Woodbine Mohawk Park: Atlanta does it again in Armbro Flight final

Atlanta just keeps on ticking like a luxury timepiece, as the now 7-year-old star of the older trotting mare set converted a pocket trip into a 1:52 2/5 victory in the C$211,000 Armbro Flight Stakes final on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driver Yannick Gingras hustled Atlanta out from post seven tonight, and she worked her way past HP Mama B (Sylvain Filion) going to the opening quarter. Atlanta would not hit the that marker first, though, as Herculisa (James MacDonald) also hit the gas from post nine, and it would be Herculisa who rang up the opening panel in 26 4/5.

Herculisa would maintain command after getting it, reaching the half in 56 and the three-quarters in 1:23 2/5, with Atlanta still stalking her from the two-hole. While Atlanta was getting a great journey, the same was not the same for Bella Bellini (Dexter Dunn), who ended up second-over behind the parked cover of Royalty Deal (Louis Roy), and When Dovescry (David Miller) was next-to-last on the rail after a slow start from the pole position.

Gingras wheeled Atlanta to the outside for the drive, and she was able to get past Herculisa in mid-stretch. Gingras called on Atlanta to the wire, and she was able to fend off When Dovescry, who rallied widest after fanning out late on the final bend. Bella Bellini had to settle for third after going three-wide on the way to three-quarters, and Weslynn Quest (Andy McCarthy) finished fourth. Next Level Stuff (Tim Tetrick) checked in fifth.

"She's incredible, really. As she gets older, you appreciate it more, a mare like her," said Gingras. "She's so game and does her job week in and week out. She deserves those big ones.

"You can do whatever you want. Tonight, I don't know, like she hasn't been maybe as good as she was in years past. I just wanted to try and maybe spot her and hope for the best from there. Obviously, we got a great trip. It worked out perfect tonight."

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Ron Burke trains Atlanta, a daughter of Chapter Seven, for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Brad Grant, and Howard Taylor. She has compiled a record of 33-18-5 from 67 career starts, and she has now put away C$3,448,163. Atlanta paid $5.60 to win.