Pocono: World record lowered by Warrawee Michelle in Sebastian K Invitational

Warrawee Michelle won Saturday's $100,000 Grade 3 Sebastian K Invitational for older trotters at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania in 1:50, becoming the fastest 4-year-old trotter ever on a five-eighths-mile track and giving trainer Ake Svanstedt his third consecutive victory in the event named after one of his former stars.

Warrawee Michelle, a 4-year-old mare driven by Svanstedt, defeated Hillexotic by three-quarters of a length. Sir Pinocchio finished third.

Hillexotic and driver Matt Kakaley went to the lead and set fractions of 26 3/5 to the quarter and 55 seconds to the half before Svanstedt and Warrawee Michelle began a first-over march from fourth on the backstretch. Hillexotic remained in control at three-quarters, in 1:21 4/5, but was unable to fend off Warrawee Michelle in the stretch as she came home with a race-best 27 4/5 last quarter.

Warrawee Michelle entered the Sebastian K Invitational following second-place finishes in the Hambletonian Maturity and Dr. John R. Steele Memorial and a win in the Graduate Series final, all at the Meadowlands.

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"She has raced good her last four or five races, and she has top form now," Svanstedt said. "This was the first time I drove her (first-over) like this, but I didn't have any choice. She was really strong. She has been tough this year. She is much more tough than last year."

Warrawee Michelle has two wins and three seconds in seven races this season. For her career, the daughter of Walner-Sound Check has won nine of 26 starts and earned $1.25 million. She is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Santandrea Inc., and Young Guns. She was bred by Warrawee Farm.

Svanstedt won the 2024 Sebastian K Invitational with Jiggy Jog S and the 2023 edition with Southwind Tyrion. The race is named after Svanstedt trained and driven Sebastian K, who as an 8-year-old set the overall world record of 1:49 on a five-eighths-mile track in 2014 at Pocono Downs.

The previous fastest mile by a 4-year-old on a five-eighths-mile track, 1:50 1/5, was shared by mare Manchego and gelding Homicide Hunter. Warrawee Michelle's time also was the fastest ever in the Sebastian K, bettering Atlanta's 1:50 1/5 triumph in 2021 at age 6.

Sent off as the 2-5 favorite, Warrawee Michelle paid $2.80 to win.