Marion Marauder | Standardbred Trotter
Trained by husband and wife team Mike Keeling and Paula Wellwood, and owned by their son Devin Keeling and Wellwood’s mother Jean, Marion Marauder was welcomed into a family that had been racing and training Standardbreds for generations.
Purchased for $37,000 as a yearling, Marauder showed talent and potential early on, outrunning his relatively small stature (15.2 hands, or 62”at the withers) thanks to his powerful stride and determination to win.
"The first day I asked him to extend himself. . .
I’d never felt anything like it before.
This guy was special.”
Mike Keeling, co-trainer
At two years old, Marauder developed a “come from behind” racing style out of necessity. He often began his races two or three rows behind the starting gate because of his aggressive behavior towards nearby horses. Time and experience solved that problem, and Marauder became more versatile and effective as he matured.
"The difference between last year and
this year is that he grew quite a bit . . .
but the real difference is that he learned how to win."
Paula Wellwood, co-trainer
The Hambletonian is a race for trotters that brings the season’s best three year olds together each year to race for a million dollar purse. The “Hambo” is also the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, and is followed by the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity.
After winning his Hambletonian elimination heat with a career-record 1.51.3 earlier in the day, Marauder trotted to victory in the Hambletonian final, beating the tenacious Southwind Frank in a photo finish.
"The pressure is all on the Hambletonian
and we delivered, the horse delivered.
It was amazing."
Scott Zeron, driver
Victories in the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity (by very small margins) followed, making Marauder the 9th trotting triple crown winner in history, and the 8th richest North American-based trotter in harness racing history. His driver, Scott Zeron, became the youngest driver to win a Triple Crown.
Marion Marauder was retired to stud in 2017, then returned to a successful racing career when he was found to be infertile. He retired in 2020 with earnings of $3.39 million (USD)
In 2022, he became the first Hambletonian winner to reside at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Notes
- His name is based on the first name of one of his owners and the name of the other owner’s college sports team.
- Marauder trotted his best mile of 1:50.2 at the age of seven.
Notable Wins
2016: Goodtimes Stakes, Stanley Dancer Memorial, Hambletonian Stakes, Yonkers Trot, Kentucky Futurity
2017: Graduate Final, Hambletonian Maturity, Cleveland Trotting Classic
2018: John Cashman Memorial, Caesars Trotting Classic
Marion Marauder Facts
PEDIGREE / Muscle Hill-Spellbound Hanover
FOALED: 2013 | RETIRED: 2020
HALL OF CHAMPIONS / 2022
NICKNAME / Marauder
ATTRIBUTES / Bay Gelding
MAJOR AWARDS /
2016:
O’Brien Award:
Champion 3 year old Trotter
Dan Patch Award: Trotter of the Year
2017:
Dan Patch Award: Older trotter
2022:
Nominee to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
EARNINGS / $3.39 million (USD)
RECORD / 22-17-8
HEIGHT / 15.2 hands
TRAINER / Paula Wellwood & Mike Keeling
DRIVER / Scott Zeron
BREEDER / Marion Farms
OWNER / Marion Jean Wellwood & Devin Keeling