Autumn Escapade Takes Armbro Flight Elim

Autumn Escapade ran her win streak to three in capturing Friday night’s single $50,000 elimination for this year’s Armbro Flight Stakes for older trotting mares at Mohawk Racetrack

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Local reinsman Rick Zeron got the call on the five-year-old daughter of Victory Sam - Winning Colors K, who had won two in a row at Chester Downs, and got her away well from Post 3, landing in the pocket position early behind Friendly Amigo (Blair Burgess) through a :27.2 opener.

Elusive Desire (Paul MacDonell) parked all the way around the first turn and cleared just after the first quarter. At that point, Zeron hustled his mare out from fourth and quickly took command at the :55.2 half mile mark. The slick-striding mare was strong heading into the final turn and began to widen with Yursa Hanover coming first over to challenge and Elusive Desire struggling to keep pace.

Autumn Escapade took the field past three-quarters in 1:23.3 and built up a sizeable advantage entering the stretch. From there, no one was able to chase down the leader who held off an onrushing Southwind Wasabi (Jody Jamieson), who just edged out Rose Run Keepsake (Sylvain Filion) for the show spot. Elusive Desire did manage to hang on for fourth.

Autumn Escapade is now three-for-nine this season for trainer Jonas Czernyson and owners David and Misty Miller of Cream Ridge, New Jersey. The winner’s share of the purse bumped her career earnings to just over $366,000.

By winning, Autumn Escapade afforded her connections a chance to choose their post position for next Saturday’s $351,000 Armbro Flight final. They opted for post number four.

The top nine finishers from Friday’s elimination made it through to the final. Buck I St Pat had elected to accept the bye and raced instead at The Meadowlands where she finished a strong second in a conditioned event behind John Pauls Legacy in 1:52.2. The world champion ended up with Post 1 in the open draw.

Here is a look at the entire field for the Armbro Flight final in post position order:

1. Buck I St Pat
2. Southwind Wasabi
3. Friendly Amigo
4. Autumn Escapade
5. Windsong Soprano
6. Yursa Hanover
7. Rose Run Keepsake
8. Elusive Desire
9. Diana Hall
10. Lavec Dream

For recaps of tonight's Canadian Breeders Championship eliminations, click here.

To view Friday's results, click here.

(With files from WEG)

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