Woodbine Mohawk Park: Phaetosive knocks off Manchego, Atlanta in Elegantimage

Phaetosive had been second to Manchego in the Doherty Memorial and Peaceful Way last year and the Hambletonian Oaks this year, but the tables were finally turned in the C$340,000 Elegantimage for 3-year-old filly trotters on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, as Phaetosive downed Manchego after an adventurous stretch drive.

Hambletonian champion Atlanta (Scott Zeron) set the pace in the race, making front from post six and chopping out fractions of 27 1/5, 56 3/5, and 1:24 4/5. Manchego (Yannick Gingras) settled into the pocket from post two, and Phaetosive (Trond Smedshammer) followed through in third from the pole. The action really picked up just before three-quarters as Manchego popped out of the pocket and Phaetosive remained on the cones in pursuit of Atlanta.

Despite the sensible fractions, Atlanta looked vulnerable in the lane, and that was the case as Manchego surged by on the outside. Meanwhile, Phaetosive had looked for a seam up the inside, only to be denied by Atlanta, striking a pylon in the process. Hope was not lost for Phaetosive, though, as Smedshammer deftly angled her out three-wide in the final sixteenth, and she responded to the clear racetrack by catching and overtaking Manchego to win by a neck in 1:52 2/5. Atlanta faded to third, followed by Blonde Magic (Jody Jamieson) and Jordan Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick).

"She's been great her whole life. Manchego has been getting the best of her every start before, but today it was our turn," said Smedshammer. "Up until the three-quarter pole everything went like I planned. I thought we were going to be sitting 1-2-3 like that. When I pulled out, and Yannick pulled in front of me, I thought it was going to be easier to go inside. I really thought they were going to sprint home a little bit more. The rail didn't open up. I tried inside Scotty, but he wasn't going to open up anything. I actually skimmed the pylon there, but then I went back outside. She had every opportunity to get beat tonight, let's put it that way.

"She is fresh. She had a couple of incidents after the Hambletonian Oaks that set her back a little bit. She shipped up here yesterday, and I knew today she was very calm and very good in the paddock. She can be a little nervous. Everything was her way tonight. She might go to Lexington for maybe one start, and then the Breeders Crown. That's it."

The victorious daughter of Explosive Matter is also trained by Smedshammer for owner Purple Haze Stables LLC. Phaetosive is now a ten-time winner, and she has put away C$845,604. The 9-2 third choice, Phaetosive returned $11.30 to win.