Grand Circuit Canadian Weekend begins with Camluck Classic
It was an eye-catching Canadian debut for Lou Hill.
by Melissa Keith
The Somebeachsomewhere Stake (Grade 3) for 3-year-old pacers and the first leg of the Grade 2 Graduate Series for 4-year-old male trotters and pacers marked the annual arrival of the Grand Circuit at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (May 30). But first, the Grade 3 Camluck Classic.
The invitational pace is Canada’s first Grand Circuit stop on the calendar, taking place on the final night of the 2025/2026 meet at The Raceway at Western Fair in London, ON. In race 10, a field of eight horses and geldings went behind the starting gate for the seventh edition of the $150,000 Camluck Classic. The race originated in 1972 under a different name and title sponsor; it was founded as the Labatt’s Blue Invitational Pace, then became the Molson Pace in 1992. In 2018, it was renamed for Camluck, the stallion who stood at sponsor Seelster Farms of Lucan, ON and left a lasting impression on the sport.
Lou Hill (p, 4, 1:49m; $515,202) won Camluck Classic 2026, with driver Jason Bartlett in the sulky, as the 1-5 betting favorite.
It was the first Canadian start for the gelded son of Sweet Lou—Pretty Katherine, who pocketed up early behind pacesetting Helium N (driven by Dan Noble) enroute to a :26.3 opening quarter. A first-over bid past the :54.4 half by Donegal Luther N (Yannick Gingras) carried him alongside Lou Hill to three-quarters, reached in 1:22.4, but the parked-out challenger never cleared Helium N. Second-over Calicojack Hanover (Bob McClure) went three-wide on the final turn, gaining ground late, but open lengths behind the top two. When Lou Hill left the pocket in mid-stretch, Bartlett’s patient drive paid off. He won by a length-and-a-half over Helium N, with Calicojack Hanover up for show in the 1:51.2 mile.
“That’s not really where I wanted to be,” Bartlett told interviewer Greg Blanchard on the walk to the winner’s circle. “I wanted to cut the mile with him, but you know, sometimes just things don’t go your way, but he’s very versatile… I’m just hoping to be able to get out [of the pocket]. He’s really good off a helmet too, so he’s just a really good horse.
“You know, the problem was, he wasn’t in the Borgata [Series at Yonkers], so he really wasn’t racing a lot, because all of the good horses were racing at Yonkers. We always knew he was a really good horse, and he showed it again here today, but he’d been racing really well all year.”
The Camluck Classic was Lou Hill’s seventh victory from 11 starts this year. He has only missed the exacta once in 2026, in the March 9 invitational at Yonkers. His latest win was the fastest by a gelding in Canada on a half-mile track this season, but far from his personal best on a half: Lou Hill won going away at Yonkers on May 18 in 1:50 flat.
“Every half-mile track’s a little bit different, but [The Raceway at Western Fair] kind of reminds me of home, to be honest with you,” said Bartlett, who began his career in Maine.
Blanchard asked Bartlett what was next for Lou Hill, who has now won 20 of 50 career starts, making up for lost time. The well-bred homebred did not race at age 2; he won his second-ever qualifier at Scioto Downs on June 26, 2023, but ended up a vet scratch from what would have been his pari-mutuel debut there on July 15, 2023. He did not return to qualify again until April 12, 2024 at Miami Valley, and finally made his first career start a winning one on May 10, 2024 at The Meadows. Lou Hill moved from trainer Virgil Morgan to Per Engblom in Nov. 2025, corresponding with the horse’s increasing presence on the East Coast.
“Like I said, he tries, he’s got a great attitude, and his gate speed is something that’s always going to put him in the hunt,” Bartlett said.
He guided Lou Hill along the fence for fans to get a closer look at the 2026 Camluck Classic champion, who walked calmly on a loose lead shank held by caretaker Helene Engblom.
Per Engblom trains Lou Hill for owner/breeder Tom Hill of Hamilton, ON. Per said that his latest visit to The Raceway was not his first.
“I’ve actually been here before, I think 10 years ago when I worked for Jimmy [Takter], when we were up here racing in this race,” Per told Blanchard, making reference to Sunfire Blue Chip, who finished second by a neck to Evenin Of Pleasure in a then-track record (1:50.3) in the 2016 Molson Pace.
“[Lou Hill’s] last two starts have been great,” Per said. “Actually, the whole year has been great, but the last two starts, at Miami Valley and last week at Yonkers, he was really sharp, so when he put up a mile like that [on May 18], I really wanted to come up here. He’s very versatile. He can win from the lead, outside, from the pocket. He’s just a good horse.”
Lou Hill is sustained to the 2026 Canadian Pacing Derby, scheduled for Sept. 5 at Mohawk. His next Canadian appearance could be in the Mohawk Gold Cup (Grade 3) invitational on Saturday (June 13), a star-studded card highlighted by the Grade 1 North America Cup final.
