QUICK BRUSHES & UPCOMING RACES

QUICK BRUSHES:
Driver Victor Kirby earned his 1,000th win on September 26 at Harrington Raceway aboard Amcam, wire-to-wire in 1:56.4 ...

The 27th annual Harness Tracks of America Art Auction, to benefit a scholarship fund for those in the sport, will be held on October 8 and 9 at Tattersalls Sales Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Contemporary and antique harness racing art will sell at 8:30 am on October 8; Currier and Ives prints and other equine art will sell at 8:30 am on October 9. The full catalog is available on www.harnesstracks.com or by calling 520-529-2525. Phone bidding is available and there is no buyer's premium ...

The goggles worn by Ron Pierce in winning the 2004 Little Brown Jug will be auctioned off on ebay starting September 28 at 2 pm Eastern for seven days. The package, which includes the goggles, signed program, press pass and lanyard for the event and the front page of the Columbus Dispatch, which carries of a photo of Pierce wearing the goggles, will benefit the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. From www.ebay.com, do a search for "Ron Pierce" and you will find the listing.

UPCOMING RACES
September 28 Bluegrass 2yo filly trot $100,500 The Red Mile

September 29 Bluegrass 2yo filly pace $121,900 The Red Mile

September 30 Bluegrass 2yo colt trot $109,000 The Red Mile

October 1
Bluegrass 3yo filly pace $175,000 The Red Mile
Bluegrass 3yo filly trot $150,000 The Red Mile

October 2
Bluegrass 3yo colt trot $200,000 The Red Mile
Bluegrass 2yo colt pace $300,000

The Red Mile Bluegrass 3yo colt pace $200,000

The Red Mile Milton Stakes 3yo & up mare pace $356,300 Mohawk Raceway

PACING MARES LOOK TO SETTLE DIVISIONAL HONORS IN MILTON FINAL

Nearly all of this season's major players in the pacing mare division will be present Saturday night for the $372,250 Milton Stakes final, meaning the race might go a long way toward determining year-end honors. The top six money-winning pacing mares, led by Bunny Lake, will be among the 10 starters in the event, which will be contested at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario.

Bunny Lake, the 2001 Horse of the Year, won the first leg of the Classic Distaff series in April and the Roses Are Red on September 4 en route to earnings of $462,116 this season. In addition, she was second in the Classic Distaff final, Breeders Crown and Golden Girls. She finished second to Always Cam in her Milton elimination race.

"She's been good," trainer John Stark Jr. said. "We knew she wouldn't be that sharp off a three-week layoff, but we kind of planned it that way. We've kind of limited her starts this year so she could stay sharp through the year. Last year she wasn't as sharp by the end of the year as she was in the middle."

Bunny Lake, who has made $2.8 million lifetime, started 24 races last year -- the most of any season in her career. Her previous high was 21 during her three-year-old campaign in 2001, when she won 19 times and earned $1.1 million.

Among the mares also advancing to the Milton final were Breeders Crown winner Always Cam, Overbid winner Carolina Sunshine, Classic Distaff winner Eternal Camnation, Lady Liberty winner Loyal Opposition, and Burning Point, who was runner-up in both the Overbid and Lady Liberty. Loyal Opposition joined Always Cam as an elimination winner last Saturday. Eternal Camnation has won the last three editions of the Milton Stakes.

"It looks to me that anybody could step up," Stark said. "I think whoever doesn't get used the hardest and gets the best trip will end up winning it."

STANLEY DANCER REFLECTS UPON THE CHASE OF TROTTING'S TRIPLE CROWN

On October 6, harness racing will observe the 32nd anniversary of Super Bowl's win in the Kentucky Futurity, a victory that gave the three-year-old a sweep of trotting's Triple Crown. Three days later, Windsong's Legacy will attempt to become the first horse since then -- and the seventh overall -- to accomplish the feat.

Windsong's Legacy has already won the Hambletonian and Yonkers Trot, the first two jewels in the Triple Crown. On Saturday he won the $901,290 Canadian Trotting Classic for trainer-driver Trond Smedshammer as he continues to prep for the October 9 Kentucky Futurity at the Red Mile in Lexington. For the year, Windsong's Legacy has won seven of 10 races and earned $1.49 million. His seasonal earnings are the third highest in trotting history, behind Malabar Man's $1.67 million in 1997 and Prakas' $1.61 million in 1985.

