Winning this race as a four-year-old but then foiled in 2020 with a break in stride and in 2021 with a third-place finish, driver Yannick Gingras placed Atlanta in a perfect striking spot to zip to the lead and keep all challengers at bay to collect her second title in the $211,000 Armbro Flight on Saturday (June 18) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The now seven-year-old Chapter Seven mare shot off the wings to settle second behind Herculisa to a :26.4 first quarter and cruised on the leader's helmet to a :56 half. A tepid outer tier led by Royalty Deal crept up the rim to the final turn before she found a spot to rest at the cones, giving second-over Bella Bellini, the 6-5 favourite, clear sailing to charge after the leaders to three-quarters in 1:23.2.
Bella Bellini continued to barrel while carried wide by a pylon-pulling HP Mama B before she broke stride off the turn, but then rolled evenly into the eighth pole as Atlanta darted out of the pocket and past a tiring Herculisa. When Dovescry lunged down the center of the course from the backfield late to just miss nailing Atlanta at the end of a 1:52.2 mile and settle for second, with Bella Bellini taking third and Weslynn Quest sliding up the cones for fourth.
"She's incredible, really," winning driver Yannick Gingras said after the race. "As she gets older, you appreciate a mare like her even more. She's so game and does her job week in, week out. She deserves those big wins. Tonight... I don't know, she hasn't maybe been as good as she had been in years past, and I just wanted to maybe spot her and hope for the best from there. Obviously we got a great trip [and] it worked out perfect tonight."
Ron Burke trains Atlanta for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor. She has now won 33 races from 67 starts, banked $3,448,163 and paid $5.60 to win.
As part of the 2022 Pepsi North America Cup undercard, a number of stakes and open class events were contested. Recaps of the evening's other stakes are available below:
- Forbidden Trade Fires In Free For All
- Jimmy Freight Reclaims Gold Cup Crown
- Fast As The Wind Breezes Home In Goodtimes
- Treacherous Dragon Too Hot In Fan Hanover
- Test Of Faith Fabulous In Roses Are Red
- Pebble Beach Wins 2022 Pepsi North America Cup
For the results from the 2022 Pepsi North America Cup night card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.