Maximus Miki Musters Muscle for Canadian Pacing Derby Upset

August 30, 2025

MILTON, August 30, 2025— Scott Zeron spun for home widest of all with Maximus Miki and built momentum through the stretch to reel in weary pacesetter Ervin Hanover and clinch gold in the $690,000 Grade 1 Canadian Pacing Derby on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Coaches Corner set the table for fast fractions with a persistent push for the lead against headstrong Ervin Hanover into a :26.1 first quarter. Driver Louis-Philippe Roy struggled to rein in Ervin Hanover for a pocket trip and pulled back outside for the lead once Coaches Corner cleared into the backstretch. Bythemissal – the even-money favorite – followed Ervin Hanover’s brush into a :54.1 half but struggled to clear through the far turn as the 8-5 second choice pushed the pedal to three-quarters in 1:20.3.

With much of the early speed retreating, Ervin Hanover reached through the stretch on a positional cushion with the backfield challengers gaining speed to the center of the track. Captain Luke motored up between horses off a third-over trip before Maximus Miki hit his best stride to his outside, and the latter lunged for a final-stride victory by a head over Ervin Hanover. Oakwood Ardan IR towered over horses with a late rally for third and Captain Luke held fourth.

“I was really impressed by him [in the elimination],” said Scott Zeron, who won his first Canadian Pacing Derby last year with It’s My Show. “It was a good thing I got to experience him before the final because he’s got a big, big stride on him and takes awhile to get going. So when you saw me go three or four wide pretty early there it was for a reason – just to keep his momentum.

“I don’t think I had a lot of options,” Zeron said of his strategy. “If he gets to the front, it’s usually not really quickly and I feel like he doesn’t have the respect that he deserves. After this one, hopefully that changes. I thought for sure I would at least be second, but he just never slowed down. He kept on digging.”

Trainer Tom Cancelliere later added “I thought he’d be great as long as we kept him on the outside, kept him moving forward; and my other one [Ruthless Hanover] got in his way,” he said with a laugh. “I was looking for the wire, but I figured he would keep going. He always keeps going.”

A 6-year-old gelding by Always B Miki out of the stakes-winning mare Beach Gal, Maximus Miki won his fourth race from 10 starts this season and his 25^th race from 57 starts in his career. John Cancelliere owns the Sergent Stables LLC bred that now has $906,418 in earnings on his card.

Sent at odds of 9-1, Maximus Miki paid $21.20 to win.

By Ray Cotolo, for Woodbine Communications