Race favourite Altar had things her own way in the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot, but bad luck caught up with the sophomore when she made a break in deep stretch. As a result it was the pocket-sitting Bella Bellini taking home the Crown title for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman.
Altar marched to the lead and carved out sensible panels of :28, :56.4 and 1:25.4 with Bella Bellini shadowing her every move from the pocket spot. Altar wheeled into the lane and looked comfortable until Yannick Gingras asked her to go into sprint mode. At that point, she rolled into a break and ultimately left the door wide open for Bella Bellini to capitalize.
And capitalize she did. Dunn inherited the lead with the Norman trainee, and despite putting in a couple of steps of her own in the late stages of the contest she kept her composure and sailed away to easy score in a time of 1:53. Anoka Hanover hauled home the runner-up award, while Splash Blue Chip rallied late to grab third prize.
“She's always been so good off a helmet,” Dunn said of Bella Bellini after the race, having decided to try for a pocket trip instead of her usual second-over sweep. “I've driven Altar as well — she's run some good miles, and I just didn't want to get too far away from her if she was on her game. We pushed out a little bit early, and got a perfect trip after that.
“I was waiting and waiting, and [Bella Bellini] tried to go a little too fast and put a step in,” Dunn also said. “After that, I grabbed her up, and I just let her go to the line under a good hold. She's had a great year, but the last two weeks, she's never felt better. Credit to the team in getting her as sharp as she is at the end of the year.”
The daughter of Bar Hopping-Bella Dolce improved her 2021 record to 10-6-0 from 17 starts for owner David McDuffee of Delray Beach, FL.
“I'm not a big breeder, but when I do get one that can reach this far, it's a special feeling, for sure,” McDuffee said after the race. “It's a Pizza Dolce line [Bella Bellini's second dam], and I've had a lot of luck with it all along. She's frosting on the cake.”
It’s been amazing turnaround for the filly this season when you compare it to the 0-1-0 record she assembled from seven starts last season. The lion’s share of the purse sent her career earnings sailing to $1,043,198.
All the recaps from Saturday's Breeders Crown finals can be found in the 2021 Breeders Crown News Centre.