MILTON, October 24, 2025 – Emoticon Legacies (Walter) winning effort in the Kentucky Futurity earlier this month might have surprised coach Luc Blais, but then again, in one respect, maybe not.
“It was a great race,” said Blais as he reflected on Emoticon Legacy’s victory at Kentucky Futurity in 1:49.2, including a parked opening half of :53.3 as he battled for the lead from post 10. “I think it was great even for the competitors to see those factions and finally move on.
“(But) it’s in the blood. She was like that.”
“She” is Emoticon Hanover, the mother of Emoticon Legacy. Emoticon Hanover won two Breeders Crown finals for Blais, finished second in two others, earned an O’Brien Award and finished her career with $2.04 million (CAD) in purses.
“She was a tough mare, that’s for sure,” Blais said. “Emoticon Legacy looks like his mother. He looks like her. He doesn’t have a bad race. He gives his best every race. It’s been a great ride.”
The ride started with Emoticon Hanover and included Breeders Crown triumphs at the Mare Trot at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in 2017 and Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs in 2018. At Pocono, she bested a field that included future Hall of Famer Ariana G, two-time Dan Patch Award winner Broadway Donna and two-time O’Brien Award winner Caprice Hill.
The ride continues with Emoticon Legacy, who heads into Saturday’s $600,000 (USD) Grade 1 Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park as the 8-5 morning line favorite. The son of Walner, himself a Breeders Crown champion in 2016, enters this season with seven wins and a second in nine starts. He earned $1.30 million (CAD) for breeder-owner determination.
Emoticon Legacy has trotted faster than 1:50 in his two most recent races, winning the Canadian Trotting Classic (G1) in 1:49.4 on September 20 at Mohawk, followed by his Kentucky Futurity score on October 5 at The Red Mile. His time in the CTC is the fastest ever for a three-year-old trotter on Canadian soil and his clocking speed in the Futurity was just a fifth of a second off Six Pack’s 1:49.1 world record for a second-year trotter.
“He’s a real athlete,” Blais said after winning the Canadian Trotting Classic. “It’s an incredible feeling. Emoticon Hanover gave us a big thrill, and this man gives me the same feeling.”
Eliminations were not necessary for the Breeders Crown, so Emoticon Legacy qualified on October 17 at Mohawk. He was clocked in 1:54.4 with regular driver Louis-Philippe Roy in the sulky.
“He looked good and came back well,” Blais said. “I’m very happy with him right now. He makes my job easy.”
Emoticon Legacy is one of six Breeders Crown finalists for Blais, all at owner’s discretion, and all competing on Saturday: Draw Impression and Emoji Hanover in the Mare Trot, Lasting Dream in the 3-year-old Filly Trot, Private Access in the Open Trot and Calicojack Hanover in the Open Pace.
Lasting Dream has raced just once since finishing second and first in the Elegantimage Stakes (G1) on September 20 at Mohawk. She finished fifth in her Breeders Crown elimination last week, which was won by Delaney Hanover in 1:51, setting the Canadian record for a three-year-old trotting filly.
“She was going to go to Kentucky (for the Grand Circuit at the Red Mile), but she wasn’t feeling well at the time,” Blais said of Lasting Dream, a homebred Determination who finished second in the Mohawk Million and Peaceful Way Stakes last year. “So I think she rode really well in the elimination because she hasn’t done much in the last few weeks. She finished fifth, but I like the way she tried her best.”
Blais, who received the 2021 O’Brien Award of Horsemanship, has captured four Breeders Crowns in his career. Serge Godin’s Determination has three trophies, all featuring Blais. Their six horses in this season’s final are the most ever by the duo in one year.
“That’s an important year,” Blais said. “Mr. Godin loves the Breeders Crown. I hope he will enjoy the evening. I am also very happy with those six horses. They are nice horses. I hope he will enjoy the evening.”
“Nothing will be easy. Every class is tough. But that’s good for the show. It’s going to be a great program.”
Racing begins Friday and Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park at 6:35 p.m. For more information about the Breeders Crown, visit the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown website here and the Woodbine Mohawk Park website here.
For ways to view the Breeders Crown, click here.
For full race entries, click here.
Through Ken Weingartnerfor Woodbine Entertainment
#Emoticon #Legacy #aims #extend #family #legacy #Breeders #Crown