It has been announced that O’Brien Award winner Marion Marauder, who is fresh off of a 1:52.4 win in the $200,000 Caesar’s Trotting Classic, will be representing Canada in the 40th edition of Yonkers Raceway’s International Trot.
On Monday (Sept. 24), Yonkers announced the foreign participants for its International Trot. The million-dollar, mile-and-a-quarter event is scheduled to be contested during the afternoon of Saturday, October 13.
Marion Marauder, the 2016 Trotting Triple Crown winner, continues to be a force on the racetrack for Jean Wellwood (of Stratford, Ont.) and Devin Keeling (Cambridge, Ont.). The five-year-old son of Muscle Hill has been masterfully handled by trainers Mike Keeling and Paula Wellwood, and currently boasts a career slate of 20 wins, 15 second-place finishes and five thirds from 48 career starts. His career earnings currently sit at $3.26 million.
Marion Marauder, who is driven by Canada’s Scott Zeron, has been solid again this year as a five-year-old. From 10 starts he has accumulated a record of 6-4-0, trotted victoriously in 1:52.1, and banked over $582,000 in purses. He has tallied stakes scores in the $175,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic, $286,650 John Cashman Memorial, and most recently in the $200,000 Caesars Trotting Classic.
The 2018 installment of the International Trot will be the fourth edition of the stakes since the race was brought back from two decades of dormancy.
The world-class trotters that have been enlisted for the International Trot appear below in alphabetical order.
Arazi Boko (Italy)
Cruzado Dela Noche (Sweden)
Dreammoko (Netherlands)
Lionel (Norway)
Marion Marauder (Canada)
Pastore Bob (Sweden)
Ringostarr Treb (Italy)
Slide So Easy (Denmark)
Up and Quick (France)
Each horse’s country of representation was determined by ownership and/or sire.
“These are some of the best trotters in training and we’re very happy they’ve accepted our invitations,” Yonkers’ race secretary, Steve Starr, said. “I’m expecting a great race.”
As far as the United States entrant, Starr said that should be finalized in the next week or so.
Further informational regarding International Trot Day will be announced in the future.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)