EMOTICON LEGACY TAKES BREEDERS CROWN OPEN TROT ELIM HANDILY
Emoticon Legacy and driver Bob McClure prevailed as expected in the Breeders Crown Open Trot elimination ...
COLUMBUS, OH -- October 17, 2026 -- Emoticon Legacy and driver Bob McClure prevailed as expected in the Breeders Crown Open Trot elimination. The son of Walner, out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover, was the 1-9 favorite and did not disappoint his backers with another stellar performance, stopping the timer easily in 1:51.4.
Owned by Determination of Montreal, QC, Canada, Emoticon Legacy notched his fourth victory of the season in ten starts and upped his seasonal earnings to $319,916 and his career bankroll to $1,437,447. Conditioned by Luc Blais, this home bred has 15 career triumphs, six seconds and one third in 27 trips postward.
“He’s a superstar,” McClure confirmed of his charge. “Last year he could bully his way around a lot more and this year he’s had to learn a few things. With Super Chapter not being in here, I felt he had a really good shot to win. His biggest asset is his lungs—he can carry his speed a long way and he can pull through a situation where he might not have the greatest trip and still give you a great effort.”
Longshots 24-1 Up Your Deo (Ake Svanstedt) and 17-1 Go Dog Go (Scott Zeron) slugged it out to the :28.1 first quarter but both yielded to Emoticon Legacy, who got away fourth, when he made his early move. As the field moved to the :56.4 half, French Wine (Jason Bartlett) was first up to the leader but was not able to progress and by the 1:24.2 three-quarter marker, Emoticon Legacy had a comfortable lead that was not to be surpassed. Go Dog Go held on for second, while the hard trying 15-1 Antognoni S (Yannick Gingras) got up for third, with Up Your Deo holding on for fourth place honors.
McClure admitted he’d prefer Emoticon Legacy to have a mid-inside post for the final.
“On a five-eighths, I’d say the best post for him would be the three or four hole,” McClure stressed. “Having the rail or two-hole would definitely be a disadvantage.”
Emoticon Legacy’s best effort this season came when he won the $347,000 Charlie Hill Memorial Trot over this same oval on Sept. 12, setting a new track and world record of 1:50.2 for 4-year-old trotting stallions.
Draw for the Open Trot will be on Tuesday at the Pinnacle Golf Club.
Antognoni S
Emoticon Legacy
French Wine
Gimpanzee Dancer
Go Dog Go
Lexus Kody
On To Norway
Super Chapter
Up Your Deo
