Mission Brief put in an effortless performance in the first of two divisions of the $144,000 Bluegrass 3-year-old filly trot at the harness racing meeting at The Red Mile, taking the lead after the first quarter and striding away to a 1:54.4 win.
Classical Annie set the first quarter of :29.2 as Livininthefastlane edged towards the front first over, with Mission Brief on her back.
Taking the lead before the three-eighths pole, Mission Brief progressed towards fractions of :57.2 and 1:26.3.
Classical Annie, residing in third for most of the mile after losing the lead, circled around Livininthefastlane to take second, and Speak To Me charged down the center of the course to finish third.
Sent off the overwhelming favorite at 1-9, Mission Brief paid $2.10 to win.
The filly by Muscle Hill, out of Varenne mare Southwind Serena, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stable, Jerry and Theresa Silva Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi, trained by Ron Burke, and driven by Yannick Gingras
She scored her eighth win this season, seventeenth lifetime, and has earned $1,356,062 in her career.
"Even here she's a lot different," Ron Burke said. "There's not as much noise and there's not as much action, so she's obviously going to calm down a little bit more. The track's obviously better than it was last night, but it's still nowhere near fast. Basically all we wanted to do is get around there without hurting her [Mission Brief], and just get a mile in her."
"By the same thing, the Breeders Crown is six days later," Burke also said in regards to Mission Brief's speed as a three-year-old compared to her 1:50.3 last season at Lexington. "Like I've said all along: I want to come in here, win three races, and just go home."
"Love it," part-owner Jerry Silva said in regards to the experience of watching Mission Brief race. "She stacks right now on the top of the list of the filly trotters that I've had. I hope she continues to be healthy and continues, with Ronnie [Burke] and Yannick [Gingras] making me a happy owner."
Grinding to control uncovered around the far turn, Jimmy Takter-trainee Wild Honey patiently attacked pacesetter I'm So Fancy to then edge away from her rivals and towards a 1:55.4 win.
On the lead, I'm So Fancy set fractions of :29, :57.4, and 1:27.1. Wild Honey generated the two-wide move at the half, with Gatka Hanover and Katniss tracking her into the turn. Approaching I'm So Fancy at three-quarters, Wild Honey quickly took the lead at the head of the stretch, powering away from closers Lilu Hanover and Lady Winona, who finished second and third respectively.
Collecting her fifth win this season, fifteenth in her career, Wild Honey, a daughter of Cantab Hall out of S J's Photo mare U Wanna Lindy, pushed her career earnings to $1,125,135.
She is owned by Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Herb Liverman, and was driven by John Campbell. Also a resounding favorite at 1-5, she paid $2.40 to win.
"She went a great trip up in Canada [in the Elegant Image] to finish second to Mission Brief," John Fielding said. "She was awesome tonight, and she has just been a terrific filly all along for us at two and now at three. She's small, but she's very gutsy, and it's just a privilege to be associated with her."
"I don't know yet," Fielding said in regards to Wild Honey entering the Kentucky Filly Futurity next week, Oct. 10. "I'll have to talk to Jimmy Takter."
Ray Cotolo