Soaring four wide late in the stretch, Forbidden Trade upset a sterling field of older trotters, including the super mare Manchego, to win the $135,000 Crawford Farms Trot on Saturday (July 3) at The Meadowlands.

Forbidden Trade, driven by Daniel Dube, was sixth when Its Academic cut the first quarter in :27.1. The Veteran followed in second and Majestic Player rolled easily in third. Race-favourite Manchego sat fourth in the early going, but when Its Academic rated the half in :56.3, she came out of fourth to challenge for the lead with Lindy The Great catching cover second over and Forbidden Trade third over.

Manchego cruised uncovered around the final turn to match strides with Its Academic to three-quarters in 1:24.2. Dube steered Forbidden Trade around Lindy The Great to launch a late charge that at first did not look hopeful. But as Manchego battled with Lindy The Great and Its Academic in deep stretch, Forbidden Trade brushed by full of trot, going a final quarter in :26.4 to get to the wire first by a neck in a 1:51.1 mile.

Lindy The Great held on for second with Manchego third and Its Academic finishing fourth.

“I would have liked to get away closer [in the start], said Dube. “With the rail it’s tough to push out of there sometimes.” Dube said once Forbidden Trade got “in gear” he was trotting strongly. “I followed [Manchego] and [Lindy The Great] … then he dug in. That’s an amazing horse.”

Forbidden Trade paid $16.80 to win. It was his second win of 2021 in 18 starts. Trained by Luc Blais, the five-year-old son of Kadabra amazed Meadowlands fans before when he came from behind to win The Hambletonian at 15-1 in 2019.

Determination of Quebec, Canada owns Forbidden Trade, who has now won $1,413,232.

(The Meadowlands)