Meadowlands: Atlanta sharp in 2021 debut

Atlanta made her return to the races a successful one by winning the $40,000 co-featured Open for trotters in her seasonal debut at the Meadowlands Saturday night.

The 6-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven-Hemi Blue Chip, who banked just under $750,000 a year ago, looks like she hasn't lost a step, and appears more than ready to resume her rivalry with Manchego, who has already taken the Cutler and Maxie Lee this season, in the coming weeks.

Atlanta's best game is playing pursuer rather than the pursued, but driver Yannick Gingras had the Ron Burke trainee closer to the action than usual this time.

"The plan was to not leave the gate and then make a move," said Gingras, "but I really did not want to go first-up from fourth."

When Dovescry, in search of a third straight score, set sail for the front in the six-horse field and went around Atlanta to grab the top at the quarter in 27 seconds. A snail-like 30 3/5 fraction followed by a panel timed in 29 seconds followed, so three-quarters was reached in a pedestrian 1:26 3/5.

But Atlanta wasn't permitting When Dovescry to pull off a natural hat trick by rating another slow middle-half and was out and after the leader on the far turn. After they straightened up for the stretch drive, Atlanta trotted home in 26 seconds to record a safe three-quarter length score. When Dovescry was second with Lindy The Great third. The time for the mile was 1:52 3/5.

"She's such a sweetheart," said Gingras. "I was certainly confident heading into tonight."

Atlanta, the Meadowlands track-record (1:49 1/5) holder who is owned by Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant and Howard Taylor, returned $4.40 to win as the 6-5 public choice. She’s now won half of her 52 career starts and earned $2,679,653.

--press release (the Meadowlands)--