Since Super Bowl's triumph for trainer-driver Stanley Dancer, seven horses have won the first two jewels in the Crown but failed to complete the sweep. The most recent was Muscles Yankee, who finished fifth and third in his two Kentucky Futurity heats in 1998. There have been five pacing Triple Crown winners since 1972, including three in the last six years.

"You'd never think it would be this long, but it's happened that way," Dancer said about the trotting Triple Crown drought. "I don't really have any answer why it's been this long. The main thing is having a good horse and keeping them sound."

Dancer won three Triple Crowns during his career -- the first with trotter Nevele Pride in 1968, the second with pacer Most Happy Fella in 1970 and the final one with trotter Super Bowl. "It's always a big deal to win it," Dancer, 77, said from his home in Pompano Beach, Florida. "To win three, that was unbelievable. You think maybe you can win one, and then after the first one you think that you might be able to win two. But I never thought I would win three. That was just something extra."

Super Bowl was born on April 8, 1969 -- about three months after the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts in the NFL-AFL championship game, which for the first time was called officially the "Super Bowl." The late Norman Woolworth, co-owner of Stoner Creek Stud, the breeder of Super Bowl, said the horse got its named because all his kids talked about at night in bed was the football game.

Dancer bought Super Bowl for $20,000. "As a two-year-old he was a little slow getting going," he recalled. "He was a nice horse that did everything you liked, but it just took a little longer. He didn't make breaks or anything, so that wasn't it. I think it was just a matter of maturing. Once he got good, he was one of the best."

By August 1971, Super Bowl had rounded into form. He ended the year with 15 wins in 23 starts and was voted the best two-year-old colt trotter in North America. Dancer said Super Bowl "didn't have to improve a lot" to dominate the following year. Super Bowl won 23 of 28 races and became the first three-year-old to trot in less than 1:57, winning the Hambletonian in 1:56.2.

"You never want to be overconfident, but by all means Super Bowl should've won the Triple Crown that year -- and he did," Dancer said. "He was the best, but anything can happen in a race."

Sometimes "anything" can happen twice. In the first heat of the Kentucky Futurity, Super Bowl won despite having a tire go flat 120 yards before the finish after it was clipped by one of Songcan's hooves. In the second heat, the same thing happened, only this time it was three-quarters of a mile from the finish.

"That was the only time I was worried," Dancer said with a laugh. "That was just one of those things, it wasn't anybody's fault. I shifted myself in the sulky to take my weight off that tire. But he was the best, and he won."

Dancer said he never tinkered much with his horses between races, particularly during the Triple Crown series. "I didn't do anything differently," he said. "I never believed in that; I think that's bad. The way I looked at it, there was no sense messing around with success."

Yonkers Harness Racing: Blue Jean, 'Something' Want The Money

52 money finishes in 103 career outings has certainly paid dividends for eight-year-old Falcon Seelster gelding Falcon’s Blue Jean, who will look to surpass $300,000 in lifetime bankroll versus another potential milestone setter at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday night.
The well-known pacer from owners Fred and Anita Fialkow headlines an undercarded handicap for winners of over $8,000 in their last six starts after winning his easier assignment seven days ago.

Falcon’s Blue Jean draws post five with usual pilot Mark Beckwith in this seven-horse contest, offering a purse of $12,000. The loveable veteran trained by Julius Czermann Jr. has overcome a strange heartbeat irregularity to win nine of 34 seasonal appearances, including his head victory over Fox Valley Kincade last weekend. ‘Jean’ sits on $295,450 in lifetime earnings, helped by solid performances at Yonkers and the New Jersey Meadowlands.

Standforsomething, a five-year-old stallion by Stand Forever, is also looking to cross the $200,000 beam for trainer Mark Ford. Owned by well-regarded Martin Scharf, the Kentucky-bred hauls $196,335 with 16 victories in 90 lifetime outs. Standforsomething has won four times in 30 seasonal tries, an excellent third-place finisher to Perfect Host on the $12,000 handicap stage last weekend. Stephane Bouchard, driver in his two latest appearances, tries again from post position six after previously working from post eight.

