Trotter of the Year beaten in Miss Versatility

It was the 2022 Dan Patch award winning Trotter of the Year, Bella Bellini, taking on the 2022 Dan Patch 3YO Filly Trotter of the Year, Fashion Schooner (Walner), in the $40,000 opening harness racing round of the Miss Versatility Series at the Meadowlands Saturday (May 6) night.

And when the dust settled, it was the four-year-old mare Fashion Schooner, who established herself as the top trotting mare in North America.

The 2^nd race feature got underway with Fashion Schooner going right out to the early lead for driver Tim Tetrick and cut the mile to the first quarter in :27.4 with Ghostintheshell A (Ake Svanstedt) sitting the two-hole spot.

They raced single file to the half mile in :57 and that was when driver Dexter Dunn started up first-over from fourth place with Bella Bellini, but by the three-quarters in 1:25.1, Fashion Schooner has opened up a three-length lead on the field.

Bella Bellini was able to close a little ground by the top of the stretch, but down the lane Fashion Schooner was long gone with a :26.3 last quarter mile to win by three open lengths in 1:51.4. Bella Bellini was second with Ghostintheshell S third.

“When Timmy got a nice breather in the second quarter,” said Campbell, who is getting his mare ready for the June 10 Armbro Flight at Woodbine Mohawk Park. “I knew Schooner would come home in :26.”

FASHION SCHOONER REPLAY

It was the first win of the year in three starts for Fashion Schooner. She is trained by Jim Campbell for owner-breeder Fashion Farms LLC. She paid $6.20 to win.

“The way Bella looked in her qualifier (a win in 1:56.2 over a sloppy track), and being a 5-year-old,” said winning trainer Campbell,“ I thought in order to beat her, we had to get real lucky. She’s got such a strong finish to her.”

The track record for older trotting geldings was tied by Hillexotic (Muscle Hill) and driver Yannick Gingras in winning the 6^th race $27,000 Open Trot in 1:50.2.

He wired the field and held off Ambassador Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) to win by a head. Amigo Volo (Dexter Dunn) was third.

It was a lifetime mark for Hillexotic and his third win this season for trainer Ron Burke. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phillip Collura. He paid $2.40 to win.

Hillexotic is now tied for the Meadowlands track record with Arch Madness (2011), B Yoyo (2017) and J L Cruise (2020).

HILLEXOTIC REPLAY

For complete race results, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink