Meadowlands: Forbidden Trade triumphs in TVG Open Trot final

Forbidden Trade rallied from mid-pack on the final turn to take the lead from battling Amigo Volo and Ready For Moni in the stretch and capture Saturday's $350,000 TVG Series Open Trot championship by a head over Chin Chin Hall in 1:52 at The Meadowlands. Back Of The Neck finished third.

Forbidden Trade was fifth for the first three-quarters of the mile as Amigo Volo led the field to fractions of 27 1/5, 56, and 1:24 1/5. When Ready For Moni made a first-over bid for the front, Forbidden Trade followed that cover into the lane and then held off late-closing Chin Chin Hall and Back Of The Neck for the victory.

The three were separated by a neck at the wire.

"He raced super," winning driver Daniel Dube said about Forbidden Trade. "We got a good trip, second-over, and it worked out good.

"He's always kicking late. From behind like that, he never quits."

Dube drove Forbidden Trade for trainer Luc Blais and owner Determination stable. The 5-year-old stallion has won five of 14 races this season and earned $601,002. For his career, he has won 21 of 44 starts and $1.91 million. The son of Kadabra, out of Pure Ivory, was bred by Steve Stewart.

Forbidden Trade was Canada's Horse of the Year in 2019, when he counted the Hambletonian among his wins for the season. He was limited to five starts last year because of injury.

"He looks really good now. He came back very good from last year," remarked Blais. "Last year we had bad luck, but he came back good."

When asked if Forbidden Trade would return to the races next year, Blais responded, "We'll see...we'll see."

Sent off at odds of 9-2, Forbidden Trade paid $11.00 to win.

--Blais quotes by Derick Giwner--