The remaining horses have solid backgrounds. Carl Tirella-instructed Surf City USA (post four, Rene Poulin) ran a weakening fifth to Talon Seelster in last Saturday’s open handicap, but this resulted from the :55 4/5 half-mile registered by ‘Talon’ and Chewy Gross. Surf has won five of 30 calendar starts for owner David Miles. Bj’s Tsunami (post three, Michael Sorentino Jr.) is a front-runner who won back-to-back events at $9,000 and $12,000 in August, starting outside Will Strut (post one, Marcus Johansson) and upset specialist Champlain (post two, Jeff Gregory). Skeeter Todd (post seven) will be driven by Ray Schnittker for training colleague Paul Doherty. The aforementioned $12,000 will be up for grabs in race seven.

Atop the weekend program is a $15,000 open handicap pace, rematching Talon Seelster and Chewy Gross. ‘Talon,’ a four-year-old Cam’s Card Shark gelding trained by Tim Case, outlasted ‘Chewy’ through a :55 4/5 half and 1:25 1/5 third-quarter clocking to win last week’s open cap sub-feature. He draws post five with Greg Merton replacing Joe Pavia Jr. in the bike. Chewy Gross, who tied the Plainridge track record (1:49 3/5) three weeks ago, fills outside post seven with Stephane Bouchard. Sempre Pronto (post two, Marcus Johansson) comes off a three-week rest. The remaining quartet are Step Back (post one, Michael Sorentino Jr.), Our Galvinator A (post three, Jim Marshall III), Perfect Host (post four, Steven Brown), and Chad Lefleur (post six, Jeff Gregory). This event has been returned to its original home, race eight, after occupying race three on last week’s New York Night of Champions program.

All nine Saturday events are for pacers at one mile and a sixteenth. Yonkers Raceway continues a four-day live week, with programs on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

Drivers injured in Ohio race accident

DELAWARE, Ohio (AP) -- Two drivers were treated at a hospital after a four-horse pileup during Monday's sixth harness race at the Delaware County Fairgrounds (2004 Little Brown Jug week).

Drivers Don Pfister and Jeff Nisonger were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where they were treated and released. Hospital spokeswoman Teri Morgan said she could not comment on the drivers' injuries.

The other drivers involved, Dale Edwards and Jim Dailey, walked away with minor injuries.

The accident took place when Pfister's horse, Victor Bloom, tripped and fell down and R W's Outa Towner, driven by Nisonger, flipped over him. Max's Memory (Edwards) and Presidential Pride (Dailey) piled into the downed horses.

All four horses went down, but none appeared to be seriously injured.

The half-mile track hosts standardbred races all week leading up to Thursday's Little Brown Jug, the third leg of pacing's triple crown for 3-year-olds.

Timesareachanging wins 2004 Little Brown Jug

Owner doubles his fun with 1-2 finish at Little Brown Jug

DELAWARE, Ohio (AP) -- When Ron Pierce started looking for another gear in Timesareachanging, trainer Brett Pelling knew he would find it.

Pierce waited until the final turn to take Timesareachanging to the lead and then held off stablemate Western Terror by a half-length to win the Little Brown Jug on Thursday.

``He just keeps pressing. He won't go away,'' Pelling said. ``This horse doesn't quit. He never gets tired down by the wire.''

The son of Cam's Card Shark won two of the three legs of the triple crown for 3-year-old pacers. He finished in a dead heat with Western Terror in the Cane Pace and was second to Metropolitan in the Messenger.

David Brooks and his Perfect World Enterprises of Old Westbury, N.Y., owned the top two finishers, both of which were trained by Pelling. It was the first time the first two Jug finishers had an owner and trainer in common since the legendary Billy Haughton trained Nihilator and Pershing Square to a 1-2 finish for owner Lou Guida of Wall Street Stable in 1985.

Brooks didn't come to Delaware County Fairgrounds to watch his Nick's Fantasy win in 1995.

``I'm here today,'' Brooks said from the winner's circle while wearing a wide grin. ``I'm making up for it.''

Both Pelling and Pierce won two previous Jugs, working together with Shady Character in 1998. Pierce also won behind Blissful Hall in 1999, while Pelling trained 2000 Jug winner Astreos.

Blissed Out, winner of the third elimination, raced to the front in the second heat and maintained that spot past the three-quarters post while a crowd of 52,078 roared in anticipation of a wild finish by the tightly bunched lead group.

