Driver Tim Tetrick circled elimination-winner Guardian Angel As to the point past the quarter and withstood a late push by Atlanta to take the $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot with a stakes-, track- and Canadian-record mile of 1:50.4 on Saturday, Aug. 31 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Manchego motored to the front with Emoticon Hanover sliding into the pocket and Guardian Angel As floating into third. Tetrick angled Guardian Angel As from the pylons past a :26.4 opening quarter and brushed to the lead before a :55 half.
Crystal Fashion, the 9-5 favourite and other elimination winner, flushed first over from fourth moving into the final turn, supplying cover to Atlanta who raced off the pylons since the start. Atlanta fanned off cover passing three-quarters in 1:23 and slid past Crystal Fashion as he retreated between horses through the stretch. Guardian Angel As maintained his speed heading to the finish to hold off Atlanta’s late charge while Marion Marauder, from fourth over, rallied through the center of the course for third.
“I got away real good spot early and I had to make a decision when I quarter-pulled,” Tetrick said after the race. “I thought my horse was the best tonight; I really did off last week’s performance and he proved that he was. My horse—when he’s on the front—he relaxes and then when he sees one coming he keeps going. That’s always a good thing for me, like I can let him relax up there and when he sees one he fights on and wants to go. I was very confident.”
Surpassing $1 million in career earnings, Guardian Angel As won his seventh race from 10 starts this season and his 23rd from 50 overall. Anette Lorentzon trains the five-year-old son of Archangel, who has accrued $1.2 million in earnings for owners ACL Stuteri Ab and Kjell Johansson. The $5.80 winner gave Tetrick his second victory in the Maple Leaf Trot, with his first coming in 2013 with Market Share for Linda Toscano.
“I guess I’m just good with the ladies, right?” Tetrick said with a laugh.
Be sure to check out the rest of the recaps from Saturday's stakes-packed card in SC's News Centre
To view the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.