Lochinvar Art, Lauren Tritton make history in “Battle”

Just hours after trainer Jena Antonucci became the first female in history to capture the Belmont Stakes with her Thoroughbred charge Arcangelo, driver Lauren Tritton became the first female driver in harness racing history to not only start in the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park, but also the first to win it—steering Australian import Lochinvar Art A (Modern Art) to a 1:50 score around the “Home of the Flying Turns.”

Hooked appropriately to a pink bike, and sporting a pink saddle pad, breast collar and bridle trimmings, the 8-year-old stallion got the perfect steer by the 29-year-old Tritton, who guided her mount second over throughout most of the mile, before shaking loose at the top of the stretch.

“This one is for the girls and for all the haters who tell you can’t do it,” Tritton said. “This horse is sensational.  I was in two minds behind the gate. I came out hard but the quarter comes up quickly and I didn’t want to sit parked but then John (Delong, driving Little Rocket Man) came out in front of me, and we were able to follow. 

“My horse got a little tired in that last corner, but then kicked into another gear in the stretch.”

Lochinvar Art A is trained by Tritton’s husband Shane for Team Tritton Inc., of Pinebush, New York.

It was the bay stallion’s sixth win this season in 12 starts, upping his seasonal earnings to $262,925 and his career earnings to $1,285,493.  The clocking of 1:50 was also a personal best, taking a tick off his previous record which he scored on Feb. 4 at The Meadowlands.

LOCHINVAR ART A REPLAY

“We’ve dreamt that everything would go to plan, and Lauren couldn’t have driven him more perfect,” said Shane Tritton. “The horse is great, he really wants to win, and we hope we’ve done him proud for Australia.  We’ve been hoping for a moment like this since we’ve been in this country, and I wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for Lauren.”

Favorite Ruthless Hanover (George Napolitano, Jr.) made an uncharacteristic break behind the gate, as did Backstreet Shadow (Matt Kakaley), allowing Leonidas A (Austin Siegelman) to easily gain the lead, taking the field through a :26.4 opening panel.

This Is The Plan (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) took the garden spot with Little Rocket Man (John DeLong) first up, followed by Lochinvar Art A second over to the :54.2 half.  Positions stayed the same through the three-quarter panel of 1:21.4 when Tritton pulled Lochinvar Art A three-wide, and the pair zoomed through the stretch, easily holding off a charge by the fast-closing Charlie May (Brett Miller) by a length and a half.

Combined, the nine-horse field has over $10 million in career earnings, seemingly one of the best “Battle” fields ever. Sent off at 18-1, the public obviously underestimated Lochinvar Art A’s ability, as they did Charlie May, who was sent off at 30-1. Likewise, third place finisher Leonidas A, was 10-1, while fourth-place finisher was 32-1.

Lochinvar Art A is the first foal out of the unraced Ponder mare Ponder In Paris, and was foaled on Dec. 7, 2015, in Australia.

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink

While driver Matt Kakaley didn’t have much luck in the Battle of Lake Erie, he rebounded with Violets Rainbow in the $50,000 MGM Buckeye Distaff at MGM Northfield Park on Saturday (June 10).

Kakaley, who had to work hard to get to the lead, wasted no time putting Violets Rainbow (Art Official) into play early, tackling McMarkle Sparkle (George Napolitano Jr.), who defended pylon position early, into the backstretch.  

Getting to the half in :55.2, Ocean Music (Tyler Buter) began to apply pressure into the clubhouse turn for the final time. 

Into the backstretch, Violets Rainbow kept foes at bay, leading by a length to three-quarters in 1:23.

As the field turned into the stretch, Kakaley kicked clear, putting away rivals to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51. McMarkle Sparkle tried to rally but finished second, with Love Me Hill closing to be third.

VIOLETS RAINBOW REPLAY

Owned by Ian Fromowitz of Canada, Violets Rainbow pushed her career earnings to $308,304, scoring her 18th victory for trainer Jared Bako.

For complete race results, click here.

by Michael Carter, for MGM Northfield Park