Timesareachanging, which lagged at the outset despite starting in the No. 2 post, climbed close to Blissed Out at the close of the back stretch by going wide, then breezed past Blissed Out in the final turn. At the same time, Western Terror moved up on the outside and challenged but was rebuffed by Timesareachanging down the stretch.

``The only time I was concerned was in the first turn when I had to back Mike Lachance (driver of Four Starzzz King) so I could have clear sailing,'' Pierce said.

Western Terror, winner of the first elimination, trailed early before making the late rally.

``Since both horses are owned by the same people, we did our job today,'' driver Brian Sears said. ``Timesareachanging is a great little horse and he earned the win today.''

There were three eight-horse eliminations in the first heat, with the top three finishers from each elimination moving on to the second heat.

The win in the second elimination and the second heat earned Timesareachanging $226,885. Perfect World Enterprises also banked $108,013, giving Brooks a $334,898 payday.

Timesareachanging has finished in the top three in all but one of his 16 starts this year, including nine wins and five seconds. He hasn't finished out of the money in his last 13 races, placing in the top two in his last 10 starts.

Metropolitan, with John Campbell driving, was third. Campbell qualified two horses for the second heat, electing to stay with Metropolitan over Maltese Artist, even though the latter had a better post position.

Before taking his victory lap, Pierce called the victory one of the highlights of his career.

``There is nothing like it,'' he said.

Erv Miller: Standing Tall (Harness Racing Trainer)

Erv Miller is difficult to miss around the racetrack; standing at 6-foot-3, the 37-year-old Illinois native is an imposing figure. And over the last five years, his stature has grown as one of harness racing's top trainers. Miller's annual purse earnings have increased steadily from $934,372 in 1999 to a personal best $2.4 million so far this season. He also has set a personal single-year record for wins with 220, a total that ranks third in North America. His .416 UTR also is third.

Loyal Opposition, who has earned $1.6 million lifetime and won the $238,600 Lady Liberty earlier this year, is probably the most recognized name in the Miller stable. But she's not the only top producer for Miller, who has had horses hit the board in 10 races with purses of more than $100,000 this year (and won five of them). Fox Valley Shaker was victorious in the $443,200 Sweetheart at the Meadowlands and second in the $540,617 She's A Great Lady at Woodbine. Fox Valley Flan won the $100,000 American-National for three-year-old filly trotters and was second to Silver Springs in the $130,000 World Trotting Derby, which was shortened to one heat because of rain.

Miller's younger brother, Andy, drives many of the stable's horses. Miller's 15-year-old son, Marcus, this year started driving in amateur races - and has won four of six.

On Saturday night, Miller, who lives and trains in Springfield, will have 14 horses go behind the gate in Super Night championship races at Balmoral Park near Chicago. On Friday afternoon he took a few minutes to chat with Harness Racing Communications.

Harness Racing Communications: You've already surpassed your season highs for wins and earnings, so I guess you've got to be feeling pretty good about this year?

Erv Miller: I've had a good year. We've got more horses and better horses than we've ever had, so it's supposed to get a little better.

HRC: How many horses are you training now, about 100? And how many people do you have working for you?

EM: We're down from 100 now. We've probably got around 70. We have, at times, 33 or 34 people working for us. Now it's probably around 30.

HRC: What's a typical day for you?

EM: I work most of the day, every day. I try to take Sundays to spend time with the family, but other than that it's all hours six days a week. I go from about 6 or 6:30 in the morning to 4 or 5 in the afternoon. If I go race, I try to get out of the barn by 2 or so and spend an hour or so at home before going to the racetrack.

HRC: How many horses do you train or jog in a day?

EM: As many as I can. [Laughs]. It depends on the day. On a heavy training day, I might only jog two or three that I want to sit behind to check out. A heavy training day would be about 30 to 35 horses. I switch horses on trips, so I might drive 10 on their first trips and then another 10 on their second trips.

HRC: How did you get started in racing?

EM: I went to a county fair with my dad [Marvin] as a kid. Growing up Amish, we used horses to get around and out in the fields. I knew about racing before, but I'd never seen it. I saw them race and it hit me right away as something I'd like to do. I drove my first matinee and won, and I was hooked. I was 16 then.

