Canadian record for Atlanta in Armbro Flight
Milton, ON — Atlanta marched uncovered after her stablemate Hannelore Hanover moving to the final turn, ripped past moving into the stretch and trotted home to a stakes, track and Canadian record 1:50.2 mile in the C$256,000 Armbro Flight final on Saturday night (June 15) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Emoticon Hanover launched to the top from post nine with Top Expectations slipping into second and Hannelore Hanover progressing first over into third moving to a :26.3 opening quarter. Hannelore Hanover cleared control moving to a :54.1 half as driver Yannick Gingras angled Atlanta off the cones to charge her stablemate into the final turn.
Atlanta swept to command past three-quarters in 1:23 and opened a lead which narrowed through the stretch as Atlanta drifted and Weslynn Dancer closed for second. Top Expectations held third.
“In the last turn I had a handful of trot,” Gingras said after the race. “She went from zero to 60 in three strides and she’s an amazing mare. Hopefully we have a great year this year and I’m already looking forward to next year.”
Owned by Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor, Atlanta’s 1:50.2 mile lowers the previous Canadian mark of 1:50.3 set last week by Hannelore Hanover in her elimination. The 4-year-old Chapter Seven mare won her 16th race from 28 starts and has earned C$1,416,477. Ron Burke conditions the winner.
“She’s as push-button as they get,” assistant trainer Mickey Burke said after the race. “She’s done everything we’ve asked of her and we don’t see where her end is yet. (We were) a little worried (in the stretch). It’s racing; horses will catch you when you don’t think they are and it’s a miserable night but she responded and raced on her toes.”
Beating the boys in the 2018 Hambletonian, Atlanta has returned to the races to now mark herself as one of the best older trotting mares currently racing.
“When she’s racing against the older mares she’s just unbelievable; a freak,” co-owner Brad Grant said after the race. “Most of her life she’s raced close to the front or on the front, so to get her sitting for a bit and then cranking up like that is unbelievable.”
Atlanta paid $2.50 to win.
