Breeders Crown: A perfect dozen for Manchego after winning 2-Year-Old Filly Trot final

Manchego has lined up behind the starting gate 12 times, and she has returned to the winner's circle on every occasion after scoring a decisive 1:54 4/5 victory in the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot on Friday night at Hoosier Park.

S M S Princess (Ake Svanstedt), Manchego (Yannick Gingras), and Phaetosive (Trond Smedshammer) were all quick away from the gate, with Manchego leading at the 27 2/5 opening quarter. Phaetosive, who set a track record last Friday in winning her elimination, was to her outside at that point, and Gingras would limb her out until just before the 55 4/5 half when she cleared.

Phaetosive took the group into the far turn, but Gingras was already back out and challenging on the outside at the 1:26 2/5 three-quarters, and she would overhaul Phaetosive early in the stretch drive. From there, Manchego kicked away from her rivals and went on to win by 4 1/4 lengths over a late-rallying Seviyorum (Andy Miller). Phaetosive had to settle for third, and she was followed by Atlanta (Rick Zeron) and Hey Blonde (Andrew McCarthy).

Gingras wasn't at all surprised that Smedshammer left with Phaetosive, and in fact he welcomed it.

"Absolutely not. Jimmy and I talked about it before the race and what happened was my plan all along," he explained. "I thought he would leave and I was really happy to be able to sit behind his filly.

"Trond's filly is a tough horse, but going around the last turn I was very confident."

Manchego, a daughter of Muscle Hill, is trained by Jimmy Takter and owned by Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Herb Liverman, and she now has a bankroll of $873,948 to go with her unblemished record. Purchased for $120,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Manchego was bred by Brittany Farms and is the third foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Secret Magic ($198,260). This makes Manchego a half-sister to $300,000+ earner In Secret (Deweycheatumnhowe), and the dam Secret Magic is a half-sister to the likes of millionaire Possess The Magic (Self Possessed). Manchego was the 1-2 favorite and returned $3.00 to win.

"Twelve straight wins, that's tough to do in today's market," offered Takter. "It's so hard for a horse to stay shape for a season, but she's just a unique animal, and I'm so proud to be a part of her.

"I have a lot of respect for Trond's filly; she's been chasing us all year. I know she's a very, very good filly, and I didn't want her on my back. Yannick and I spoke about it a little bit. I'd rather sit behind her, and let her do a little bit of dirty work. The race couldn't have unfolded better for me. We had to stretch him a little bit to the half, but when I saw the half I said she's going to win this."

"I've been doing this a long time, and I've had some nice horses, but nothing anything like this," added Barry Guariglia, the proprietor of Black Horse Racing. "Probably after the Jim Doherty Memorial I realized this is a special horse. She has an attitude that is unparalled. She just wants to do it, kind of has a spring in her step, and she always brings it."