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Always B Miki - Open Pace

by Lou Monaco, Hambletonian Society

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Always a champion.

The much-anticipated showdown between the top two harness horses in the world lived up to the hype as Always B Miki forged ahead by three-quarters of a length to upend 2015 Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit to capture his second straight $421,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace at The Meadowlands.

The 3-5 favorite Always B Miki, driven by David Miller and trained by Jimmy Takter, paid $3.20, 2.10, 2.10 and is the likely choice to take 2016 Horse of The Year honors.

_JGS6728 Always B Miki.JPG

Breeder

Roll The Dice Stable


“We saw two great, great horses, fighting side by side down the stretch. To me, it was one of the better races, maybe the best ever had a horse participate in and it was so exciting to see it,” said Takter, who won his 29th Breeders Crown race to date. “When he dug in that little extra, that’s what a champion has. I am so proud of this horse and I’m speechless – what a horse. Two weeks from now (will be his last start in the TVG) and I hope everyone will come back. Everybody should see it, it’s going to be his last appearance here in the TVG, so wonderful to do this on his home track on a cold night like this. Fantastic feeling.”

_JGS5717 Always B Miki connections.JPG

Owners

Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable, & Christina Takter

Wiggle It Jiggleit, with Montrell Teague aboard the 6-5 second choice, paid $2.20, 2.10 for second and Shamballa, with Scott Zeron aboard, paid 2.60 for third.

“Me and Miki have been trading wins and losses back and forth all season,” said Teague, in just his second start in a Breeders Crown race. “One race isn’t going to deter me, I was happy with my horse, it was a big effort. There was a big headwind out there today and the horse got on the left line a little bit but from having all those difficult problems he still put in a game effort.”

Wiggle It Jiggleit stormed to the lead right from the gate and led throughout with Always B Miki right at his heels in second place every step of the way until surging ahead to take the lead right at the wire.

Always B Miki won in fractions of 27.1, 55.1, 1:22.1, and a finishing time of 1:49.

_JGS5667 Always B Miki.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Jimmy Takter | David Miller

Wiggle It Jiggleit and Always B Miki have met seven times this year with Always B Miki now leading the head-to-head matchup at 4-3.

“I couldn’t be happier with him, he’s a tough horse,” said Miller. “He shows up and he was determined to get his head in front there.”

Since returning to action last fall, Always B Miki has won 15 of 21 races, totaling 29 for his career and became the first horse to win the Open Pace in consecutive years since Bettor Sweet in 2011-12. Always B Miki’s other wins this year include the Ben Franklin Pace, William Haughton Memorial, Jim Ewart Memorial, and Hoosier Pacing Derby.

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Purse $421,000

Meadowlands Racetrack - East Rutherford, NJ | Friday, October 28, 2016

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Ariana G - 2FT

by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) came out of the clouds to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old trotting fillies by a length and a quarter on Saturday at The Meadowlands.

_JGS7447 Ariana G.JPG

Breeders

Marvin katz & Al Libfield

Araina G is owned and was bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld and trained by Jimmy Takter. For the daughter of Muscle Hill and Cantab It All, the win was her ninth in 11 starts.

Cameron Hill (Andy Miller) was first to the lead at the :27.4 quarter, but Treviso (Charlie Norris) was on the move on her outside to take over the lead momentarily before That’s All Moni (Tim Tetrick) took a turn on the lead and held it to the :56.1 half. She stayed in the top spot to the 1:25.1 three quarters, with Sunshine Delight (John Campbell) right at her bridle on the outside.

_JGS5799 Ariana G.JPG

Owners

Marvin katz & Al Libfield


Those two were trotting strong for the wire when Chezatter (David Miller) started to move on the winners, but outside of her, Ariana G trotted down the middle of the track to pass them both about a sixteenth of a mile from the wire. Princess Aurora (Brian Sears) closed for second for the same connections as the winner and Sunshine Delight was third.

“Last week she got a little hot on me,” said winning driver Yannick Gingras. “But they went big fractions, so I was able to race her from behind, but last week she was really grabby and I really believe I choked her. Even at the top of the stretch, I still had a stranglehold of her and then two steps later I had two loose lines. I’m pretty sure she choked last week. The credit goes to Jimmy, he made equipment changes and obviously they worked tonight.

“I drew in a good spot, Chezatter was inside of me. She looked like she was going to move to the front early on and I was really content to follow her and obviously it worked out.”

Ariana G Winner's Circle (4).JPG

Trainer | Driver

Jimmy Takter | Yannick Gingras


“She raced good," said Takter. “There was a little commotion in front of her, horses in and out; she raced well. It was her race to lose. I think it was necessary. It’s a long year for her. This is her last for the year. We decided, she’s been racing since May, it’s a long year. It’s a great way to finish the year for her. I put the ear hood on her and opened her up a little so she could get a little more relaxed.

