Truly A Special Filly In Record Performance

MILTON, October 28, 2022 – The $810,000 Breeders Crown Final for freshman trotting fillies was billed as a face off between Special Way and Righteous Resolve and it certainly lived up to expectations resulting in a track and Canadian record. Both talented misses came into the contest riding winning streaks, seven straight for Righteous Resolve and six in a row for Special Way.

Righteous Resolve, the lone Ontario-sired miss in the race, went straight to top from post seven for Paul MacDonell. That pair hit the opener in :27.1 and no one challenged them through the next quarter as Righteous Resolve tripped the halfway timer in :56.

Ake Svanstedt, sitting fourth with Special Way, pulled out to challenge just past the half and was closing in on the leader at the 1:24.1 three-quarters. Down the stretch she wore down Righteous Resolve and went on by to win in a sparkling 1:52, a new track and Canadian record. Walner Payton also got by to take second with Righteous Resolve holding for third. Mambacita and Instagram Model were next across.

Special Way was an impressive victor in last weekend’s eliminations for the Crown while Righteous Resolve earned a bye in the final as the richest filly in the field.

Svanstedt also trains Special Way, and after the race called her the best filly he has had, high praise considering some of his stable stars. ​ The daughter of Walner is owned by breeders Brittany Farms and the Breeders Crown presenting sponsors Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. Unfortunately, Al was unable to be at the track to witness Special Way’s performance and both Katz and Brittany’s owner George Segal commented on how much he was missed in the winners’ circle.

Special Way’s family is well known to the partners. “We trained the grandmother of this filly and her mother, it’s a family we have a great deal of faith in and we developed together and that’s what makes it exhilarating to develop something like this,” explained Katz who added that winning a Breeders Crown event at his home track is “as good as it gets.”

Segal, who has several Crown trophies at his home in Kentucky noted that it never gets old winning a Breeders Crown, it just gets tougher.

Winning Breeders Crown finals is bred into Special Way as her third dam, Honorable Daughter, won this exact final in 2008 at the Meadowlands.

Heather MacKay/Woodbine Communications

Special Way and Ake Svanstedt winning the Breeders Crown. (Michael Burns photo)
Special Way and Ake Svanstedt winning the Breeders Crown. (Michael Burns photo)
Mark McKelvie

Mark McKelvie

Sr. Manager Communications, Woodbine Entertainment

 

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Woodbine Entertainment is the largest horse racing operator in Canada, with Thoroughbred horse racing at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and Standardbred horse racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Milton. Woodbine Entertaiment also owns and operates HPIbet, Canada’s only betting platform dedicated to horse racing. Woodbine and Mohawk Park are host to several world-class racing events including The King’s Plate, three Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races, and the Pepsi North America Cup. Run without share capital, Woodbine Entertainment has a mandate to financially invest all profit back into the horse racing industry and the 25,000 jobs it supports across Ontario.   

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