All eyes – and a fair amount of the betting public’s dollars – were placed on Atlanta in her quest for her first Breeders Crown title, but Felicityshagwell S played the role of spoiler thanks to her groovy score in the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot in 1:52.2.
A masterful job of rating by the mare’s trainer, Ake Svanstedt, helped her pull the upset to the tune of 10-1 while notching her fourth win of the season.
Felicityshagwell S marched right to the top under the orders of Svanstedt, who had her at the quarter pole in :27.3. It was the second quarter that clearly was the turning point in the mile, however, as Svanstedt was unchallenged and it led to him getting away with a :29.4 second quarter which landed he and the mare at the half in :57.2.
Heavily favoured Atlanta, who got away fourth, commenced a first-over bid on the way to the half, but by then the damage was done. The mares stepped up the tempo around the final turn, and in doing so they whizzed by the three-quarter pole in 1:25.4. Felicityshagwell S kicked into hyper drive in the lane and her :26.3 closing quarter earned her the dominant score over Atlanta in 1:52.2. Taking home third prize was a late-driving When Dovescry.
"She always leaves fast," said Svanstedt after his first Breeders crown win. "I was waiting for some of the good ones to come, but no one was coming. So it was good for her. She had top form, and she won easily."
Felicityshagwell S, a six-year-old daughter of Maharajah-Diaz Boko, nabbed her 11th lifetime victory for Knutsson Trotting Inc of Delray Beach, FL. The $150,000 winner’s share of the purse – the biggest purse haul of her career - helped lift her lifetime earnings to $536,458.
"It’s disappointing, no doubt about it," said driver Yannick Gingras on finishing second with Atlanta. "She is getting to the twilight of her career, and that’s one thing missing on her resume. So, there’s no doubt, it sucks.
"She’s a great sprinter, so I still felt confident going into the last year. I’ve never driven a trotter that can sprint like her. First up from fourth maybe did it in a little bit. I still think when she’s a hundred percent she can go :25 and change, :26 flat; she shows it all the time on the program. But the other horse had everything her own way, so all the credit goes to her."
All the recaps from Saturday's Breeders Crown finals can be found in the 2021 Breeders Crown News Centre.
(with quotes from The Meadowlands)