Mohawk: Mission Brief dominates in Elegantimage elimination
Mission Brief put on a brilliant display in the second of two Elegantimage eliminations for 3-year-old filly trotters on Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
Sent directly to the front by driver Yannick Gingras, the champion posted fractions of 28 1/5, 57 2/5 and 1:26 while opening up on the field with every stride late in the mile. Gingras never pulled her ear plugs as she won by a wide margin in 1:54 1/5 over a slow track rated sloppy.
“She was a little bit keyed up tonight after three weeks off and maybe she was too sharp,” said Gingras about his tactics on the engine.
The Ron Burke trainee has now won six of eight starts this year and heads into next week’s final as the clear favorite.
Muscle Baby Doll didn’t trot quite as fast as Mission Brief but put in a big effort in the first elimination.
Bee The Queen went to the front in 27 2/5 but gave way to Wild Honey prior to the half in 57 2/5. As the field approached three quarters in 1:27, Muscle Baby Doll was set up nicely second over behind Elegant Serenity and tipped in the stretch.
Wild Honey was able to dig in nicely for second but Muscle Baby Doll easily surged to the front under just a couple of taps from driver Doug Mcnair. The time for the mile was 1:56.
“Honestly, I think she can go with anybody,” said trainer Tony O’Sullivan about the Frank Bellino and Sons owned filly.
The win for Muscle Baby Doll was her seventh straight and eighth in nine starts in 2015.
Elegantimage final
| Post | Horse |
| 1 | Elegant Serenity |
| 2 | Muscle Baby Doll |
| 3 | Youre Majestic |
| 4 | Mission Brief |
| 5 | Smokinmombo |
| 6 | Danielle Hall |
| 7 | Wild Honey |
| 8 | Magic Marker |
| 9 | Bee The Queen |
| 10 | Amoureuse Hanover |
| AE | Juanitas Fury |
Earlier on the card, 14 rookie colts and geldings competed in two elims for the William Wellwood Memorial. Deep Impact and Southwind Frank came away with victories and got to choose their posts for the final, which shapes up as follows:
| Post | Horse |
| 1 | Zlatan |
| 2 | Tony Soprano |
| 3 | Deep Impact |
| 4 | Southwind Frank |
| 5 | Im A Mate |
| 6 | Will Take Charge |
| 7 | Brooklyn Hill |
| 8 | Lean Hanover |
| 9 | Marion Marauder |
| 10 | Adored By Masses |
| AE | Deweylovernleaver |