Sylvia Hanover scores seventh straight win in $810,000 Breeders Crown

Sylvia Hanover (Always B Miki) won her seventh race in a row as she rallied from the pocket to take the $810,000 Breeders Crown for rookie harness racing pacing fillies at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday (Oct. 28).

She took an early tuck into the three-hole but shifted out and fired forward for Bob McClure at the quarter in :27.3. She headed the field to the half in :57 but was overpowered by the onrushing Charleston (Dexter Dunn), who cleared as they swung into the far turn.

Strong Poison (Yannick Gingras) followed that rival to the front and threatened to go by, but Charleston retaliated as they passed the three-quarter-mile marker in 1:23.4. With those two throwing down into the stretch, Sylvia Hanover slid out from the pylons and dispatched both as she rolled to victory in 1:51.1.

Charleston was second by a length-and-a-quarter. Strong Poison finished third.

SYLVIA HANOVER REPLAY

Sylvia Hanover has sustained just one loss – in the Whenuwishuponastar second leg – as she has racked up $903,000 in her rookie year. Her stakes victories include the Whenuwishuponastar final, Eternal Camnation, Champlain Stakes, and the Shes A Great Lady. Hudson Standardbred Stable bought the filly as a yearling for $135,000 and assigned her to trainer Shawn Steacy.

“It’s very, very special after all those decades of being in this business,” said owner Tony Infilise on the broadcast. “It’s a wonderful business. It gives you a lot of — not as many highs as lows, but they’re really worthwhile when they happen, and this is a phenomenal one, probably one of our best in the business so far.”

To read all the ongoing coverage of the 2022 Breeders Crown, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink