Chester, PA – Antognoni S and driver Yannick Gingras bided their time in second behind Sir Pinocchio for three-quarters of a mile before pouncing in the final turn to capture Sunday’s (May 24) $100,000 Grade 3 Maxie Lee Invitational for older trotters by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:50.4 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
Long shot Southwind Arturo, sent off at 61-1, finished second while defending Maxie Lee champion Aetos Kronos S was third and Sir Pinocchio fourth.
Sir Pinocchio went for the lead at the start from post 5 and led Antognoni S, who left from post 4, to the first quarter in :26.1. Sir Pinocchio remained on top to the half in :54.4 and three-quarters in 1:22.3 before Antognoni S moved to the outside ahead of first-over Aetos Kronos in third and trotted home in :27.4 to notch his third win of the season and sixth in a row since this past December.
“He really is pushbutton now,” Gingras said about Antognoni S, who has won 19 of 27 races and earned $565,337 since arriving in North America last year. “He’s so handy the way he is, and he’s so quick when you make a move, that he’s going to put himself in the right position more often than not.
“I was taking my time to get out. If (Aetos Kronos S) would have gotten closer, I would have pulled, I didn’t want to stay in the two-hole, but I knew the longer I could wait the better. He can trot the turn just as fast as the straightaway, so I knew I could take a shot in the turn, and he would give me a good run.”
Antognoni S is a 6-year-old gelded son of Father Patrick-Bouncing Bax. He is trained by Ron Burke, a four-time Maxie Lee winner, for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, FAC Racing, and Gingras.
“I’m excited for the season,” Gingras said after Antognoni S gave the driver his fifth triumph in the Maxie Lee. “Hopefully, he stays sound and healthy and he’ll do the rest.”
Antognoni S, the 1-5 favorite, has won 25 of 47 career races and earned $626,661. He paid $2.40 to win.