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