Breeders Crown: Lexus Kody cruises in Open Trot elimination

Lexus Kody posted his sixth straight victory by taking the lone C$34,250 Breeders Crown Open Trot elimination on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:49 4/5.

Driven by Yannick Gingras, Lexus Kody got away in the fourth spot as Amigo Volo (James MacDonald) cut the quarter in 27 seconds. In the backstretch, French Wine (Jason Bartlett) swung off the pylons from third, and he would be followed by Lexus Kody. French Wine landed on the front going to the half in 55 seconds and then yielded to sit behind Lexus Kody.

After he had control, Lexus Kody cruised through three-quarters in 1:23 and then closed in 26 4/5 to defeat French Wine by a length and three-quarters. Hillexotic (Austin Hanners) was third and two-time Breeders Crown champion Amigo Volo wound up fourth. Rounding out the horses who will join bye-takers Periculum and Southwind Coors in next Saturday's final were Logan Park (Doug McNair), Private Access (Louis Roy), Up Your Deo (Ake Svanstedt) and Security Protected (Andy McCarthy).

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"He just popped 1:49 4/5 like it was a walk in the park. He's just tremendously sharp and there's not enough good things to say about him," Gingras said. "[The time off since the Dayton Trotting Derby] is part of the reason we raced him and also for the post. Then I was kind of like half regretting [not taking a bye] a little bit, like what if, but he was all business.

"He's handy now and he can do it any which way. He's won from the rail a couple of times here."

Ron Burke trains Lexus Kody, a 7-year-old gelding by Archangel, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC. and Phil Collura. Lexus Kody won for the 36th time in his career, has now earned C$2,222,621 and paid $4.40 to win.

Here is the post position draw for next Saturday's $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot final:

1-Amigo Volo
2-Private Access
3-French Wine
4-Southwind Coors
5-Lexus Kody
6-Security Protected
7-Periculum
8-Logan Park
9-Hillexotic
10-Up Your Deo