The older trotting mare division has resembled a Merry Go Round this season with the likes of Atlanta and Hannelore Hanover doing special things on more than once occasion. Well, you can add Manchego to this mix now thanks to her Saturday afternoon score in the $186,000 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial at The Meadowlands.
Manchego wins the 2019 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial. (Lisa Photo)
On the heels of an eye-catching score in 1:50.1 at The Meadowlands in an overnight event on July 27, Manchego went wire-to-wire in today’s assignment in a stakes record-setting clocking of 1:50 for the team of driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Nancy Johansson.
Dunn hustled the four-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill-Secret Magic to the lead from Post 1, and together they led the field through fractions of :26, :55.2 and 1:23.1 before scooting home in :26.4 to defeat a late-rushing Hannelore Hanover and the first-over Darling Mearas S.
"She's a great filly," said driver Dexter Dunnn. "I'm pretty lucky that I drove a horse that won the Hambo Oaks last year. She's a lovely horse. She hit her form last start. She likes to be on front, she's won most of her races there and she can work out a good mile.
"We had to move pretty hard early in the first quarter to put a couple away so we could keep our position on the front end there and we got a good breather and she was travelling good around the turn," he added. "I could hear Yannick breathing down my neck so I didn't want to give him a run too early, but he ended up getting out and my mare kicked great."
It was the second win of the season – and the 21st to date – for Manchego who races for Black Horse Racing of Lebanon, NJ. The lion’s share of the purse boosted her overall earnings to $1,771,860.
Check out all the happenings from 2019 Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands in the 2019 Hambletonian Day News Centre