Stakes record shattered in FanDuel Mare Trot

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – With a strong start against five other trotters, Dexter Dunn guided Nelsonbriteagle NO (Bold Eagle) to the front and wafted through four quarters atop the harness racing field to win the $150,000 FanDuel Mare Trot Championship in a stakes-record 1:49.4 on a frigid Saturday night (Nov. 30) at The Meadowlands.

Just behind Nelsonbriteagle NO the compact field presented the hot 3-year-old Allegiant, who was well backed by the crowd as the 5-2 third choice off a Breeders Crown win and a Matron victory. M-M’s Dream chased comfortably in third as the other sophomore, R Melina, galloped and eliminated herself from competition. Warrawee Xenia rolled along next while 9-5 favorite Call Me Goo took back to last.

Nelsonbriteagle NO tapped the first panel in :27.2 as Call Me Goo, the stunning Breeders Crown Mare Trot victor over a month ago, took steps out of last with a first-over bid after her stablemate. Nelsonbriteagle NO travelled strongly to the half in :55 and continued on the muscle through the turn. Allegiant made a gallant challenge out of the pocket moving to three-quarters in 1:22.2, but Nelsonbriteagle NO easily thwarted the sophomore’s challenge turning for home. Nelsonbriteagle NO stormed to the line in a league of her own, piercing the beam 2-1/2 lengths in front of Allegiant in second.

Warrawee Xenia split rivals for third and Call Me Goo levelled off for fourth.

NELSONBRITEAGLE NO REPLAY

“She was good behind the gate,” Dunn said, hoping Nelsonbriteagle NO on the engine would avoid some of the trouble that cost her the last two races at The Meadowlands and The Red Mile. “She was so good that last quarter. She liked the front,” he said, “and [finishing] in [1]:49.4 is not easy in any kind of weather for a trotter.”

The 1:49.4 mile by Nelsonbriteagle NO eclipses the previous stakes record of 1:51.4 matched four times since Hannelore Hanover set the mark in 2016.

Nelsonbriteagle NO is a 6-year-old, out of the Dream Vacation mare Lindy’s Holiday, and is trained by Ake Svanstedt, who co-owns her with breeder Nils Johan Munkhaugen. She has now earned $368,959 after winning for the 14th time in her career.

Off the second choice in the betting, Nelsonbriteagle NO paid $5.60 to win.

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

by Frank Cotolo, for The Meadowlands