MILTON, August 31, 2024 – Periculum, with Scott Zeron in the race bike, powered home with authority to win the $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot, Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park. One race after guiding Its My Show to Canadian Pacing Derby glory, Zeron changed gaits and delivered another sterling steer to take all the spoils. Logan Park blasted off the wings and drove to the front, followed by the trio of Fashion Frenzie, Osceola, and M Ms Dream into the first turn. Logan Park was on top by 1 ½ lengths through an opening panel in :26.3, but M Ms Dream, unable to find a seat, drove on and challenged the leader, who refused to yield and took his rivals to the half in :54.1. Zeron and Periculum, the 3-5 choice, patiently tracked the pacesetters from seventh, even without having seen the pylons. Hitting three-quarters in 1:22.4, Logan Park looked to dash away from his foes, as Hillexotic and Periculum, trained by Marcus Melander, arrived on the scene. A game Logan Park dug in along the rail, but five-year-old Periculum was in full flight and full of trot, going on to secure a 2 ¼-length score over Oh Well, also trained by Melander. Logan Park was third and Hillexotic took fourth. Periculum and driver Scott Zeron winning the Maple Leaf Trot on August 31, 2024 at Woodbine Mohawk Park (New Image Media) “I really didn’t want to get in a speed duel up front,” explained Zeron. “Not being on the pylons wasn’t the end of the world. It was more about trying to get some nice flow, and obviously it was a hot tempo up front, so I was happy where it was in the last turn. “I had a great post [five], so, I felt like I had options no matter what. And you know, I could see the writing on the wall a little early. There’s going to be a lot of speed. And I just didn’t want to have to be that one, or the one that was first up early. I was happy with where I was situated.” The evening was about as good as it gets for Zeron. “This is where I grew up racing, to come here and do this with some good horses and for good connections, it’s a fun experience.” As it was for all those associated with Periculum. Owned by Brixton Medical Inc. and Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., the bay breezed into the Maple Leaf Trot final off a similarly strong score in his elimination last week, with Zeron in the sulky for the first time, when they won by 4 ¾ lengths in 1:51.2. On this night, Periculum was once again at the top of his game. “He had no cover there for a while, and it helped that it was :54 to the half, and good tempo up there, but he looked like he did it easy,” said Melander, who won the 2018 Maple Leaf Trot with Crazy Wow. “He feels like he’s in a really good form, actually. He had a really good week, and I wasn’t surprised that he raced good.” Bred by Order By Stable AB out of Boras, Sweden, the well-travelled trotter, who competed in the Scandinavian country last year, was a $340,000 purchase at the 2020 Lexington Select Yearling Sale. With the Maple Leaf victory, the biggest of his career to date, the son of Muscle Hill-Amour Heiress is now 11-4-6 from 43 starts, to go along with over $860,000 in lifetime earnings. He paid $3.30 for the victory. Chris Lomon, Woodbine Mohawk Park Communications Share This:Share
