Regally bred and carrying high expectations from the start, Maryland lived up to his lofty price tag and then some in his freshman campaign.
The Chapter Seven-Crucial colt, trained by Marcus Melander and owned by the partnership of Courant Inc., PCW Racing, Holly Lane Stud East and Sstewartrthorn Stable, claimed the O’Brien Award as Canada’s 2024 Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year, capping off a season in which he earned $1,675,697 — making him the richest freshman trotter of all time.
Melander, no stranger to top tier two-year-olds, knew early on that Maryland was different. Though he had impressed in early training, it wasn’t until he stepped onto the track at The Meadowlands that Melander realized just how special he was.
“The second time we brought him to The Meadowlands, we put Dexter [Dunn] up on him, and I stood on the side, and he just looked great,” recalled Melander. “That’s when I kind of knew he was special.”
Maryland dominated the sport’s biggest freshman trotting events, but it was his triumph in the William Wellwood Memorial at Woodbine Mohawk Park that stood out to Melander. Drawing post nine and entering the final as a longshot, Maryland overcame an imperfect elimination performance with key equipment changes leading into the final. When the moment came, he seized his opportunity with a decisive stretch rally.
“He wasn’t perfect in the elimination, but the week leading up to the final, he just kept getting better and better,” said Melander. “When he got some room there on the inside, he won so easily. That was a great feeling.”
As Maryland gears up for his sophomore campaign, Melander has mapped out a 2025 schedule that includes a return to Canada for the Simcoe Stakes and Canadian Trotting Classic. His season is set to begin in the New York Sire Stakes at Vernon Downs on May 26, with the Hambletonian and Breeders Crown set as key targets.
In an interview with Standardbred Canada's Jeff Porchak, Melander reflected on winning his first O’Brien Award and experiencing the gala for the first time. With Maryland poised for another big season, this could be the beginning of an even greater legacy. The interview is the ninth and final in a series of interviews sponsored by Horse Racing Alberta.
(Standardbred Canada; photos courtesy New Image Media)