Nancy Takter trainee Manchego regained her groove off a mid-year slump and stormed to the finish under minimal urging to win the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot on Saturday (Oct. 31) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, becoming the sixth horse in history to win three Breeders Crown titles.
Away fourth to a :27.3 first quarter, Manchego floated off the pylons past a :56 half and advanced towards tempo-setter Felicityshagwell S moving to the far turn. Stablemate Plunge Blue Chip popped pocket circling the final turn and took control from Felicityshagwell S by three-quarters in 1:24.2 as Manchego fanned to the center of the track. Off the turn Manchego marched clear, sliding by Plunge Blue Chip and opening her lead to the finish of a 1:52 mile with When Dovescry, who broke at the start, rallying for third and Pat Matters taking fourth.
The Open Mare Trot is available around the 2:54:00 mark
“She’s an amazing animal, just sort of went off halfway through the season here, but they’ve done a great job to get her back relaxing,” driver Dexter Dunn said after the race. “She got home so good last week here, sitting back and coming off cover. She really did it easy; it was a good performance tonight. As long as she stayed trotting and once I moved her off Ake’s [Svanstedt & Plunge Blue Chip’s] helmet she really exploded.”
A five-year-old mare by Muscle Hill, Manchego won her fifth race from 12 starts this season and her 32nd from 55 overall, earning $2,563,181 for owner Black Horse Racing. Brittany Farms LLC bred the $3.80 winner.
Manchego has won two other Breeders Crown titles, taking the 2017 Two-Year-Old Filly Trot and the 2019 Mare Trot. Now the sixth horse to ever win three Breeders Crowns, she joins a club including Grades Singing, Mack Lobell, Jennas Beach Boy, Eternal Camnation and My Little Dragon.
The Open Mare Trot was just one of the Breeders Crown Finals contested on Saturday's card. Visit the Breeders Crown News Centre for the rest of the recaps.