1988 Breeders Crown
Open Trot
Open Pace
Mare Trot
Mare Pace
3YO Colt Trot
3YO Colt Pace
3YO Filly Trot
3YO Filly Pace
2YO Colt Trot
2YO Colt Pace
2YO Filly Trot
2YO Filly Pace
Replays & Clips
Replays & Clips
Mare Trot · Friday, Sept. 9Armbro FloriGrade 1 · $268,756 · 1:59.3hReplays & Clips
Mare Pace · Friday, Aug. 12AnniecrombieGrade 1 · $307,256 · 1:52.3Replays & Clips
Replays & Clips
Replays & Clips
Replays & Clips
Replays & Clips
Replays & Clips
It wasn't a Walt Disney movie, it actually happened. Could the first-crop son of a former Breeders Crown champion achieve the same title four years later on the same turf?
In 1984, the three-year-old Baltic Speed, a son of Hambletonian winner Speedy Somolli, captured the Breeders Crown at Pompano by a head over Sandy Bowl, and was awarded divisional honors for the second straight year. Four years later a compact son of his would dazzle the industry with a world record performance in just his seventh lifetime start.
Valley Victory had displayed flashes of the cantankerous temperament his grand sire, Speedy Somolli, was capable of and was not the most willing of pupils according to his trainer, Steve Elliott. His first parimutuel starts were not until August, in a sire stakes race and a pair of conditioned races. It wasn't until late September in Lexington that the diners in the Red Mile club house stopped in midbite to notice Valley Victory streaking to an eight and a half length triumph, unfurling a 27.1 last quarter on his way to a new lifetime mark of 1:57.2 over the historic clay. Despite the murmurings out of Lexington and the faith of his owner Arlene Traub and trainer Steve Elliott, the freshman colt division was still considered a wide-open affair.
Eliminations were necessary to slim down the bulky field of freshman, with both Valley Victory and Ziggy Hanover winning their respective contests easily the preceding Saturday. Peter Haughton winner Keyser Lobell shot out for the lead, through moderate fractions of 29.1 and 1:00.1 for the half. O'Donnell had the inexperienced Valley Victory positioned fourth and when he pulled on the right line to signal him out of the hole, the colt responded with such acceleration that he nearly hooked wheels with the horse he was passing.
Past the three-quarters in 1:29.4, Valley Victory merely pulled away from the rest of the field as if it was his royal birthright. He won by five lengths in a world record time of 1:58.1 and was resultantly crowned divisional champion: The tiring Keyser Lobell made a break and finished off the board, while Cobra Lobell and Ziggy Hanover picked up place and show money.
Replays & Clips
The two-year-old pacing colt division has furnished some of the greatest thrills in Crown competition. The vivid images include Dragon's Lair knocking Nihilator off his lofty perch at the Meadows, the diminutive Robust Hanover gutting out a head win over towering a Barberry Spur, Sunset Warrior's shocking upset of Redskin, the richest freshman pacer of the '86 season and finally, Camtastic's brilliant dismissal of his foes at Rosecroft.
This year would be no exception. Trainer Steve Elliott had already sent out two Breeders Crown champions in Sweet Reflection and Valley Victory. No trainer had ever won three Crown championships in one season, and only Team Nordin and the W. R. Haughton stable had campaigned two Crown victors in one year. Elliott's weapon in this final Crown contest of the year was Totally Ruthless, victorious in 12 of his 14 starts with over $800,000 to his credit. Though Ruthless had raced from the Goshen Cup in June through November, Elliott was intent on having a fresh colt for the Breeders Crown and skipped the rich Governor's Cup at Garden State. That race was taken by Tom Haughton and How Bout It.
Totally Ruthless, driven by John Campbell, easily won his elimination of the Breeders Crown, taking a new lifetime mark of 1:55.1 in the process. That twelfth driving trophy was just about a reality for Campbell. The second place finisher in the Woodrow Wilson, Nukes Image, made the cut, as did Sudden Sonshine and San Andre.
The other elimination was a hard fought contest between Kentucky Spur, third in the Governor's Cup after an overland route and Shipp's Scorch, a hard knocking son of Big Towner who could light up the front end. At the wire Kentucky Spur spun out a 27.3 last quarter to stretch a neck in front of Shipp's Scorch. Hostile Takeover and a lackluster How Bout It would provide the filler in the final the next week.
