Manchego noses Atlanta

By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The finish was so tight in Friday night’s Miss Versatility at the Meadowlands, even the drivers were miffed when the official results were posted.

“I thought I got up for sure,” said Yannick Gingras, who guided Atlanta to a second-place finish, just a small nose behind Manchego in the first leg of the $40,000 event for open mare trotters. “They called my number [four] in the paddock, then they changed it to the six.”

“I looked at the big screen [when we hit the wire] and I thought Yannick had won,” said Manchego’s pilot, Dexter Dunn. “I thought he got up.”

The photo-finish camera yielded a different result from what the drivers thought, as Manchego got the better of Atlanta in a season’s-fastest trotting mile of 1:50 in the first of what harness racing fans hope is many 2020 editions of this first-rate rivalry of magnificent mares.

In the early action of the prolific pair’s first matchup of the season, Felicityshagwell S was away well and led at the quarter in :27.2. Atlanta, the 2-1 second choice who was making her seasonal debut, popped out of the three-hole to clear the top at the three-eighths, only to have Manchego – making her second start – challenge and poke a nose in front at the half in :56.

“He had to move her when he did,” said winning trainer Nancy Takter of Manchego’s aggressive backside surge to the lead. Manchego had the top at the five-eighths and around the far turn before a cutthroat duel developed in the stretch.

Gingras moved Atlanta off the rail with a little more than an eighth-of-a-mile to go and made steady progress through the stretch but could not get past her rival in a titillating thriller. “She never exceeds my expectations,” said Gingras. “I knew she was ready.”

PHOTO: Manchego (6) outduels Atlanta by a nose in the Miss Versatility at the Meadowlands Friday night. (Credit: Lisa Photo)

Takter did not agree with the drivers when it came to the finish. “I thought Manchego held on. She’s tough to pass.”

As the 1-5 favorite, Manchego, a 5-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill-Secret Magic, paid $2.60 to win, and now has 29 victories from 45 career starts for owners Black Horse Racing. Her earnings now stand at $2,154,980. Kenziesky Hanover finished third.

“It’s going to be an interesting season with these two mares,” said Takter.

No doubt about that. Better keep the photo-finish camera ready.