1989 Breeders Crown

The freshman pacing colts have, year after year, incited superior racing in Crown competition. The 1989 version featured no less than three world champions and divisional honors would be largely determined by which valiant colt could cross the Pompano Harness track finish line first.

OK Bye, a son of Direct Scooter purchased privately in January by the Wilshire-Hunter-Newman syndicate trained down on schedule for ace conditioner Chuck Sylvester and baby-raced in May. But an allergic reaction to a blister for back soreness caused the strapping colt to fall behind in his schedule, and he did not start again until August. Upon his return to the races, OK Bye reeled off four consecutive victories, including an eye-popping 1:54.3 world record triumph in the Babic Memorial over Freehold's half-mile oval. That performance caused John Campbell, driver of many of the standard-setting horses of the decade to label OK Bye "the best two-year-old I've ever sat behind."

Under the auspices of new trainer Ken Seeber, OK Bye was coupled in the wagering with another Lou Guida-managed colt. Stablemate In The Pocket was the richest juvenile in the group, with an earnings total close to $300,000. His richest payday was a second-place finish behind Sam Francisco Ben in the $907,000 Woodrow Wilson, after which he was purchased by LPG Standardbred Associates, MRF Racing Stable and Bonnie Castle Stable. The entry looked formidable and was, accordingly, the 3-5 choice.

Two other contestants would be heard from, however. Righthand Man and Till We Meet Again had set their respective world records on the same afternoon at Indianapolis. Righthand Man equaled the two-year-old world record with a 1:52.1 win in his Fox Stake elimination, but finished third to Till We Meet Again in the final. Earnest Hartman's Till We Meet Again's 3:46.1 total for the Fox was a two-heat world record, and the compact son of Sonsam was dubbed "a fighter" by trainer Larry Rathbone.

Driven by Mickey McNichol, who owns three crystal Breeders Crown driver's trophies (all captured with trotters) Till We Meet Again took a strong hold of his driver behind the starting gate. So strong, that when the gate sped away the colt slipped and broke into a gallop. Though McNichol quickly set him back pacing, the field had left them in arrears.

Meanwhile, the long-legged OK Bye had sprinted by Righthand Man to seize the lead past the quarter in 28 flat. Once ensconced in front, Campbell slowed the burly son of Direct Scooter to reach the half in :57.3. Auction Bid launched the outside flow of horses that included In The Pocket and the recovered Till We Meet Again, and by the three-quarter pole Kiev Hanover moved three-wide to make his bid.

McNichol made a do-or-die move with Till We Meet Again around the last turn, four-wide at the leaders. Given the circumstances, no one could have faulted Till We Meet Again for wavering in the stretch. Instead the stout colt burst by the leaders and quickly opened a two-length lead in mid-stretch. But In The Pocket and the lightly-regarded Raven Lunatic shook loose from their rail positions and mounted a furious charge at the rightfully-tiring Till We Meet Again. Already deep into his reserves of heart and stamina, Till We Meet Again found just enough of both to hold off the fast-closing colts to the wire. Over a track rated sloppy, the time of 1:56.2 did not tell the true story of the extraordinary effort of Till We Meet Again and Mickey McNichol.

Consistent throughout his freshman campaign, Till We Meet Again, bred by Epstein, Crawford and Summut, Ltd., clinched the divisional title with his stellar performance at Pompano.