HRC: Did you ever imagine it would reach this level?

EM: No. I never even gave it a thought.

HRC: How did it happen?

EM: [Laughs]. It's just been constant growth and trying to do a good job and get the horses right. I think if you do an honest job for people, it's appreciated. I've never advertised for horses, everything has been word of mouth and getting to meet the right people. We have great owners.

HRC: What's been the highlight of the year for you?

EM: I'd say probably winning the two races, the Lady Liberty and Sweetheart, in New Jersey.

HRC: I know you were a little disappointed when you didn't get to go a second heat in the Filly World Trotting Derby.

EM: I'd have taken a shot at it. I think [Fox Valley Flan] is tough. She seems stronger at the end of miles than anywhere; I wouldn't have minded going another shot. But, it did save my mare. Going maybe another two heats, if we had won the second, would have taken a toll on her coming back here. A lot of times stuff works out for the best even if it's not what you want.

HRC: Who has been the best horse you've had?

EM: According to record and money earned, it would have to be Loyal Opposition. But I show a lot of favoritism to a filly named Incredible Tillie [who earned nearly $1 million in her career]. She went some big miles. She was the first one that I had that was a big-time world champion caliber horse.

HRC: How do you feel about Marcus driving?

EM: I think it's good. Kids need to have something to do. This keeps his mind busy and keeps him out of trouble. But this is a tough business and it's not something I want him to get into without having something to fall back on. He worked with us all summer and he'd stick around every day until we were done. He was another trainer in the barn. He has a real mellow attitude. He doesn't get keyed up when a horse doesn't behave.

HRC: Do you think he has a future as a driver?

EM: He's a pretty big boy [5-9] already, although he's said he's quit growing. You've got to hold your weight down and have a good hand for a horse. You also have to have good communication skills, which is something a lot of drivers don't have. You've got to do the right thing and communicate with the people you're working for.

HRC: Has your height hurt you?

EM: As a driver. A lot of people think I could drive, and I do a little. But I've got too much at stake now to get hurt driving horses and there are others who can do that. Andy does a good job doing that; I don't pursue that part.

.... fom Harness Racing Communications Newsletter.

CAMPBELL SETS SIGHTS ON JUG AND UNIQUE TRIPLE CROWN SWEEP

Golf has the Tiger Slam. Harness racing might end up with the Campbell Crown.

John Campbell has accomplished just about everything possible for a driver. He is the sport's all-time money-winner with $224 million in purses. He holds the record for the most wins in the Meadowlands Pace (7), North America Cup (6), Hambletonian (5) and Breeders Crown series (40). He has won every Triple Crown race in each pacing and trotting, a total of 28, in fact. But he has never swept the Triple Crown races in the same year.

Now, Campbell is in the position to do just that -- sweep the pacing Crown's Cane Pace, Messenger and Little Brown Jug. Yet even if he does so, he will not have guided a horse to the Triple Crown. He drove Western Terror to a dead-heat win with Timesareachanging in the Cane, then returned to his regular drive aboard Metropolitan -- who failed to advance to the Cane Pace final -- to win the Messenger. He will be behind Metropolitan once again Thursday afternoon in the $571,500 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio.

No driver in either the pacing or trotting Triple Crown has won all three of the series' races in a single year, but done so by driving at least two different horses. But if there can be a Tiger Slam for Tiger Woods owning all four of golf's majors at the same time, yet not in the same calendar year, why can't there be a Campbell Crown?

"I guess you could call it that," Campbell said with a laugh. "But it's more of an oddity than anything else. For a Triple Crown the horse has to do it. I wouldn't consider it [a Triple Crown] it would just be kind of an oddity."

Whatever it's called, Campbell will certainly have his work cut out for him after Metropolitan drew the far outside, the No. 8 post, in his Little Brown Jug opening heat, the second of three eight-horse divisions. That division also includes favorite Timesareachanging, who won the Adios -- also contested in heats -- and was second in the Meadowlands Pace and Messenger.

"He's up against it with the eight hole," said Campbell, who has won the Little Brown Jug three times, most recently with Nick's Fantasy in 1995. "He's in good form, but he's going to have to catch some kind of a break that would be considered good luck. Stranger things have happened. Depending on what happens at the start I'll want to try to leave with him, but I'm sure there are going to be two or three other horses inside of me who will want to do the same thing."