Roy Davis, owner of Kentucky Spur, wanted a Breeders Crown trophy badly, and his longtime trainer and friend Dick Stillings had promised him one before the year was out. He was down to his last chance. In 1985 Barberry Spur, co-owned by Davis, had lost his Breeders Crown event by a scant head and in the Breeders Crown for Horse Pacers this year at Scioto Downs, Call For Rain had bested Jaguar Spur also, co-owned by Davis, by a neck.
With so much at stake the tension was almost palpable and when the starting gate released the colts it was How Bout It who sprinted for the lead though it cost him a 27.4 quarter to get it. Shipp's Scorch, driven by Bill O'Donnell, was poised on the outside and immediately took over the front end from How Bout It as soon as they straightened up, with Kentucky Spur tucked in third and Totally Ruthless behind him.
Past the half in 56.1 and into the second turn Stillings wheeled Kentucky Spur out confidently to set out first over against Shipp's Scorch. It was a bold move that caused a collective intake of breath among the viewers, as Totally Ruthless scooted right out behind him to take his cover. But Spur was up to the task. The son of Albatross seized the lead from a tiring Shipp's Scorch and Stillings did not feel the need to raise his whip till they spun out of the final turn and passed the head of the stretch.
The two colts battled every step of the 608 feet that constitutes the Pompano stretch. Campbell and Stillings, two extraordinary drivers, Totally Ruthless and Kentucky Spur game to the wire, but only one could win. This was too great a contest to go undecided.
At the wire it was Kentucky Spur's head that crossed first, followed closely by Totally Ruthless. The time of 1:53.2 was a new world record for a five-eighths mile track, an honor Kentucky Spur also held on a half-mile oval. Dick Stillings had made good his promise to Roy Davis.
Despite his impressive Breeders Crown triumph, Kentucky Spur would not be awarded divisional honors. Totally Ruthless would end up the divisional champion, by virtue of his earnings of just under a million, the most of his peers and his consistency throughout the year with wins in the Metro Final, Kentucky Pacing Derby and the Presidential. Steve Elliott would be awarded the coveted Glen Garnsey training award for his handling of three divisional champions in one year.
Replays & Clips
2YO Filly Pace · Friday, Nov. 18Central Park WestGrade 1 · $429,914 · 1:53.3fReplays & Clips
Central Park West did just about everything right in her freshman year and could be easily forgiven for the one thing she did wrong. Trained by Bruce Nickells, the leading money-winning trainer of the Breeders Crown series in 1987 and owned by North Woodlands Stable and Bill Perretti, the Big Towner daughter began her parimutuel career with three easy wins before making an unfortunate break in the eliminations for the richest freshman filly event, the Sweetheart Pace. Central Park West finished a distant tenth over the sloppy Meadowlands track, but would not be defeated again that year.
Wins in divisions of the Countess Adios, the Lady Baltimore and heats of the Hoosier, Review Stakes, the K. D. Owen and the Almahurst followed. Central Park West seemed a cinch to wear a Breeders Crown. But owners reserve the highest hope for their two-year-old charges, and 12 fillies were entered in the competition, desperately hoping Central Park West was not as invincible as she seemed.
With the split into eliminations raced the week before, Central Park West took her elim in 1:56.1 easily over Sweetheart Pace winner Concertina, Dory Lobell and Light Beam. In the other version a fleet gray daughter of Albatross named Keystone Wallis showed she might threaten Central Park West by streaking through a 1:55.3 mile, followed by Windy Answer and Southtown.
That time was not just a personal best for Keystone Wallis but a new world record for that age group on a five-eighths mile track. It would last a week, or until Central Park West stepped on the track again.
From the rail, Central Park West had a clear shot at the lead. Her pilot, Canadian-born John Campbell has had more practice carrying home Breeders Crown crystal trophies than other driver. He elected to wait for the field to start up the backstretch past the quarter pole before making his move for the front. After wresting the lead from Keystone Wallis, Central Park West continued her march into the record books, easily turning back the challenge of Concertina. Fractions of 56 to the half and 1:25.3 to the three-quarters did not tire her, as she tossed a 28 second last quarter into the face of her peers.
It was all that was needed as the final margin measured some seven lengths and a new world record for two-year-old pacing fillies was written at Pompano for the third straight time in three weeks. The time of 1:53.3 was just the topping Central Park West needed to avenge her one loss of the year in the Sweetheart elims; the divisional crown was hers for the taking. Windy Answer and Southtown picked up the place and show monies, but would have to wait for next year for another chance at Central Park West. Campbell's total for drivers trophies now reached eleven, two more than his next competitor, Bill O'Donnell. Trainer Bruce Nickells continued his success with fillies, which began with guiding the career of the richest pacing filly of all time and a Breeders Crown champion, Follow My Star.
