Meadowlands: Warrawee Michelle tops a mares exacta in Graduate Trot final

The mares drew outside and the favored stallions and geldings were expected to dominate the $230,000 Stan Bergstein Graduate Series final for 4-year-old trotters, but Warrawee Michelle and Elista Hanover finished one-two in the contest, overcoming male competition, as well as posts eight and 10, respectively, at the Meadowlands on Saturday night.

The two mares had to take a lot of air as the contest played out hard through the opening bend, with Sir Pinocchio and Jason Bartlett getting the front, then yielding to Gruesome Twosome past a 26 3/5 opening quarter. Favored Private Access took an early tuck on the opening bend, but Louis Roy moved him on the backstretch to gain the top before the 54 3/5 opening half.

Dexter Dunn got away smoothly with Highland Kismet, and he followed up Private Access on the backstretch but lost cover and dueled the favorite on the turn. Ake Svanstedt, behind Warrawee Michelle, had remained parked after leaving and was second over with Elista Hanover and Dave Miller following her cover.

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Private Access lost Highland Kismet before three-quarters in 1:22 3/5 and tried to gain separation, but the mares were fresh and ready to pounce, and by mid-stretch Warrawee Michelle had taken command. Miller tried his best with Elista Hanover to overtake but came up short, finishing second, with favored Private Access back in third.

Warrawee Michelle trotted to a 1:50 2/5 career-best clocking, winning for the first time as a 4-year-old for Svanstedt, who also trains and owns the mare along with Santadrea Inc. and Young Guns, a partnership that includes Meadowlands chairman Jeff Gural. Last year's Hambletonian Oaks upset winner took the shoes off for Saturday's contest.

Sent off as a 13-1 shot, Warrawee Michelle returned $28 to win.

"I got the good trip," Svanstedt said in the winner's circle. "She was really good and that was two mares beating the boys."