Sixteen of the sport’s older trotting mares tussled in a set of $35,000 Armbro Flight eliminations Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with the top five finishers from each tilt earning a berth to next Saturday’s $256,000 final.
Dream Together shot to the early lead in the first elimination and cut an opening quarter in :27.3 before relinquishing the lead to the pocket-sitting Atlanta and driver Yannick Gingras.
Atlanta went on to carve out middle splits of :56.4 and 1:24.1 before rocketing home in :26.4 to win by 7-1/4 lengths over Plunge Blue Chip in 1:51. P L Jill, Highland Top Hill and Royal Witch also advance to next week’s final thanks to cracking the top five. The 1:51 clocking matched Hannelore Hanover’s track and Canadian record for older trotting mares.
“She was unreal tonight,” said Gingras following the victory. “Last week I didn’t think she was a hundred percent, but tonight she was definitely back in form. I had a lot left.
“There is no doubt she could’ve gone in (1):50 really easily," he added. "I still think there is room for improvement. I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes under (1):50 soon, but we will worry about that when we get there.”
Ron Burke trains the four-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven-Hemi Blue Chip for Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor. She’s now 3-for-3 this season and 15-for-27 in her career. She’s on the verge of surpassing $1.3 million in lifetime earnings.
Hannelore Hanover played a game of ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ when she steamrolled to a 1:50.3 score in the second elimination for the duo of Gingras and Burke.
The clocking shaved two-fifths of a second off the track and Canadian record she shared briefly with Atlanta. The effort also earned Hannelore Hanover the distinction of being the fastest trotting performer in the history of Canadian racing. She went one-fifth of a second quicker than older trotting horse, Mister Herbie, did when he captured the 2012 Maple Leaf Trot final in 1:50.4.
Gingras rolled Hannelore Hanover to the lead and the three-time Armbro Flight Stake champion carved out fractions of :27.2, :56 and 1:23.4 before finishing off the competition with a :26.4 closing frame. She won by 4-1/4 lengths over Top Expectations. Rounding out the top five finishers were race favourite Emoticon Hanover, Weslynn Dancer and The Erm.
“She’s back,” said Gingras. “She’s sound as a dollar right now. She was really sharp in the post-parade, but once she hit the last turn she was trotting real strong and felt like her old self.
“I’m going to talk to Ronnie,” added Gingras when asked which mare he will select for the final. “It’s going to be a team decision, I’ve got to talk to him and see what he thinks and go from there."
Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and J And T Silva Stables LLC share ownership on the 43-time winner who lifted her lifetime earnings to $3,073,210.
Here's how the mares will line up behind the starting gate for next Saturday's final:
$256,000 Armbro Flight Final
1. Royal Witch
2. Weslynn Dancer
3. Hannelore Hanover
4. Atlanta
5. The Erm
6. Top Expectations
7. Highland Top Hill
8. P L Jill
9. Plunge Blue Chip
10. Emoticon Hanover
(With quotes from Woodbine Mohawk Park)
To view results for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.
LOVE these mares!!!
LOVE these mares!!!