A few months ago, owner Stephen Klunowski made the decision to acquire a striking grey mare from the Down Under racing scene. She made her North American qualifying debut this morning (Tuesday, Oct. 1) during Woodbine Mohawk Park’s weekly session, and she surely turned some heads.

A particular grey thrilled the Mohawk faithful for a decade to kick off the century. Now, the mare that was strutting her stuff Tuesday morning was surely not Admirals Express, but she was flashy, in charge, and was flying on the engine.

The mare in question, Mandy Kriden A, capped off Mohawk’s seven-race docket with a bang. The session had been rather unremarkable to that point, as various Standardbreds put in some work over the ‘fast’ track.

The daughter of Jet Laag lined up in Post 5 for trainer Carmen Auciello and driver Jonathan Drury. That was as close as her five foes would get to her.

(Mandy Kriden A's race heads behind the starter at roughly the one-hour-and-five-minute mark.)

The starter sped away and Mandy Kriden A was ready to get to work. She crossed over without issue, landed on the point, and was first down to the quarter pole in :27.4.

Mandy Kriden A was on top by four lengths as she made her way to the half-mile indicator in an uncontested :55.2. Drury continued to roll with the mare on the turn, as the duo were on top by seven and three-quarter lengths by the time they blew past the station in 1:22.3.

Drury and his charge were leading by 14 and three-quarter lengths by the time they hit the head of the lane and shut things down.

Mandy Kriden A came home wrapped up. She drifted wide in the lane just a tad, but capped off her impressive North American debut with an in-hand, :29.2 final quarter.

Mandy Kriden A’s win time was 1:52 and she won by 14 lengths.

The mare has made 85 starts over the course of her career and has compiled a slate which reads 15-16-9 and $70,281 in purses. Mandy Kriden A’s ownership was transferred to Klunowski on August 7 of this year.

To view the harness racing results from the Tuesday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).