Among her highlights, she took a mark of 1:52.2 at Fraser Downs in the spring and is currently riding a three-race win streak there in the Mares Open. With her 15 wins, Century Mach ranks third in all of North America behind Smoking Jet (16) and Winning Shadow (18).
Tied in second place with 14 wins each at Canadian racetracks are: Codename Cigar Box, who recently lowered his mark to 1:49.1 winning the Open at Woodbine Mohawk Park under the tutelage of Jodie Cullen; Therealprincess, undefeated in Atlantic sophomore stakes action for trainer/co-owner Eddy Doucette; and Pure Addition, a multiple Mares Open winner in the Prairie Provinces currently campaigned by Jacqueline Grundy.
Two-year-old pacing colt Stockade Seelster climbed to the No. 1 spot on the leaderboard for money earned in Canada with a victory in the $900,000 Metro Pace on Sept. 24, which boosted his seasonal bankroll to $742,600. Trained by Dr. Ian Moore, the son of State Treasurer has won seven of his first eight starts, including four Ontario Sires Stakes Gold legs and the Dream Maker Series, for owners Sally MacDonald of Souris, P.E.I. and Paul MacDonald of Toronto, Ont.
Trained by Noel Daley, sophomore pacing colt Pebble Beach ranks second with $565,500 earned in Canada during three Mohawk appearances in June capped off by the $1 million North America Cup. Coming in third, the Mark Etsell-trained Adare Castle has amassed $534,029 while dominating the three-year-old trotting filly division in Ontario stakes and proving to be a serious contender on the Grand Circuit.
The national season's record is held by four-year-old Shadow Play pacer Bulldog Hanover, who equalled the all-time Canadian record of 1:46.4 winning the Canadian Pacing Derby on Sept. 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park for trainer Jack Darling and co-owner Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. The three-year-old Sunshine Beach colt Stonebridge Helios paced the fastest mile this season on a five-eighths track, winning an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold division in 1:49.4 on Aug. 7 at Georgian Downs for conditioner Gregg McNair. Trained by Anthony Beaton, the four-year-old Betting Line gelding Linedrive Hanover's 1:49 mile in the Juravinski Cup on May 22 at Flamboro Downs stands as a national season's record and Canadian record for a half-mile track.
Maple Leaf Trot champion Back Of The Neck's 1:51 victory on Sept. 3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park is the fastest trotting mile so far this season. Ake Svanstedt trains the five-year-old son of Ready Cash for Howard Taylor and Judith Taylor of Pennsylvania and Sweden's Order By Stable. Fashion Frenzie, a four-year-old Archangel gelding trained by Richard Moreau, holds the season's record for a five-eighths track courtesy of his 1:52.3 victory in the Honourable Earl Rowe Memorial Invitational on Aug. 28 at Georgian Downs. The fastest trotting winner on a half-mile track remains the six-year-old Trixton gelding The Fixer, who earned his only win this year in 1:54.4 on May 14 at Flamboro for trainer David Frey.
**All statistics include Canadian starts from January 1, 2022 up to the first Monday in October.
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