Woodbine Mohawk Park: Amigo Volo wires rivals in Breeders Crown final

Dexter Dunn collected his first Breeders Crown trophy and trainer Richard "Nifty" Norman finished first and third as Amigo Volo made no mistakes after making a break in the elimination to capture the C$768,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot final on Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:54 3/5.

Amigo Volo rallied strongly and finished seventh after making a break in the backstretch in the elimination, giving him the last advancing position to the final from that race. The open draw was then kind to him as he got post four. Dunn wasted no time planting Amigo Volo on the lead, blasting out and opening up a three length lead at the 26 4/5 opening quarter.

Dunn and Amigo Volo backed down the half to a more reasonable 55 3/5, but he was still clear over a gapping Third Shift (Ake Svanstedt) in the pocket, and favored Real Cool Sam (David Miller) was in for a tough trip after coming two-wide from eighth in the backstretch and not flushing any cover.

Around the far turn Dunn went for broke with Amigo Volo, pulling away to a five length lead over Third Shift and playing 'catch me if you can.' They couldn't, as despite slowing through the lane, Amigo Volo had opened up an insurmountable lead, hitting the wire 4 1/4 lengths to the good over a closing Rome Pays Off (Mattias Melander). Norman-trained Chestnut Hill (Brian Sears) advanced from last to third, with Real Cool Sam fourth after the tough trip, suffering his first career defeat in the process. Synergy (Yannick Gingras) finished fifth.

"It feels pretty awesome," said Dunn about collecting his Breeders Crown trophy. "Nifty's been great to me from Day One when I got over here last year and has been a massive supporter of mine, so to pay him back is great, and the Pinskes are such a great family.

"I actually turned the drive down on him in the PA Sire Stakes final, and that was a bad choice. I got the drive on him in Lexington, and he put on a couple great displays. He made a bad break here last week and just slipped into the final. I talked to Nifty and we changed some gear on him. Once we got out of the gate so good I thought we're not going to take any chances. He can shake his head at the stones coming back at him a little bit behind horses. It was pretty quick down to the half, and around the last turn when I could sort of feel the horses dropping off me a little and I had a look around, I thought I'm gonna take my shot. It was a long way up the straight, but he got his break and it was a great effort."

Amigo Volo is a gelded son of Father Patrick owned by Pinske Stables and David J. Miller. Amigo Volo, who was bred by Kentuckiana Farms LLC., Jorgen Jahre, and Jorgen Jahre Jr., was a $42,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase. Amigo Volo won for the fifth time in ten starts, and he has now earned C$609,433. He was sent off at 5-2 and paid $7.10 to win.

Amigo Volo is the sixth foal out of Margarita Momma (Yankee Glide, 1:53 4/5, $610,317) and is a full brother to Reign Of Honor (1:54 2/5, $294,550).

"He didn't get a chance to make a mistake tonight. Dexter said he yelled at him behind the gate, he took off, and the rest is history," remarked Norman. "He did go big fractions in the Pennsylvania final and got beaten by a better horse on the day, but today he held up. They were kind of scary fractions, but he did a good job to hang on.

"(Dunn's) a rare talent for a guy his age to be doing what he's doing. He's taken over here in a way. He's one of the top three or four drivers in his first season. It's amazing. He's a great talent, a great driver, and a great guy."

"We've been really excited that this year has gone so well. Nifty has done really well," added Marlys Pinske from Pinske Stables.