A fresh prospect put Wicked Road on the right path
by Matthew Lomon
Success in the Ontario Sires Stakes was always the path forward for Wicked Road, even if the exact destination came by way of a detour.
A natural from the outset, Wicked Road flashed plenty of promise while training down for conditioner Meg Crone, who envisioned a career in the Grassroots ranks for the bay daughter of McWicked—Ashleeswayrhighway.
Encouraged by the young filly’s steady development, Crone started her exactly there.
“She had trained down very well,” said Crone, who recorded career highs across the board, including her first million-dollar year, in 2024. “She’s slick-gaited, she’s smart, and we felt the Grassroots would work well for her.”
Wicked Road made eight starts during her rookie season, four of which came in Grassroots contests, finishing with a lone third in a lower-level dash at Mohawk on Aug. 2, 2024.
After a trying maiden campaign hampered by health and consistency-related challenges, Crone shut Wicked Road down at the end of last October.
Six months passed between then and Wicked Road’s first start of 2025.
In that time, Crone formulated a fresh plan, giving her resilient pacer the chance to return rejuvenated and ready to make a statement between the rails.
“We thought she was going to be a Grassroots filly, but it’s better to excel than to chase and pick up small checks,” said Crone. “That’s part of why we went to the Prospect Series.”
Wicked Road’s journey to Prospect glory began with an impressive 4¼-length triumph on April 13 at Flamboro, marking her first career victory.
The $15,000 purchase at the 2023 London Classic Yearling Sale then parlayed that confidence into a four-week stretch of brilliance, starting July 12 with a 3½-length decision in 1:54.4 at Georgian Downs.
What was still to come may have felt unexpected to some, save for Crone.
“It wasn’t necessarily a surprise for me because like I said, she’s always been great-gaited – she’s got good gait speed,” said Crone. “You can come off cover good. It was just a matter of things going her way.”
And that they did.
Next time out on July 19, Wicked Road set a lifetime mark of 1:54.3 in a three-length victory, also at Georgian.
Some eight days later, the ascending sophomore found herself answering the Prospect bell for the first time.
Working with regular driver Anthony Haughan, Wicked Road seized the early advantage and never looked back to finish 1½ lengths clear of Lydia Go.
The eye-catching effort at Dresden Raceway confirmed what her trainer had long seen in her.
“Going into the Prospects, it really takes a handy horse when you hit the smaller tracks, like Dresden,” said Crone. “They’ve got to be able to get around any size track. You’ve got to be able to put yourself in a position to win. It’s not one where you can take back to last and expect to swoop the field or anything.
“Anthony knows her best. She’s a really nice horse to drive, and they make a good team.”
Armed with a newfound confidence and strategy, Wicked Road one-upped herself yet again, leading coast-to-coast in the next Prospect event on Aug. 12 at Georgian to extend her win streak to four.
The spree stood out to Crone for many reasons, but none more than the sheer dominance displayed.
“She’s won all of them with ease – you never really had to ask her,” said Crone. “The plugs have been in for the majority of her wins, and they never had to be pulled except maybe for one.
“Anytime you have a horse, and they get a win or two in a row, that’s the best way to build that confidence.”
While Wicked Road’s unbeaten stretch ended in a Prospect tilt on Aug. 19 at Mohawk, the classy 3-year-old found a way to vie for OSS success while playing to her strengths.
“Not getting stressed just seems to keep her a bit healthier,” said Crone. “It’s definitely not easy, the Prospect, but it’s a bit lighter on her since you’re not racing so hard every week.
“We give her about three starts per month. That seems to be the right number for her.”
Outside of the direct connections, Crone said she is most happy for the folks at Hutt Racing Stable, who own Wicked Road, and Winbak Farms, the young filly’s breeder.
“It’s really nice to have her, especially since we’ve trained for Hutt and Winbak Farms for quite a few years,” she said. “It’s always nice to do well for them, because they always give us an opportunity with horses every year.
“Winning for them is extra special. They’re one of our most loyal owners.”
Wicked Road’s remarkable turnaround has Crone smiling on the inside, too.
“It’s always nice when you break them, and they win,” she said. “It means a little bit more.”
Wicked Road is the latest highlight-maker in Crone’s roster of success stories, headlined by trotting superstar Amigo Volo.
Remembered best for Breeders Crown victories in 2019 and 2020, Amigo Volo joined Crone’s stable in the fall of 2023 as a 6-year-old.
Just two years later, the now older trotting sensation delivered her first career O’Brien Award nomination after a standout 2024 campaign for them both.
When asked if there are any parallels between her young and old pupils, Crone needed no more than two seconds to think.
“No, no,” she said with a laugh. “Amigo Volo is a once in a lifetime horse, even [driver/trainer] Carter Pinske will tell you that. You’ll never get another Amigo. He’s just amazing in every way.
“We’re just thankful that Carter and [owner] Karl Pinske trust us with him. Like I said, he’s once in a lifetime. Unfortunately, I don’t think there will be another Amigo. Hopefully, but I don’t think so. You can’t even describe how special Amigo is.”
While Wicked Road certainly has a way to go before reaching Amigo status, conquering the next challenge would be a solid first step.
“We hope for her to be competitive in the Harvest Series at Mohawk,” said Crone. “I think she’ll be an even better racehorse when the weather cools down. She’s one that should benefit from the cooler temperatures.”
So begins the road to the next hot streak.
