Harness racing: Horse of the Year San Pail returns to action

San Pail, Horse of the Year on both sides of the border in 2011, is scheduled to produce his first charted line of 2012 in a qualifying session on Thursday morning at Mohawk.

Trainer and co-owner, Rod Hughes, confirmed that the winner of $2,977,885 who has three Maple Leaf Trot victories, will participate in a pair of qualifying sessions to prepare for his first stakes engagement of the season, the opening leg of the Glorys Comet, set for Saturday, March 24 at Woodbine.

“That’s the plan,” Hughes said. “We will qualify this week and next, then go into the Glorys Comet. This week we won’t go much, maybe between (1):58 and 2:00. It doesn’t really matter this week as long as he finishes strong. (Driver) Randy (Waples) can dictate what he feels ‘Pail’ wants to go.”

After earning an impressive $1,266,420 last season with a record of 14-2-0 from 16 appearances, Hughes elected to keep San Pail stakes appearances the same as last year.

“We're not changing a thing. He’s staked up pretty good like last year,” Hughes said. “He’ll have the Breeders Crown, Maple Leaf Trot, Nat Ray, Credit Winner, a trip to Lexington, as well as a few others. We also kept him eligible to the American National. We didn’t go there last year, but we might consider it this year.”

San Pail is closing in on a significant milestone as he looks to surpass rival, Arch Madness, to become the richest Canadian-sired trotter of all time. Arch Madness currently holds the mark with earnings of $3,267,288.

An eight-year-old son of San Pellegrino, San Pail has 49 career victories for co-owner and breeder Glenn Van Camp.

(edited press release-WEG)