Metropolitan seemed to have put his bad luck in draws behind him when he got the rail for the Messenger, which he won in 1:52.2, a track record at Harrington for three-year-old pacers. His starting spots in other major races this year have been post 11 in the Hoosier Cup, post eight in the North America Cup, post 10 in the Meadowlands Pace and post eight in the Oliver Wendell Holmes. In addition, Metropolitan started from post seven in his Adios elimination race and post 10 in the Cane Pace elims.

Twenty-four horses entered the Little Brown Jug, which requires a horse to win two heats to be declared the winner. The top three finishers in each of the first-heat divisions will return for the second heat. If a first-heat winner fails to win the second heat, then the second heat victor will join the three first-heat winners in a race-off.

Western Terror is the favorite in the opening division of first heats and Blissed Out is the favorite in the third division.

Campbell will not have the luxury of simply qualifying for the second heat by finishing among the top three in his division if he hopes to claim the Jug with Metropolitan; winning the first heat is practically essential. The last horse that failed to win his first heat but still won the Jug was Nansemond, driven by Herve Filion, in 1971. Nansemond was second in his opening heat, won the second and then beat Albatross and HT Luca in a race-off. It is the only time it has happened since 1961.

"It's huge to win that first heat," Campbell said. "You have to pull out all the stop and can't worry about getting qualified and expect to win. It's just unrealistic to think that way. You have the three [first heat] winners draw inside of you, plus a third-place finisher in the nine hole, so you're giving up four good posts right there. If you give up that kind of advantage to speed horses in the second heat it's virtually impossible to win."

Blissed Out burst onto the Jug scene when he won a Simcoe division in a track record 1:48.4 at Mohawk on September 11. It was his first and only start for trainer Richard Banca, who had bought the colt for $75,000 from Bob Burgess and Karin Olsson-Burgess, then sold him for $250,000 to Tony Chiaravalle after the Simcoe. Banca still trains Blissed Out, who has won seven of 23 starts and earned $131,950 this year.

"I changed his shoes, changed some equipment," Banca said. "He had been wearing bar shoes up front and I changed him to all four aluminum. He had a Kant-See-Bak bridle and I changed him to a hood with cups. I'll probably train him on Monday and he'll leave [Toronto] on Monday afternoon."

Another colt entering the Jug on a roll is Santastic's Pan, trained and co-owned by Dan Altmeyer. Santastic's Pan, who is in the third division with Blissed Out and Meadowlands Pace winner Holborn Hanover, established the world record for three-year-old colt pacers on a five-eighths of a mile track when he won in 1:49.3 at the Meadows in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event September 4. He won his Jug Preview division at Scioto Downs a week later.

"He's gotten pretty good the last couple weeks," Altmeyer said. "We put him on Lasix on Adios Day (Aug. 14) because we found he was bleeding in his previous start. That seems to have picked him up pretty good. He's a very game horse. He's an incredible horse as far as durability and guts. He's done more than I expected him to."

The field for the $571,500 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware County Fair by first-heat divisions in post-position order with listed drivers and morning line odds:

First division:

• Finnegan Hanover, Brian Zendt, 15-1;
  
• Capt Silverheels, David Miller, 12-1;
  
• Maltese Artist, David Miller, 5-2;
  
• Western Terror, Brian Sears, 2-1;
  
• Western Prince, Yannick Gingras, 10-1;
  
• Rare Jewel, Luc Ouellette, 6-1;
  
• Driven To Win, David Miller, 8-1;
  
• Up Front Brad, Dave Palone, 4-1.

Second division:

• Four Starzzz King, Mike Lachance, 7-2;
  
• Yankee Lariat, Jack Moiseyev, 10-1;
  
• Sparkler, Paul MacDonell, 6-1;
  
• Timesareachanging, Ron Pierce, 2-1;
  
• Rogue Hall, Paul MacDonell, 8-1;
  
• Harry Hornet, George Brennan, 12-1;
  
• Armbro Baylor, Brian Sears, 15-1;
  
• Metropolitan, John Campbell, 4-1.

