Harrah's Hoosier Park: Surprise victors in Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace elims

All year long Sylvia Hanover and Twin B Joe Fresh have reigned atop the divisional standings, but both were upset as odds-on choices when Zanatta and Strong Poison struck gold in the pair of $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace on Friday night (Oct. 20) at Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.

The long Hoosier stretch aided a persistent Zanatta in the first elimination as she plugged off a pocket trip to a last-inch victory against 1-9 favorite Twin B Joe Fresh in a 1:52 mile to take the first elimination.

Twin B Joe Fresh marched forward from post five for the lead with Zanatta, leaving from the pylon post, securing the pocket. After a 28 1/5 first quarter, no one bid to challenge Twin B Joe Fresh up the backstretch. She strolled uncontested by a 57 3/5 half and gradually gathered speed to the far turn, while Zanatta followed with keen interest on her helmet. Twin B Joe Fresh clicked by three-quarters in 1:25 4/5 and spun for home well held until the pressure kept mounting from pocket-pulling Zanatta in mid-stretch. Twin B Joe Fresh extended for the finish, but Zanatta came with a final lunge that landed a nose blow at the beam. Always B Naughty grabbed third from McSeaside, and Front Page Story rounded the top five.

"I have absolute faith in this filly," winning trainer Jenn Bongiorno said. "She is amazing. I was just really proud of how she could hunt her [Twin B Joe Fresh] down tonight. She has been my favorite the whole time training down as a baby. Last year she won the Three Diamonds and it was amazing. This is a huge feat for her. Winning a Breeders Crown elim with my brother means the world to me. I hope we are back here [in the winner's circle] next week. That would top everything but right now I'm a really happy girl."

Jenn's brother, Joe Bongiorno, piloted Zanatta to her sixth victory from 27 starts, which pushed her bankroll to $600,085 for owner One Legend Stable Inc. AM Bloodstock Inc. bred the daughter of Stay Hungry who returned $24.80 to win in the upset.

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Strong Poison then went on a speed mission down the highway to victory lane over 1-5 favorite Sylvia Hanover with a 1:51 2/5 win in the second elimination.

Leaving from post six, driver Yannick Gingras planted Strong Poison on the helm by a 27 second first quarter while Sylvia Hanover settled into fourth. With no challengers oncoming, Strong Poison snagged a breather to a 57 3/5 half and pushed on the pedal as Sylvia Hanover mounted a first-over charge to the far turn. Strong Poison slipped to a wider lead coming to three-quarters in 1:25 3/5 and fired down the stretch with a 25 4/5 final quarter to seal a 2 3/4 length victory over Sylvia Hanover. Charleston closed up the inside for third, with Beach Cowgirl finishing fourth and Sweet Amira completing the finalists.

"She's been knocking on the door all season and the Lasix tonight may have made a difference," Yannick Gingras said. "She was getting a little weak in the last sixteenth every week in Lexington, but she was strong to the wire tonight. They were walking up there, so I figured why not give [going to the front] a shot."

Winning her eighth race from 25 starts, Strong Poison has now banked $751,975 for owners Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services and Beasty LLC. The Ron Burke-trained daughter of Always B Miki was bred by Steve Stewart and Charles and Julie Nash. She paid $10.20 to win.

The post position draw for the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace will occur tomorrow evening before the Harrah's Hoosier Park card gets going.