by Tom LaMarra, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

2010 Breeders Crown – 2yr old Filly Trot from USTA on Vimeo.

Wilkes-Barre, PA — It was party time for the owners of Martiniontherocks, who got a heads-up drive from Ron Pierce and capitalized on early breakers to post a 30-1 upset in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday (Oct. 9) at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Martiniontherocks posted an upset in the 2-year-old Filly Trot, winning at 30-1 in 1:57.

Martiniontherocks, owned by Ecurie Synergie of Quebec, Canada, set the stakes record on a five-eighths-mile track, winning in 1:57. Peace Corps held the previous record of 1:57.1.

Pierce sent Martiniontherocks toward the lead from post eight, and she was able to take the front past an opening quarter in :28.3. A few of the fillies broke stride early, leaving Martiniontherocks with an easy lead past the half-mile pole in :59.2.

Favored Fitness Girl and Tim Tetrick ranged up on the final turn but tucked in behind the leader, who had plenty left off three-quarters in 1:28.2. Angelette Hanover, at 33-1, nailed second to round out boxcar exotics. Fitness Girl finished third.

Martiniontherocks, trained by R. Dustin Jones, is an Ontario-bred filly by Conway Hall out of the Self Possessed mare Inspired Society. She was bred by Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.

Pierce, who won his second consecutive Crown event on the evening, said he simply asked the filly for early trot and crossed over to the front. It didn’t take much more than that in a race in which five of nine starters went off stride.

Martiniontherocks finished second in her elimination Oct. 1 at Pocono and had shown nothing but good form in her eight career starts. She was one of a few of the starters that had consistently showed early trot and an ability to trot a solid final quarter.

“This filly caught my eye about five weeks ago,” Pierce said. “She had been well within herself and finished up good. Dustin Jones is a tremendous trainer; he does a very good job.”

Pierce said he wasn’t surprised by the trip his filly got given the breaks.

“Two-year-old trotting fillies tend to do that,” he said. “It’s no surprise.”

Martiniontherocks now has four wins in nine starts, with two seconds and two thirds. Her earnings now top $400,000.