San Pail Makes History in ‘Trot’

San Pail made trotting history yesterday in the $730,000 Maple Leaf Trot final, winning three years in-a-row. Arch Madness finished second and a 70-1 Hot Shot Blue Chip closed for third.

Enough Talk, Define The World and Arch Madness all left the gate fast. San Pail sat behind the three in fourth and the French mare Premiere Steed sat in fifth. “Define” split horses to clear the front at the first turn, “Arch” applied pressure in second and “Talk” was buried in third. “San” sat behind in fourth and Il Villaggio passed a first over “Steed” in fifth.

Arch cleared the lead through a :27.1 opening fraction, Define was shuffled into second and Talk sat back in third. San came first over and cleared the lead at the half in :55 (:27.4), Arch gave way into second, in at the pocket third was Define and Talk was buried in fourth. “Ill” came onto the outside, while Steed was gapping cover.

San started to draw off at three-quarters in 1:23.4 (:28.4). Into the stretch, San started to play “Catch me if you can,” according to track announcer Ken Middleton. Arch was trying to catch in second and Ill started to fade in third. San drew off by 3 lengths to win, Arch could not catch in second and “Hot” was third. San paid $8.70 to win in a stakes record 1:51.1.

 “He is such an awesome horse and he gives it his all, all the time,” Waples said. “I can’t be happier for the horse, for Rod and his family. The fact that I get to drive him is amazing. As great as the horse is, it takes a great trainer to make him a great horse.”

San Pail is the second horse to win three consecutive Maple Leaf Trots, since Grandpa Jim, who notched three “Trots” from 1969 to 1971.

This victory gave San Pail career earnings of $2-million plus.