Marion Marauder
2018 Caesars Trotting Classic Winner, Standardbred Trotter
Quick Facts
Earnings
$3.39 million
Record
22-17-8
Retired
2020
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.
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 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.
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.
Marauder trotted his best mile of 1:50.2 at the age of seven.
His name is based on the first name of one of his owners and the name of the other owner’s college sports team.
In 2022, he became the first Hambletonian winner to reside at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Notable Wins
2016
Goodtimes Stakes
Stanley Dancer Memorial
Hambletonian Stakes
Yonkers Trot
Kentucky Futurity
2017
Graduate Final
Hambletonian Maturity
Cleveland Trotting Classic
2018
Graduate Final
Hambletonian Maturity
Cleveland Trotting Classic
Paula Wellwood, Co-trainer
Facts
Earnings
$3.39 million
Record
22-17-8
Retired
2020
Pedigree
Muscle Hill, Spellbound Hanover
Nickname
Marauder
Attributes
Bay Gelding
Foaled
2013
Height
15.2 hands
Trainer
Paula Wellwood & Mike Keeling
Breeders
Marion Farms
Owners
Marion Jean Wellwood & Devin Keeling
Driver
Scott Zeron
O’Brien Award:
Champion 3 year old Trotter 2016
Dan Patch Award: Trotter of the Year 2016
Dan Patch Award: Older trotter 2017
Nominee to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame 2022