Third division:

• Blissed Out, Luc Ouellette, 9-5;
  
• Town Champion, Richard Silverman, 12-1;
  
• The Preacher Pan, Daniel Dube, 5-1;
  
• Kafka Hanover, Steve Smith, 8-1;
  
• Santastic's Pan, Mike Wilder, 3-1;
  
• You Rock, Brian Zendt, 10-1;
  
• Crombes Last Laugh, Luc Ouellette, 15-1;
  
• Holborn Hanover, George Brennan, 7-2.

CANTAB HALL, WINDSONG'S LEGACY HEADLINE CANADIAN TROTTING CLASSIC

With Windsong's Legacy having won the first two jewels in trotting's Triple Crown and Tom Ridge having trotted the fastest mile in the sport's history, it might be easy to overlook Cantab Hall. But the defending Trotter of the Year can reclaim his share of the spotlight with a win Saturday in the C$1.1 million Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack.

Cantab Hall on September 18 won his Classic elimination race by a head over Windsong's Legacy in 1:54.1. It was Cantab Hall's first win since the Stanley Dancer elims on July 9 at the Meadowlands. He was second in each the Hambletonian, Yonkers Trot and World Trotting Derby. For the year, he has won three of nine starts and $566,793. He has won 13 of 19 races and earned $1.02 million in his career.

It was Cantab Hall's first start since finishing second to Tom Ridge in his world record mile (1:50.2) in the World Trotting Derby. Cantab Hall's finishing time of 1:50.4 equaled the previous fastest mile in history. Windsong's Legacy was making his first start since winning the Yonkers Trot at Hawthorne on August 28. Windsong's Legacy has won six of nine starts this year and earned $1.04 million. He has won every final -- the Goodtimes, Stanley Dancer, Hambletonian and Yonkers Trot -- that he has raced this season.

It is likely that divisional honors and quite possibly Trotter of the Year will be decided in the next two months as a number of major races will be contested between now and mid-November. Still remaining are the $200,000 Bluegrass on October 2 at the Red Mile, $400,000 Kentucky Futurity (the final jewel in the Triple Crown) on October 9 at the Red Mile, the $650,000 Breeders Crown on October 23 at Woodbine, the $250,000 American-National on November 6 at Balmoral and the $240,000 Matron on November 18 at Dover.

Al Dente Hanover won the other Canadian Trotting Classic elim by two-and-a-half lengths over In Conchnito in 1:56.

IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S: Harry Hornet, standing quietly in cross ties, with droopy eyes, in his stall after a jog around the track on Monday morning. He looked a bit like Clark Kent, if not Superman. "He's a mild-mannered reporter," his caretaker Mike Critser said. "We're just waiting for him to get in that phone booth," he added with a laugh. "He's got a super personality, just as nice as he can be around the barn and this is his first trip to a county fair."

Trainer Jim Campbell thinks Harry must like the change of scenery. "He was thinking about kicking me this morning and usually he doesn't even have the energy for that," he said with a laugh. "He goes around a half really good and the other part of the reason we entered him is that there's nothing like the Jug. He's not been the best drawing [post positions] horse and he likes to be up near the front. If you get him involved in the race early, you get the best he has. He going to get trained a little bit tomorrow morning or whatever he feels likes doing. We'll blow him out this morning and he'll jog Wednesday."

Critser has been to the Jug before. "I won with Colt Fortysix, 20 years ago," he said. "I worked for [trainer] Chris Boring then, for 17 years. I'm from Indiana originally, but there's nothing like winning the Little Brown Jug. That's what horse racing is all about." Harry Hornet is 12-1 and will start from post six in the second division of first Jug heats.

UPCOMING RACES

September 20 Oakville 2yo filly trot $553,000 Mohawk Raceway Campbellville 2yo open trot $483,200 Mohawk Raceway

September 22 Buckette 3yo filly trot $96,000 Delaware Fairgrounds Jugette 3yo filly pace $300,000 Delaware Fairgrounds

September 23 Old Oaken Bucket 3yo colt trot $122,300 Delaware Fairgrounds Little Brown Jug 3yo open pace $600,000 Delaware Fairgrounds Magical Mike open pace $105,600 Delaware Fairgrounds

September 25 Canadian Trotting Classic 3yo open trot $1,100,000 Mohawk Racetrack Lou Babic 2yo open pace $150,000 Freehold Raceway