"Princess Aurora finished very, very good. She’s probably the horse that’s in the best form out of my horses right now. But by the same token she wasn’t in the early races like those other horses were in the season. She’s going to continue racing, going to the Goldsmith Maid up in Canada."

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Purse $640,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday, October 29, 2016

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Bar Hopping - 3CT

by Lou Monaco, Hambletonian Society

East Rutherford, N.J. -- The duo of Tim Tetrick and Jimmy Takter has done it again.

Bar Hopping, the 4-5 favorite, kicked off cover and won by a length and a half to capture the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings at The Meadowlands.

_JGS5882 Bar Hopping.JPG

Breeders

Douglass B Hutchins

It was Bar Hopping’s sixth win in his last seven races, and the 30th career Breeders Crown victory posted by Takter.

Bar Hopping, who won $250,000 for his efforts, paid $3.80, 2.60, and 2.60.

“I felt really good [going into the race],” said Tetrick. Last week he raced really well; we opened him up a little bit and he trotted a big mile. Today, off cover, he really responded well.”

“My horse has raced against [Southwind Frank and Marion Marauder] all year, and a couple of times he drew bad and could never get into the race when they raced hard, but we still got checks,” continued Tetrick, who captured his third Crown win of the weekend wit the son of Muscle Hill. “Those are great horses that he has beaten ,and my horse is right there with them.”

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Owners

C. Takter, Hatfield Stable, Katz & Libfield


Southwind Frank, driven by Yannick Gingras, paid $4.20 and $3.20 for second. Double L Lindy, driven by Åke Svanstedt, finished third paying $10.40 and Lagerfeld, who dueled with Sutton at the top of the stretch, finished fourth.

Split times were 28.3, 56.2, and 1:24.1, with the mile time of 1:51.4 equaling the stakes record of Father Patrick, established in 2014 (also trained by Takter).

“They’re all very special to me. Any time you win one of those big trophies, they are very, very hard to get,” Tetrick concluded. “That’s why we [start] qualifying in May and we work so hard to get to those big races. It’s very, very special.”

_JGS8085 Bar Hopping.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Jimmy Takter | Tim Tetrick

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Purse $550,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford NJ - Saturday, October 29, 2016

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Broadway Donna - 3FT

by Frank Cotolo, Hambletonian Society

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Broadway Donna and David Miller continued to swoon the division by earning an easy win in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands in 1:53.1.

The Jim Campbell-trained daughter of Donato Hanover from the Broadway Hall mare Broadway Schooner, didn’t make her move until mid-race and was never urged to coast down the stretch and win.

_JGS5911 Jules Siegel.JPG

Breeders

Fashion Farms

Emoticon Hanover and Fad Finance left quickly from the gate with the former getting the top to cut tepid :28 first panel. Caprice Hill stalked those two in third until All The Time pulled to first over as the field went to a half in :56.3. All The Time got the best of Emoticon Hanover to take the lead and that’s when Broadway Donna began to stride rapidly on the outside.

Earn Your Wings picked up live cover but Broadway Donna was in full flight at three-quarters in 1:25.3, wearing down All The Time, who held for third, while Emoticon Hanover shook loose to get second.

_JGS5902 Broadway Donna.JPG

Owners

Fashion Farms

Owned by Fashion Farms LLC, Broadway Donna won the Breeders Crown final after a victory in her elimination, coming off a straight-heat score in the Kentucky Filly Futurity to register her seventh win in a dozen starts as a 3-year-old.

Broadway Donna paid $3.60 to win.

“I was hoping to get away somewhere in the middle and come with cover,” said Miller, “but, right off the gate nobody from the inside was even pushing off, so I had to do something. I got around, and when Yannick [on All The Time] was moving back, I [knew] I was going to be first over. She really has [gotten better through the season]. She’s way sharper now than she was half way through the summer, and that’s always a good thing.”

_JGS5896 David Miller & Jim Campbell.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Jim Campbell | David Miller

“[Jules Siegel and I] are both very happy," remarked Campbell. "From Mr. Siegel's point of view, he bred her, and to have a filly like this and put her over one-million dollars lifetime [is incredible]. When you breed one and race one that does that for you, you’re supposed to be happy. Jules is always extra proud of his homebreds.”

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Call Me Queen Be - 3FP

by James Witherite, Meadowlands racing media

East Rutherford, N.J. – October of 2016 has been quite a month for Scott Zeron—first, a Trotting Triple Crown with Marion Marauder, and now his first ever Breeders Crown title.

Zeron sustained a first-over push through the far turn with Call Me Queen Be ($27.80) to duel down Jugette winner L A Delight for a 1:49.4 score in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday (October 29) at The Meadowlands.

