by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, NJ — It was mission accomplished for Mission Brief, who was “in a world of her own” according to track announcer Ken Warkentin, as she finished in a world-record tying 1:52.2, way ahead of the field, to win the $352,050 Merrie Annabelle for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday (Aug. 2) at The Meadowlands.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Mission Brief scored a world-record tying 1:52.2 victory in the Merrie Annabelle.

The mile ties Designed To Be’s record taken at Lexington in 2013.

Mission Brief (Yannick Gingras), who won the New Jersey Sire Stakes final, was first to the lead in :28, with Livininthefastlane (Brian Sears) behind her and Onda Di Mare (Tim Tetrick) in third as they hit the quarter.

That trip headed to the half, when Lock Down Lindy (Scott Zeron) came from fourth to challenge the leaders. She lived in second down the backstretch to the :56.2 half and on to the 1:24.3 three-quarters, with Mission Brief and Gingras still with a firm hold on the lead.

As the field made the left turn for home, Mission Brief trotted away and alone, putting 8-1/2 lengths between her and Jolene Jolene (David Miller) who passed Lock Down Lindy in the final strides to be third.

Mission Brief is a daughter of Muscle Hill and is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, J&T Silva Stables and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. A $150,000 yearling, Mission Brief is out of Breeders Crown winner Southwind Serena. She paid $2.40 to win.

“She’s very similar to her mother,” said co-breeder Steve Stewart. “Her mother (Southwind Serena) won here as a 3-year-old in the Breeders Crown and she’s very similar to her in the sense of her size and scope. They said this filly is similar to her mother, which is that she’s not that easy to train. That last quarter was :27.4 and I don’t think she was all out.”