Italian-bred trotter having best season ever

The Italian-bred trotter, Diamante Trio IT (Nad Al Sheba), is having her best harness racing season ever at the races and notched her second straight win Thursday at Yonkers Raceway in the $39,000 Fillies & Mares Invitational.

Competing in the 2^nd race co-feature, Diamante Trio IT and driver George Brennan left from post two and after an early confrontation with Helpoftheseason (Jordan Stratton), took the lead after an opening quarter mile in :27.2.

P L Notsonice (Scott Zeron) was third on the outside when Helpoftheseason made a costly break in the two-hole, went inside the plyons and P L Notsonice was able to drop right into the two-hole spot as Diamante Trio IT led to the half mile in :57.

Warrawee Xenia (Jason Bartlett) advanced first-over from the half mile and started to gain within a length of Diamante Trio It in the backstretch by the three quarters in 1:25.4.

But Diamante Trio It proved to be too tough on the front end, holding off Warrawwee Xenia down the stretch to win by a diminishing neck in 1:54.3. P L Notsonice was third.

DIAMANTE TRIO IT REPLAY

It was the second straight win and eighth victory of the season for Diamante Trio It, who went off at odds of 5-1 and paid $13.40 to win. Trained by Travis Alexander for Joe P Racing, Oldford Racing and the Alexander Racing Stable, Diamante Trio IT sports earnings this year of $157,870, more than twice what she earned in her first year of racing in the USA.

The $39,000 co-feature Invitational Trot for the older horses was the 8^th race where Mississippi Storm (Cantab Hall) and driver Brent Holland won a half mile battle with the race favorite.

Mississippi Storm was first on the lead and held off race favorite Once In A Lifetime (Jordan Stratton) to the quarter in :27.3. Once on the front, Once In A Lifetime led the field single file to the half in :56.3.

Then Mississippi Storm was flushed out of the pocket as Cristal Trio IT (Tyler Buter) came first-over in the backstretch and try as she might, Mississippi Storm could not get by Once In A Lifetime, noses apart at the three quarters in 1:26.2 with Cristal Trio IT staking second-over.

They raced as a team around the final turn and then down the stretch it was a three-horse race to the wire with a determined Mississippi Storm winning by a neck in 1:55 over Cristal Trio IT and Once In A Lifetime faded to third at the wire.

MISSISSIPPI STORM REPLAY

It was the third win this season for the nine-year-old gelding. Mississippi Storm is trained by Tom Fanning for owner Joseph Smith and paid $10.00 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink