by Ray Cotolo, for Breeders Crown

East Rutherford, NJ — Yielding to Ariana G for the pocket in the backstretch, Chezatter, a filly by Explosive Matter out of the Malabar Man mare Chez Lucie, sprinted out of the pocket in the stretch, advancing to a 1:53.4 victory, a career best, in the first of two $20,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Friday (Oct. 21) at the Meadowlands.

Lisa Photo

Chezatter defeats heavy favorite Ariana G to claim victory in the first of two Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Friday.

Claiming the lead through a :28 first quarter, Chezatter led into the backside as Ariana G tipped first over from fourth. She brushed to the lead, setting fractions of :57.1 and 1:26 before being pursued by Chezatter mid-stretch. Ariana G held on for second, while Princess Aurora, Sunshine Delight, and Broadway Idole also qualified for the final.

Trained by Trond Smedshammer, Chezatter races for owner Purple Haze Stable LLC. She has earned $175,062 and won four races out of 10 starts this year. Going off the 4-1 second choice to 1-9 favorite Ariana G, she returned $10.60 to win.

“This filly has been good all year,” said Smedshammer, who possesses eight Breeders Crown trophies, but all with 3-year-olds or older. “She just loves to chase down horses.No usually we don’t (race 2-year-olds this time of year) but this filly has been good all year and the breed has changed a little bit the last few years. They get to their speed so quickly and this filly is very talented so I didn’t see a reason not to give her a chance. Not with that kind of trip, no (in passing Ariana G). I thought if their position was reversed in the Merrie Annabelle and Doherty I thought she might have gone by them.”

Thats All Moni, a Jimmy Takter-trained daughter of Cantab Hall from the Pine Chip mare Mom’s Millionaire, grinded first over to the front and maintained control in a 1:54.1 mile to take the second of two $20,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old trotting fillies at the Meadowlands on Friday (Oct 21).

Clearing the lead in :27.4, Thats All Moni was shuffled to third as Cameron Hill brushed to the lead, followed by Treviso, who led to the half in :55.3 She was pressured by Thats All Moni around the far turn and past three-quarters in 1:24.4 before settling for second in a stretch-long duel. Hillarmbro, Cameron Hill, and Evelyn also qualified for the final.

Owned by Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld, Thats All Moni won her fifth race in 10 starts, earning $220,773. She was driven by Tim Tetrick and paid $5.60 to win.

“[The race] definitely went the way I thought it was going to work out,” Tetrick said. “That was one of her gamer efforts. She’s still green and has the talent to go with anybody, but she has to get the right trip. She raced really well.”

The complete field for the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly trot with elimination drivers and trainers is as follows:

1 – Thats All Moni – Tetrick – Takter
2 – Cameron Hill – Campbell – Bax
3 – Chezatter – D. Miller – Smedshammer
4 – Ariana G – Gingras – Takter
5 – Hillarmbro – Smedshammer – Smedshammer
6 – Sunshine Delight – Campbell – Lind
7 – Evelyn – D. Miller – Svanstedt
8 – Treviso – Norris – Norris
9 – Broadway Idole – S. Zeron – Campbell
10 – Princess Aurora – Tetrick – Takter

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