MILTON, September 21, 2024 – French Champagne (Muscle Hill-French Cafe) found an opening in the final moments to win a thrilling harness racing edition of the $347,000 Elegantimage Stakes on Saturday night (Sep. 21) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Trained by Ake Svanstedt and driven by Dexter Dunn, the filly crossed over from post eight and grabbed the early lead in the race for three-year-old fillies, taking her nine rivals through an opening panel in :26.4, as 4-5 choice Drawn Impression and R Melina both marched on without taking a seat.
It was Drawn Impression, riding a three-race win streak, who took command, but yielded the front to R Melina, who carved out a half in :55.4, while French Champagne watched the proceedings from third.
R Melina was still calling the shots heading into the turn for home and held a slight advantage through three-quarters in 1:24.1, but Drawn Impression popped out and put the pressure on the pacesetter as the drive to the wire commenced.
Mid-way down the lane, Dunn was hemmed in along the pylons, with seemingly nowhere to go.
But with the wire looming, the champion reinsman found the narrowest of lanes to get French Champagne through, as they collared Drawn Impression at the last second to eke out a nose win in 1:52.1. Tactical Strike was third and Emoji Hanover finished fourth.
“The gap opened up pretty good for me,” said Dunn. “And then it shut on me. So, it got a bit tight after that, but [she was] just full of trot. She trotted great.”
On May 31, French Champagne took her $328,767 New Jersey Sire Stakes (NJSS) final by 2 ½ lengths in 1:52.1.
The bay filly was even more spectacular in Saturday evening’s scintillating score at Mohawk.
“She’s improved dramatically this year over last year,” said Katz, who co-bred and co-owns with Al Libfeld. “She was slow developing. She’s had some quirks. Ake and Sarah have done a fantastic job developing her.”
With the win, French Champagne, who was second in the Delmonica at Pocono Downs on August 17 and third in her Elegantimage elimination last week, is 9-2-6 from 19 starts, to go along with nearly $750,000 in career earnings.
“She hadn’t raced for a month prior to the elimination,” noted Katz. “Obviously, she was tighter tonight, and she showed it. It was a great performance. She’s been really one of the top fillies all year.”
Elegantimage, a daughter of Balanced Image, posted a race record of 20-7-3 and lifetime earnings of $955,368 in 41 races for owners Hyatt Holdings, Doug Millard, Jerry Van Boekel and Hall of Famer Steven Condren, who also drove the bay mare. She was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.
French Champagne paid $12.40 to win.
For complete race results, click here.
by Chris Lomon, for Woodbine Mohawk Park