Breeders Crown: Allegiant delivers in 3-Year-Old Filly Trot final

Allegiant backed up her elimination victory from last Saturday with a lifetime-best 1:51 1/5 tally in the $600,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot final on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Driven by Scott Zeron, Allegiant left out quickly from post five and led early but yielded to sit in the pocket behind Kentucky Filly Futurity champion R Melina (Todd McCarthy) beyond the 27 4/5 quarter. R Melina remained on top and unchallenged at the 55 4/5 half as Elista Hanover (David Miller) got the outer flow going from fourth, tracked by elimination winner Drawn Impression (Louis Roy) and Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn).

Elista Hanover stalled out in third prior to the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters and nobody from the outside could make any headway in the stretch, leaving R Melina and Allegiant to decide it. R Melina tried her best but was no match for Allegiant after she came to the outside, as Allegiant powered by inside the final eighth and drew clear to win by a pair of lengths. Elista Hanover was third, followed by Drawn Impression and Warrawee Michelle (Ake Svanstedt), who was unable to get into contention from post ten but did advance five positions after she was last at the half.

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"She put a great performance in last week, and that just shows how tough she was because her worst start of the year was the one before that," said Zeron. "To turn the page and come out stronger the last two races, it was just phenomenal. I was just paying attention to where Dexter was. I don't think Dexter could have given up the trip behind Elista Hanover, so I think he had to take that route. Obviously I was happy sitting the two-hole.

"She's one that really shows me no emotion. She goes out, she knows exactly what she has to do. If I don't drive her well the week before, she turns the page and comes back the next week fresh. Hats off to (former trainer) Vernon Beachy. (Winning trainer) Linda (Toscano) says she's been babysitting the horse, and she's been a pleasure to have around."

Owned by Ryan Smith, Allegiant, a daughter of Tactical Landing, won for the tenth time in 25 starts and has earned $933,197. Bred by Atlantic Trot and Steve Stewart, Allegiant paid $6.00 to win as the 2-1 second choice.