On a cold December night, Modern Legend still sizzled, lowering the Autumn Stakes record to 1:50.4 in the $60,000 final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack
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With driver Jack Moiseyev in the bike, Modern Legend also took a new lifetime mark when he captured the lion’s share of the purse for trainer/owner/breeder David Drew.
Mach My Word (Randy Waples) showed early speed, but a parked-out Lyons Johnny (Keith Oliver) was taken to the front before the :27 first quarter mark.
Mach My Word re-moved and as soon as the sophomore cleared, Modern Legend made a bid for the lead, taking command after the mid-way marker in :55.3.
No one could pass the even-money favourite as he paced by the three-quarters in 1:23. Modern Legend crossed the wire one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Mach My Word. Lyons Johnny came back on for third.
“I was very pleased with Modern Legend,” said Drew following the victory. “I was pleased to see him finish very strongly in the stretch and I’m impressed with the time, 1:50.4. I wasn’t excepting that on such a cold night, but he was up to the challenge.
“The biggest thing with him is his desire to race,” added the St. Catharines, Ont. resident. “He just really enjoys racing and he's got a lot of heart. That’s what I really enjoy about him.”
Modern Legend, who was unraced at two, improved his 2011 record to 5-2-0 in nine starts with the win. The Modern Art-Ruby Cam gelding, who won his eliminaton for the Autumn Stakes last week, has stashed away $76,085 in his career. He returned $4.10 to win.
The previous stakes record was 1:51.1, which was set in November 2008 by Marquis Player.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Racetrack.
(WEG)