Woodbine Mohawk Park: Super Chapter reigns in Maple Leaf Trot final

Dexter Dunn made an authoritative brush to the lead with odds-on favorite Super Chapter heading to the half and strode confidently to a track- and Canadian-record 1:49 3/5 victory in the C$620,000 Grade 1 Maple Leaf Trot, a trotting free-for-all event, on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Dunn eased Super Chapter out of post two to land in fourth behind a 26 4/5 battle to the quarter among Go Dog Go, French Wine and Antognoni S. French Wine pushed to grab the lead from Go Dog Go to the backstretch while Antognoni S took back to third and Dunn revved his charge for a sweep in the backstretch.

Super Chapter marched up the rim and took command from French Wine past a 54 4/5 half as Emoticon Legacy surged uncovered on the outside to press the leader. Emoticon Legacy loomed within a length of Super Chapter past three-quarters in 1:22 2/5, but Super Chapter smoothly rebuffed that rival when kicking for home. Dunn then kept the inside seam sealed while drifting mildly for the finish to hold back French Wine and win by half a length. Emoticon Legacy stayed on for third and Antognoni S angled off a ground-saving trip for fourth.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

"It was a pretty good first quarter there," Dunn said after the race. "As soon as the pace slowed down, I thought 'if I don't go the front I'm going to be first-over with Bobby [McClure and Emoticon Legacy] on my back.' We know how fast that horse is, but he's just so brave and so tough, this horse. Bobby was traveling pretty good coming off the turn as well, and [I] had French Wine breathing down my neck as well. So you know, I knew we were going to have to knuckle down pretty good. But this horse gives you so much confidence in him when you sit behind him. He's just awesome to drive and he kicked well today."

Super Chapter's 1:49 3/5 win lowered the track and Canadian record for an aged trotting stallion of 1:49 4/5, set by Aetos Kronos S in 2025, that he equaled with his victory in the Maple Leaf Trot elimination. The time came two-fifths of a second off the stakes record set last year by Lexus Kody. Super Chapter also gave trainer Marcus Melander his third win in the Maple Leaf Trot after having won in 2018 with Crazy Wow and in 2024 with Periculum.

"I'm honored to win this race again," Melander said. "I mean, it's a hard race to win, and the horse is amazing. In the last turn there, Emoticon came very close, and I thought it's going to be a big fight there down the wire. And it was, but he really fights them off great. He has his cheek rolls on him, so I guess when he saw Emoticon there, he really started fighting again."

A 4-year-old stallion by Chapter Seven out of 2014 Hambletonian Oaks winner Lifetime Pursuit, Super Chapter - owned by Jeffrey Snyder, Arthur Pronti and breeder Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. -​ collected his fifth win from seven starts this season and his 19th win from 32 starts in his career, earning C$3,223,843. He paid $3.60 to win.

--press release (Woodbine Mohawk Park)--