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Breeders

John A Carver

The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere was forced to change tactics from a post 9 dispatch, settling into midfield on the first turn while Pure Country (Brett Miller) won a :27.2 first-quarter duel before yielding to L A Delight (John Campbell) midway up the far side. With just over half the journey remaining, Zeron moved Call Me Queen Be first-over and applied heavy pressure to L A Delight with three-eighths remaining.

Of the new strategy, Zeron was pleased things worked out as well as they did. “I’m happy she was on her game tonight,” he remarked. “That’s not her style [going first-over], but things really worked out to her advantage, getting a soft third quarter and then just turn it into a sprint to leave [out] some of those horses that were following behind.”

_JGS8359 Call Me Queen Be connections.JPG

Owners

Let It Ride Stables & Dana Parnham



While able to stick a head in front upon reaching head-stretch, Call Me Queen Be faced heavy resistance the length of the straight, forced to duel L A Delight through a :26 closing quarter to ultimately prevail by three-quarters of a length. Glen Garnsey Memorial winner Darlinonthebeach (David Miller) stayed on for third after directly tracking the winner’s cover off the far turn.

Ross Croghan trains Call Me Queen Be, now a 10-time winner, for the Let It Ride Stables and Mr. Dana Parham.

_JGS5935 Ross Croghan & Scott Zeron.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Ross Croghan | Scott Zeron

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Purse $550,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday, October 29, 2016

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Flanagan Memory - Open Trot

by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Flanagan Memory and driver Brian Sears flushed out heavily favored Resolve past the half and then just waited their turn to wear down the field to win the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot in 1:52.1 by a length on Friday at The Meadowlands.

_JGS5748 Flanigan Memory.JPG

Breeder

Michel Flanagan

Flanagan Memory is trained by Rene Dion and co-owned by him with Liette Flanagan.

Windsun Revenge (Scott Zeron) was first to the lead in :27, with Crazy Wow in second and 1-5 favorite Resolve behind JL Cruze, who was third. Past the first quarter, Sears was on the move from sixth with Flanagan Memory, which caused trainer/drive Åke Svanstedt to tip off the rail and head for the lead.


_JGS6988 Flanagan Memory on the outside.JPG

Owners

Liette Flanagan & Rene Dion


At the :55.3 half, Windsun Revenge was still on the lead, with Crazy Wow in second and Resolve looking to pass him on the outside. Resolve was second on the outside to Windsun Revenge by the 1:23.2 three quarters. When the field straightened for home, Yannick Gingras was moving for the lead on the rail with Crazy Wow, while Svanstedt and Resolve briefly got a nose in front of the field before Brian Sears and Flanagan Memory trotted fastest of all to the wire.

Resolve held for second and JL Cruze was third.

“We got a nice trip tonight with him," said Sears. “We got to follow Resolve halfway down the lane so it worked well. The horse has been racing really good and Rene and Susie (Kerwood, his caretaker) really deserve it, they’ve done a great job with the horse, really awesome. It was a really big effort in the International Trot two weeks ago (he was third). He came out of it good and to finish third with the overland trip he got and still coming at the wire. This horse, he likes to pick them up late. He’s a solid horse, he’s a contender, always going forward at the wire.”

_JGS6316 Flanigan Memory.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Rene Dion | Brian Sears

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Purse $500,000

Meadowlands Racetrack - East Rutherford, NJ | Friday, October 28, 2016

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Hannelore Hanover - Mare Trot

by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Hannelore Hanover (Yannick Gingras) sprinted away from the field in the last eighth of a mile to win the $250,000 Breeders Crown for trotting mares in 1:53.3 by two lengths on Friday (October 28) night at The Meadowlands.

_JGS5641 Hannelore Hanover.JPG

Breeders

Hanover Shoe Farms

Hannelore Hanover is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino, Jerry and Teresa Silva.

Bee A Magician (Brian Sears) and Hannelore Hanover were first to flirt with the lead, but Bee A Magician got there first just before the :27.4 first quarter. Hannelore Hanover was right behind her on the rail and was on the move just beyond that point and took over the lead and held it to the :56.1 half mile marker.

_JGS6512 Hannelore Hanover.JPG

Owners

Burke Racing, Weaver, Bruscemi, Baldachino, J&T Silva Stables

Shake It Cerry (Dave Miller) was on the move toward the lead from the back of the pack past the half and ranged second on the outside when Hannelore Hanover led the field to the 1:25.4 three-quarters. Bee A Magician was still along the rail behind those two as the field turned for home.

Hannelore Hanover had no serious challengers down the stretch and pulled away from the field for the win, her 16th in 19 starts this year. Bee A Magician was second and Shake It Cerry was third.

