Back to back Breeders Crowns for Amigo Volo
Amigo Volo, by Father Patrick, recorded back to back Breeders Crown victories with a narrow but gutsy win in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Final for 3YO Trotting Colts and Geldings at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday evening, matching the deeds of his sire.
In career best form at the moment, with five wins in his previous six starts, including a last start track record in his elimination heat, Amigo Volo was the odds on elect to take out the blue ribband sophomore feature.
Nicely positioned in third off the gate, Amigo Volo pushed forward to the lead past the quarter pole and looked to have a comfortable buffer over his rivals throughout the running until the Canadian Trot runner-up Play Trix On Me flashed home late from midfield to make things a little more interesting.
In a nail-biting finish Amigo Volo out-toughed Play Trix On Me in the closing stages to prevail by a nose on the line in a time of 1:53, with more than a length back to third placed Chestnut Hill.
The win was Amigo Volo’s 14th and improved his career earnings to $1,563,606, establishing him as his sire’s leading stakes winner to date, surpassing 2019 US Trotter of the Year Greenshoe.
Like last season, it looks likely that Amigo Volo will round out the year as the richest male trotter of his age group, and his Crown victory also makes him a leading contender to take out US 3YO Male Trotter of the Year honours, which would make it successive Dan Patch winners for Father Patrick in the category.
In winning his Breeders Crown titles at both two and three Amigo Volo joined elite company, with only two other trotters outside of his sire having achieved this this century, the great Muscle Hill and the three-time winner Gimpanzee.
Bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr. of Norway, Amigo Volo is out of the multiple stakes race winning Yankee Glide mare Margarita Momma, who was also represented on Breeders Crown night by Amigo Volo’s full brother Reign Of Honour who contested the Open Trot Final.