'Christiana' Breaks Pocono Record

Published: July 20, 2010 11:05 pm EDT

Riina Rekila and Christiana Hanover made track history Tuesday night in winning an $84,745 division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes

for three-year-old trotting fillies.

Christiana Hanover, who was sent off at 42-1, established a new track mark for the sophomore fillies with the timer reading 1:53.4. Rekila, also the trainer and making her first ever start at Pocono Downs, becomes the first female driver to own a track mark here.

And it certainly took a lot of racing luck for the attractive 28-year-old Finnish veterinarian now living and training horses in Canada.

Christiana Hanover was hopelessly locked in along the pylons and sitting seventh in the race when Perfect Chance (Jim Morrill, Jr.) went on a break. That break gave Rekila and Christiana Hanover racing room and she came trotting up a storm down the stretch to win by a length over Action Broadway (David Miller). Secret Magic (Matt Kakaley) finished third.

Rekila said she had made some changes to her winning trotter prior to the race and noted that she didn’t think Christiana Hanover would go that fast in the race. She also acknowledged that the breaking horse in the race definitely aided in the win.

Opening divisional victor was Merger Blue Chip (Miller) with a time of 1:56.1. Merger Blue Chip, trained by Bjorn Noren, got a two-hole trip behind front runner Easy Dream (Jean Dubois) with times clicked off in :27.2, :57.2 and 1:27.1. Ally Gal Ridge (Kakaley) finished second, 1-1/2 lengths behind with third place going to Easy Dream.

Spicy Wings, piloted by John Campbell for trainer Jeff Webster, went wire-to-wire in winning the third and final division. Time of the mile was 1:54.3 and margin of victory was 3-1/2 lengths. Barnham Hanover (Mike Wilder) was second with third-place going to Miss Ridge (George Napolitano, Jr.)

(Pocono Downs)

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