East Rutherford, NJ — Drawn Impression and Allegiant delivered victories in a pair of $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday night (Oct. 19) at The Meadowlands.
In the first division elim aiming for berths in next week’s Breeders Crown final, the wide-open field of trotters left the gate and were six wide looking for good early spots. Drawn Impression, with Louis Roy in the bike, sat fourth as some nifty shuffling began after the first panel in :27. Buy A Round (Andrew McCarthy) sprung to the top with a big brush. Once she cleared, Roy kicked Drawn Impression around her in pursuit of the early leavers. Roy’s filly was full of muscle at the :55.3 half, where she faced a major bid from Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn).
The Luc Blais-trained filly chased Date Night Hanover through three-quarters in 1:23.1 with Elista Hanover (David Miller) best of the rest while heading for the wire. With decisive strides, Drawn Impression thrusted by Date Night Hanover and crossed the line first by a length in 1:51.1. She paid $4.20 to win.
Also making the final were Elista Hanover in third, Willys Home Run (James MacDonald) in fourth, and Sugar Instead (Brett Miller) in fifth.
The mile is a lifetime best for Drawn Impression, a daughter of Muscle Hill out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover. She made her first start on Lasix, but Roy said after the race he saw not difference in how she performed. “She was racing good lately, but tonight she raced really good. When I tipped her to beat the other one, she really put in the extra effort.”
Going into the final, Drawn Impression has earned $475,297 lifetime. The elim was the fourth win in nine sophomore starts for the Determination homebred and the eighth win from 15 starts in her career.
The second elim was dominated the first three-quarters of the trip by prohibitive favorite R Melina until Scott Zeron fired his charge Allegiant in the stretch to edge the public choice by a neck in 1:51.3.
At 8-1, Allegiant got a call fifth leaving the gate as the rest of the fillies lined up and R Melina (Todd McCarthy) sliced panels of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:24.2. Zeron made a move with Allegiant (Scott Zeron) after R Melina in the final turn and kept digging to the beam. She downed the favorite late for the victory.
Crossing the wire in 1:51.3 was a new mark for the Linda Toscano-trained daughter of Tactical Landing, out of the Yankee Glide mare Too Good For You. She increased her bankroll heading into the final to $633,197 with her ninth win in a pair of racing seasons. The prize for win backers was $18.40.
Bred by Atlantic Trot Inc. and Steve H. Stewart, Allegiant is owned by Ryan Smith.
“Her last effort [at The Red Mile] was not her best,” Zeron said after the race, “but here she did exactly what she is capable of doing.” He also voiced his admiration for the filly. “She’s ready made, happy and healthy.” while adding it was “a little surprising getting past R Melina,” considering the trip.
Also capturing spots in next week’s final were R Melina in second, Sadbirdstillsing (Dunn) in third, Warrawee Michelle (Ake Svanstedt) in fourth and Soiree Hanover (Tim Tetrick) in fifth.
By winning their Breeders Crown eliminations, Drawn Impression and Allegiant earned draw protection between posts one through six in the final next Saturday (Oct. 26).
Listed drivers are from the eliminations. Elimination winners drew for posts one through six and are listed in italics.
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer
1 – Willys Home Run – James MacDonald – Robert Fellows
2 – Drawn Impression – Louis Roy – Luc Blais
3 – Sugar Instead – Brett Miller – Virgil Morgan Jr.
4 – Soiree Hanover – Tim Tetrick – Lucas Wallin
5 – Allegiant – Scott Zeron – Linda Toscano
6 – Elista Hanover – David Miller – Annie Stoebe
7 – Date Night Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
8 – R Melina – Todd McCarthy – John Butenschoen
9 – Sadbirdstillsing – Dexter Dunn – Tony Alagna
10 – Warrawee Michelle – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt