Breeders Crown: Lady Landia charges to 2-Year-Old Filly Trot title

Elimination winner Lady Landia got overlooked in the wagering but delivered an impressive rally off a three-hole trip to win the $700,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot final on Friday night at the Meadowlands in 1:53 3/5. It was the first Breeders Crown title for three-time and defending Canadian Driver of the Year James MacDonald.

Sent off at 12-1, Lady Landia landed in third past the 28 second opening quarter after she was overtaken on the outside first by Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) and then Miss Belmar (Andy McCarthy) as the race complexion's changed following a break by odds-on favorite and elimination victor Luna Lovegood (Dexter Dunn) on the opening bend. Miss Belmar remained on the front-end and was not pressured on the outside through a 57 1/5 half and a 1:25 4/5 three-quarters as Delaney Hanover (Tim Tetrick) stalled out in third after going first-up from fifth and Champagne Problems (Scott Zeron) gapped the cover.

Miss Belmar opened up a gap entering the lane as Aperfect Annie came up empty despite the good journey, but Lady Landia was anything but empty as MacDonald cut her loose off the rail. She chased down and went by Miss Belmar inside the final eighth and pulled clear from that point to prevail by a pair of lengths. Miss Belmar held second from Sound Judgement (David Miller) and What A Bid Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) was fourth. Spicy Nice (Yannick Gingras) rounded out the top five.

"Coming down the lane the horse was trotting so hard, and I thought I had a pretty good shot of getting there. There were a lot of thoughts going through my head, a lot of Breeders Crowns down the drain," said MacDonald. "It was good to get my first. Really proud to pick up the drive for Team Svanstedt."

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Trainer Ake Svanstedt drove Lady Landia in her elimination tally, but Svanstedt piloted What A Bid Hanover in the final, leaving the drive open. MacDonald said he found out he picked up the assignment the same time the rest of the public did.

"When the final changes came out," MacDonald offered when questioned about when he knew he got the drive. "Anyone that knows Ake knows he's not a man of too many words. He's never asked me before to drive any. When I see my name down on the sheet, I'm just always really happy to drive for them especially on these big nights. He always has the horses ready to go. Their barn is firing on all cylinders right now. Any time you can pick up a drive in the Breeders Crown it's special, but when you pick up an elim winner, it means a little bit more."

MacDonald also noted that the trip worked out perfectly, especially after his position remained unchanged following the break of Luna Lovegood.

"I didn't know where Dexter was, but I liked where I was sitting. I thought originally in the first turn maybe I'd get away fourth because I thought Dexter might brush to the lead. We weren't going a whole lot," MacDonald remarked. "I was just happy to ride it out following two good ones. When I edged her out at the top of the stretch, she just jumped forward and it was all systems go from there. Then it was just hold on, don't fall off and get ready to celebrate. She felt loaded turning for home and the second I moved her off Todd's back, her head dropped and she just bolted. I was like 'oh baby, I think we're in business here.'"

A daughter of Tactical Landing, Lady Landia was bred by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC., Knutsson Trotting Inc. and L Berg Inc. and is now owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc. and Little E LLC. with Santandrea Inc. She has a summary of 4-1-0 from eight starts, has earned $426,300 and paid $26.60 to win.