CAMPBELLVILLE, September 17 – Resolve turned in a game harness racing effort to come away with 1:51.4 victory in the $632,000 Maple Leaf Trot Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
The five-year-old stallion was went toe-to-toe with standout mare Hannelore Hanover for the final-half and ultimately wore down the powerhouse to score a length and a half victory for Swedish native and trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt.
Resolve, who finished second in last year's Maple Leaf Trot, left from the rail and got away third, while Hannelore Hanover released Musical Rhythm to the lead at the opening-quarter in :26.4.
Driver Yannick Gingras wasted little time circling Hannelore Hanover back around to the front in the second-quarter and the trotting mare led the field by the half in :55.3. Svanstedt started up Resolve nearing the half and immediately confronted the leader moving into the final turn.
Hannelore Hanover and Resolve dueled to three-quarters in 1:23 and continued their battle into the lane. The Svanstedt trainee had no quit and finally edged by the gutsy mare in deep stretch for the win.
"He's a really great horse and it was difficult today," said Svanstedt following Resolve's triumph. "He (left) very fast and then he was first over the second-half, so he did a very good job."
A son of Muscle Hill, Resolve was last year's O'Brien Award winner for top older trotter in Canada. The Svanstedt trainee is well traveled this season, as he raced in Sweden's biggest race, the Elitlopp, back in May and finished second.
Owned by Hans Enggren of Abbottstown, Pennsylvania, Resolve now has 14 career victories and over $1.7 million earned. The five-year-old stallion scored his fourth victory of the season Saturday to bring his seasonal earnings to over $700,000.
Hannelore Hanover, a four-year-old mare, was a $45,000 supplemental entry to the Maple Leaf Trot. The Ron Burke trainee entered Saturday's rich final off an impressive elimination victory and had only one loss in 15 prior starts this season.
"She raced very good," acknowledged Svanstedt. "She's just a four-year-old and a mare. She's very good."
Saturday's clash was the first meeting between Resolve and Hannelore Hanover. Although there is no upcoming meeting scheduled between the two star trotters, racing fans will certainly be hoping to see a rematch sooner rather than later.
Svanstedt noted that he isn't sure what is next for Resolve, but has an idea of where he hopes to race.
"We hope he'll be invited to the International Trot (at Yonkers Raceway)."
Five-year-old mare Shake It Cerry finished third in Saturday's event, while locally trained trotters Flanagan Memory and Lookslikeachpndale rounded out the top five finishers.
Swedish trotter Nahar, who is owned by Daniel and Henrik Sedin of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, broke stride on the final turn and finished tenth.
The wagering public was split between Resolve and Hannelore Hanover, as they went off as even-money co-favourites. Resolve returned $4.30, $2.50 and $2.20, while the $2 Exactor paid $8.40.