Dial Square S began her U.S. racing career with a hard-fought 1:51 3/5 victory in tonight's lone $40,000 division of the opening leg of the Miss Versatility Series for older trotting mares at the Meadowlands.
Coming off a win in her one qualifier for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt, Dial Square S went to the front from post five and cut an opening quarter in 27 3/5. 9-5 favorite M-M's Dream (Yannick Gingras) then came to the outside from third in the second quarter, but she was unable to clear Dial Square S, and they raced as a team to the half, which went up in a quick 55 2/5.
Svanstedt put the hammer down on the final bend, trotting a 27 2/5 quarter to put M-M's Dream 2 1/2 lengths behind him at the 1:22 4/5 three-quarters, and looked like she had it wrapped up at the top of the lane, but Elista Hanove (David Miller), who had followed along in fifth, fanned out and had other ideas as she began to rally towards Dial Square S. The wire came up just in time for the pace-setter, though, as Dial Square S's 28 4/5 last quarter got her to the wire a nose ahead of Elista Hanover. M-M's Dream was a game third, followed by Nelsonbriteagle, another Svanstedt entrant driven by Dexter Dunn and R Melina (Todd McCarthy).
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A 5-year-old daughter of Ready Cash, Dial Square S is owned by Stall Arsenal AB. Dial Square S, who was second in the Group 1 Derbystoet for 4-year-old mare trotters at Sweden's Jägersro track last year, won for the third time in her 14th start, has now earned $182,449 and paid $9.40 to win as a 7-2 offering.