Tioga Downs: Resolve rings up another one in Crawford Farms Trot

Even-money favorite Resolve thundered past leader Crazy Wow in the final turn and went on to win the $170,000 Crawford Farms Trot for free-for-allers Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs in a track record clocking of 1:51 4/5.

Crazy Wow (Yannick Gingras) overcame post nine with a sharp rush from the gate, and he would put the opening quarter on the board in 27 seconds flat. Resolve (Ake Svanstedt) got away in the fourth position, and he would wait there until just past the 56 1/5 half when he made his move first-over.

At the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters Crazy Wow and Resolve were side-by-side for the lead, and their duel would continue into the final bend where Resolve got the advantage for good. A 28 2/5 final quarter sealed the deal on the victory, as Resolve defeated Cufflink Hanover (Corey Callahan), who had the second-over trip behind the eventual winner, by a length and a half. Flanagan Memory (Brian Sears) rallied off a traffic-troubled trip to get third, and Marion Marauder (Scott Zeron) came in fourth.

The 1:51 4/5 time established a new track record for an aged stallion trotter at Tioga Downs, lowering the previous mark of 1:53 2/5 set by Wings Of Royalty earlier this year.

"He did well, but he didn't leave so fast today. I don't know why," offered Svanstedt. "He leaves faster every time, but today he was a bit lazy. He was strong, and he's a very nice horse."

Svanstedt also trains the victorious 6-year-old Muscle Hill stallion for owner Hans Enggren. Resolve is now an 18-time winner in his career, and his share of the purse sent his earnings to $2,618,824. Resolve paid $4.00 to win.