Woodbine Mohawk Park: Amazing Catch prevails in Canadian Trotting Classic
?q=100)
Amazing Catch has had the misfortune of drawing post 10 in two of this year's major sophomore trotting events, but on Saturday driver Dexter Dunn put the Walner-sired colt in prime position for the stretch and skimmed the pylons late to capture the C$713,000 Canadian Trotting Classic at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a stakes-equaling 1:51 4/5 clocking. The victory was a sweep of the sophomore trotting events on the program for driver Dunn and trainer Ake Svanstedt.
Amazing Catch left from the far outside but had company with Sir Pinocchio and driver Jason Bartlett and Myretirementdream and Scott Young leaving to his inside flank. Myretirementdream took over briefly, with Dunn getting Amazing Catch the lead before the 27 second first quarter had been reached. Bartlett stayed on the outside through the first turn and drove to command past that call.
The race's complexion changed dramatically when Highland Kismet, the heavy favorite, made a break in stride while moving towards the lead past the first quarter marker. Pinocchio and Bartlett slowed the half to 56 2/5, with Security Protected coming up without cover to apply some pressure, followed by Private Access in second-over position.
► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
Sir Pinocchio was under pressure by Security Protected moving past three-quarters in a 1:24 clocking, and then Sir Pinocchio had to deal with challenges on both flanks as Private Access tipped off cover on the outside and Amazing Catch and Dunn found a seam along the pylons to move through. Amazing Catch had the most trot and shaved two full seconds off his career-best clocking with the 1:51 4/5 effort. Private Access held second off a furious closing rush by another Svanstedt-trainee, Flying Kronos S with Yannick Gingras.
The Svanstedt success story in the Canadian Trotting Classic may have also had something to do with both colts racing shoeless.
"Scoring him down was the best he felt all year," said Dunn of Amazing Catch. "I got a good helmet to follow and he put in a great effort.”
Owned by Al Libfeld, Marvin and Lynn Katz and Sam Goldband, Amazing Catch won for just the third time in his career and the first in a major stakes race after having finished third in both the Hambletonian and Beal stakes in August. Amazing Catch returned $41.30 to win.