Meadowlands: Ecurie D bounces back in TVG Open Trot final

Rebounding from a sixth-place finish the week prior, Ecurie D landed on the front, kept his competition at bay, and rolled to a 1:50 2/5 victory in the $330,000 TVG Open Trot final on Saturday night (Nov. 26) at the Meadowlands.

Driver Dexter Dunn floated Ecurie D off the wings and accelerated off the pegs for the top heading to a 27 second first quarter. The 6-year-old stallion by Infinitif cleared the lead from It's Academic on the backstretch and faced no threats to a 56 second half before speeding around the final turn to click three-quarters in 1:23 3/5.

Dunn worked to keep Ecurie D to task in the lane as he bounded for the finish with It's Academic looming nearer off the pocket trip in the closing stages, though Ecurie D held firm to win by three-quarters of a length. Jujubee gave chase to finish third and Back Of The Neck took fourth.

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"He's amazing. What a day. Being here at the Meadowlands and to win again...it's amazing," said Marko Kreivi, co-owner of Ecurie D who bought the stallion as a 3-year-old from Jean-Pierre Dubois. "I don't know why he didn't [race] more, but he's had an amazing season. I felt good [about tonight]. He was good in Canada...when he's good, he's really good."

The victory - Ecurie D 20th from 31 starts - expands his bankroll to $1,514,969. Conditioner Ake Svanstedt co-owns Ecurie D, who paid $3.40 to win, with Marko Kreivi Stables and Suleyman Yuksel Stables.