Older trotter Corleone Kosmos can move one step closer to divisional honours with a win in Saturday's $728,600 Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk Racetrack.
Corleone Kosmos, a six-year-old gelding, would top $1 million in seasonal earnings with a victory in the Maple Leaf. This year, the son of SJs Photo-Rose Street Gal has won five of 10 races and banked $729,330. It is his second consecutive campaign with more than $700,000.
Corleone Kosmos is the top money-earner among older trotters and his 1:51.4 mark is third fastest for the season.
"He seems to be good. He seems to have found his stride now. I'm pretty comfortable going into Saturday," said Bryan Owen, the Corleone Kosmos spokesman for owners Arthur Rudolph, Rudolph Stables and Bernard Owen. "The horse is in the best shape he's been all year. The horse is getting more confident again. We should be a very good spot to win. I expect him to be good. I'd be surprised if we're not right there."
Corleone Kosmos finished third, behind Vivid Photo and Equinox Bi, in the Dan Patch Award voting for top older male trotter in the United States in 2007. This year, he has won the Breeders Crown, Trotting Classic, Titan Cup and Cutler Memorial. His only loss in a major race came in the Nat Ray, when he was fourth.
Last week, Corleone Kosmos, driven by John Campbell for trainer Darren McCall, won his Maple Leaf Trot elimination race by two and a half lengths ahead of Arch Madness in 1:53 over a 'sloppy' track. He led gate-to-wire from Post 1, getting a 30-second breather in the second quarter-mile on his way to a :57 split at the halfway point.
"I don't think any of these trotters can beat us after a :57 half," Owen said. "Off slow fractions, or if we get a trip, I don't think there's a trotter in the world that has a faster last quarter than us. I don't think anyone around, that I've seen, has the kick we do."
Owen will be decked out in his "lucky" green polo shirt for Saturday's race. The horse has won eight times (with only one defeat) when Owen wears the shirt. One of the times he did not wear it was last year's Breeders Crown, and Corleone Kosmos went off stride while leading in deep stretch.
"This year has been a big year of redemption for us and the horse," Owen said. "He's showing all the talent that I kept saying he had. He's showing it on the track now. I think [a win Saturday] will cement his place."
If all goes well, Corleone Kosmos will finish the year by racing in the Allerage at the Red Mile and the American-National at Balmoral Park. Owen would like to see the horse compete in Europe next year.
"John's told us he thinks he's good enough to go. He seems he's good enough to go," Owen said. "If things go right, I think he's earned his shot. I think the European style suits him better. He can be on the outside behind cover all day; I don't think that will bother him. I think he would make the U.S. proud."
Armbro Chronicle won the other Maple Leaf Trot elimination race.
To view Mohawk's Saturday entries, click here.
(Harness Racing Communications)