With the first half of the racing season in the books, Trot Insider takes a look at some of the leading Standardbreds in Canada for wins, earnings and records.
Claiming pacing mares Whatineedisaman and Big Bad Jenn lead all racehorses with the most wins in Canada so far in 2023, each boasting a dozen victories through the first six months of the year. Their 12 wins also top the charts in all of North America (tied with U.S. win leader Officer Jim).
Whatineedisaman, a seven-year-old daughter of Mystery Chase, earned 10 of her wins racing from the Jodie Cullen stable at racetracks across Ontario. She's since been claimed four times, for an average price of $16,563, and added two more wins under the care of trainer Cameron McQueen. A 26-time starter upto this point, Whatineedisaman currently hangs her harness in the barn of Robert Bernicky.
Big Bad Jenn has also racked up her wins competing in the claiming ranks over 19 starts on the Ontario circuit. Stewart McQueen trained the seven-year-old Big Bad John mare for nine of her victories. She was claimed four times, for an average price of $9,219, amid an eight-race win streak while adding three wins for trainer Gerard Demers. She now resides in the George Robinson stable.
Hot on their heels with 11 wins each are pacing mares Arizona for trainer Mike Timpano and Ontheroadtotexas for Kelly Hoerdt as well as the Raphael Bourassa-trained pacing gelding Dreydl Hanover with the most productive season of his career at age 13.
The only other horses that have hit double digits in the win column are Western Canada's first sub-1:50 pacer Shark Week for Rod Hennessy and the winningest trotter Bucktober for Tyler Borth.
Its My Show's victories in the $50,000 elimination and $1 million final of the North America Cup -- the nation's richest race so far in 2023 -- catapulted him to No. 1 on the charts for earnings. Trained by Linda Toscano, the homebred Sweet Lou-Put On A Show gelding earned $525,000 in his two Canadian appearances for owners Richard Young and Joanne Young.
The Brett Pelling-trained Cup runner-up Confederate ($250,000) and Sylvia Hanover ($238,500), undefeated in her three sophomore starts including the $420,000 Fan Hanover Stakes for trainer Shawn Steacy, round out the top three money-earners.
Warrawee Vital's sizzling 1:46.4 mile in a Preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park on June 17 for trainer Kyle Fellows not only stands as the national season's record but it also matches the all-age record. Owned by Yolanda Fellows and M&S Racing Stable, the six-year-old son of Captaintreacherous made Canadian history becoming just the third horse to pace sub-1:47 north of the 49th parallel.
The fastest winning time on a five-eighths track so far in 2023 is 1:51.1, achieved on five different occasions: Redstone Arsenal was first setting the season's record on May 5 at Fraser Downs followed by matching Rideau Carleton Raceway miles from The Light Speed (May 14 and May 28), Dylans Bank (June 11) and Bayfield Beach (June 18).
Birthday's 1:51.1 victory in an elimination of the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup on May 14 at Flamboro Downs is the season's record on a half-mile track.
Jiggy Jog S's stunning 1:50.3 victory in a leg of the Graduate Series on June 3 at Mohawk is the fastest trotting mile so far this season in Canada (and just one-fifth off the all-time Canadian mares record). Ake Svanstedt conditions the four-year-old millionaire daughter of Walner for Jorgen Sparredal Inc.
Sea Can holds the season's trotting record for a five-eighths track courtesy of his 1:54.2 victory last time out on June 25 at Georgian Downs.
The fastest trotting winner on a half-mile track is 11-year-old gelding Arrakis, who was a 1:55 winner on May 21 at Flamboro Downs.
**All statistics include Canadian starts from January 1, 2023 up to the first Monday in July.
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