CAMPBELVILLE, ON- Seven And Seven lunged off cover and down the centre of the harness racing track to take the $350,000 William Wellwood Memorial Final in 1:55.3 Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
International Moni led the field of rookie trotters to the opening-quarter in :28, in front of Signal Hill wide of Seven And Seven in second. Signal Hill obtained control into the backstretch and was soon pressured by International Moni, who was flushed first over by Seven And Seven. Off a half in :57.1, Signal Hill battled with International Moni around the final turn. Jake shot up the pylons into third while Seven And Seven stalked International Moni.
At three-quarters in 1:26.1, Signal Hill clung to the lead. International Moni gradually edged by to his outside while Seven And Seven tipped towards the centre of the track and Jake split horses, diving towards the inside. Seven And Seven took the front into the final sixteenth and pulled away for a three-length score over Jake and International Moni, who held on for third.
Seven And Seven is a two-year-old colt by Chapter Seven out of the Kadabra mare Ally Oop. Owned by trainer Thomas Durand along with wife June Durand and partner Allan Smith, the colt has won four races in seven starts, compiling $226,768 in earnings. John Campbell was in the bike.
"It was a great surprise when I saw the changes and that I was on him," John Campbell said. "I've followed him and have known what he was capable of and how well he had raced for Tom [Durand] all along. I thought he was coming into the race very good."
"He's just perfect to drive," Campbell also said. "Anybody can drive him; he's just like a pro."
Saturday's Wellwood Memorial final was the first time trainer Tom Durand didn't drive Seven And Seven.
"I had a couple of things to iron out with him," said Durand. "He was a little fussy behind the gate, so I got that smoothed out, and I thought it was time to turn the reigns over to the most experienced driver in the world."
A $2 win ticket on Seven And Seven returned $7.30.
Ray Cotolo for WEG Communications