race recap

Lady Landia astounds in Crown filly trot

by Frank Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Lady Landia, with James MacDonald at the lines, soared late to catch Miss Belmar and win the $700,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old Filly Trot final, on Friday (Oct. 25) at the Meadowlands, in a career-best 1:53.3.

Miss Belmar (driven by Andy McCarthy) took the early lead into the first turn, with Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) early lick settling for second spot and Lady Landia trotting easily in third. In the contest for early positions, Luna Lovegood (Dexter Dunn), the overwhelming favorite, galloped while showing an aggressive move off the gate but was eliminated from competition thereafter.

Miss Belmar dug in to maintain the lead to the half in :57.1 while the only movement from behind was from Delaney Hanover (Tim Tetrick), followed by Sound Judgement (David Miler). But the leader put some distance between herself and the rest to cut three-quarters in 1:25.4.

Down the stretch, Lady Landia was full of trot, and MacDonald moved her to the outside and chased with gusto.

"Our chances felt good at the five-eighths," MacDonald said after the race. "I told myself to hold on and don't fall off," he continued, adding he was "surprised she was loaded heading for home" once trotting down the leader.

Miss Belmar held on for second; Sound Judgement closed late to take the show spot.

MacDonald, who scored his first Breeders Crown win, was picked to drive Lady Landia late by trainer Åke Svanstedt and was glad because "he always has his horses ready."

Lady Landia, a daughter of Tactical Landing out of the Chapter Seven mare Seventimesalady, was bred by Svanstedt in partnership with Jeff Gural's Little E LLC, Knutsson Trotting and L Berg Inc., and is owned by Svanstedt, Little E and Santandrea Inc. It was her fourth win in eight freshman starts after breaking in the New Jersey Classic Final and losing as the favorite at the Red Mile in an International Stallion division. Sent off at 12-1, she paid $26.60 to win.

The championship win spiked the filly's earnings to $426,300. 

MacDonald said, "It's amazing winning a Breeders Crown trophy after many tries."