by Ken Weingartner for the Breeders Crown

TORONTO – The longshots made it two out of three as late-charging Calgary Hanover overtook Cabana Fever and Little Miss Dragon at the finish line to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old filly pacers by a half-length in 1:53.2 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Favorite Little Miss Dragon moved three-wide on the backside to get to the lead just past the half-mile point, which was reached in 55.2 seconds. Little Miss Dragon opened a three-length lead before Cabana Fever paced up on the turn to challenge.

Cabana Fever, driven by Ryan Anderson, took the lead in the stretch before Little Miss Dragon battled back on the inside. While the leaders dueled, Mike Lachance had Calgary Hanover rolling through the lane.

“I was about seventh on the rail,” Lachance said. “A couple fillies got tangled up ahead of me; as soon as they gave me some room, [Calgary Hanover] was flying again. They raced pretty hard up front; with weather like tonight if you use them too hard early they have to come back at the end. I knew if she had a good trip, she was going to get some money; I knew she could come home good.”

The victory with the 13-1 longshot gave Lachance his 24th Breeders Crown title, second to only John Campbell. The filly is trained by Don Swick for Royal Wire Products Inc. and United Process Control Co.

Calgary Hanover has won three of 12 races and earned $373,050.

“This is great,” Swick said. “You couldn’t thank Mike Lachance enough, he’s just a wizard. This is a dreadfully lazy filly, and from the first time he drove her he made her want to race. I believed all week that with the right trip she could win. It was a pipe dream, but here we are.”