“I didn’t doubt my mare, she’s a great horse,” said Gingras. “The International was just a race to forget (she was 7th) on a half-mile track. There was definitely a Bee A Magician factor, she looked really good at Yonkers last week (October 15) and I thought she would definitely give me a run for the money.

_JGS5651 Hannelore connections.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Ron Burke | Yannick Gingras

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Purse $250,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Friday, October 28, 2016

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Huntsville - 2CP

By James Witherite, Meadowlands racing media

East Rutherford, N.J. – Huntsville ($3.60) used a bold middle move to secure command in a fast pace before heading off two challengers—including rival Downbytheseaside—to capture the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:49.1, missing the stakes record by a fifth of a second.

_JGS7925 Huntsville.JPG

Breeders

Schnittker & Ianazzo

Tim Tetrick settled the son of Somebeachsomewhere and Wild West Show into midfield early on, remaining in the two-path before accelerating to clear Downbytheseaside (David Miller) with nine-sixteenths to go. Unfazed by a strenuous :54.1 first half mile, Huntsville would be pressed through a :27.4 third quarter by the first-over Filibuster Hanover (Brett Miller), turning him aside before facing a late challenge from Downbytheseaside, who found room to vacate the pegs and make a late bid upon cornering for home.

Despite Downbytheseaside’s ability to push to within half a length in mid-stretch, Huntsville responded at first asking to repel that foe, edging away to prevail by two lengths. Downbytheseaside held second, and Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley) rallied from third-over to take third.

_JGS5875 Huntsville trophy.JPG

Owners

Schnittker, Gewertz, Ianazzo, & Arnold

Trainer Ray Schnittker, who shares ownership with Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo, and Steven Arnold, was worried by the fast pace, but his 7-time winner quelled any concerns in the last yards. “I got a little concerned at the :54.1 half, and around the last turn, I said ‘Well, let’s separate the men from the boys,’ and he was the man.”

Huntsville has one more dance for his freshman campaign before coming back at three. “He’s got the Governor’s Cup up in Canada, and that will be it [for the season],” concluded Schnittker.

The win with Huntsville earned Tetrick his second Breeders Crown title of the weekend.

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Trainer | Driver

Ray Schnittker | Tim Tetrick

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Purse $640,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday, October 29, 2016

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Lady Shadow - Mare Pace

by James Witherite, Meadowlands racing media

East Rutherford, N.J. – Lady Shadow ($2.40) asserted her superiority in the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace, pushing clear of arch rival Solar Sister early and evading her foes en route to a 1:49.4 victory, her 11th of the season.

Lady Shadow (6).JPG

Breeders

Winbak Farm

The 5-year-old Shadow Play mare stalked the top flight from the two-path on approach to the first turn before pushing to the fore after Solar Sister (Doug McNair) won an early duel with Frost Damage Blues (Brett Miller) through a :27 first quarter mile. Once clear, Yannick Gingras maintained a strong and consistent pace with Lady Shadow through middle sectionals of :54.2 and 1:21.4, in fact edging away upon approaching the home straight.

Despite all-out encouragement in the final eighth while now contending with a prevailing headwind, Lady Shadow maintained 2-1/4 lengths clearance over Sassa Hanover (Matt Kakaley), who rallied off stalled cover to claim the runner-up spot. Frost Damage Blues found room to vacate traffic in mid-stretch to save third over the tiring Solar Sister.

Lady Shadow Winner's Circle (10).JPG

Owners

D.C. Kryway, C.L. Atley, E.J. Gold, & BFJ Stable

Trainer Ron Adams was more than pleased with how Lady Shadow has matured from her 4-year-old campaign. “She’s had a good year this year, a career year, actually,” remarked Adams. “She had issues when she was younger, made miscues behind the gate, and it cost her a lot of money early on in her career. But she’s put that behind her, she’s turned in to a really nice mare. She likes the big track and she likes the speed. Speed is her game and she gets to use it here.”

Lady Shadow, now a 27-time winner, is owned by the partnership of Kryway, Atley, Gold, and the BFJ Stable. For Gingras, the winning drive earned him his second Breeders Crown title of the night.

In July, Lady Shadow set the world record for pacers at 1-1/8 miles, winning the Golden Girls in a scintillating 2:00.3.

_JGS5734 Lady Shadow.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Ron Adams | Yannick Gingras

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Purse $250,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Friday, October 28, 2016

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Racing Hill - 3CP

by Lou Monaco, for Hambletonian Society

East Rutherford, N.J. -- In an impressive and record fashion, the last Breeders Crown winner of the season is Racing Hill.

Racing Hill took the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and held off 60-1 Manhattan Beach to capture the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings in a stakes record of 1:48 on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.

_JGS5945 Racing Hill.JPG

Breeders

Tom Hill

The previous record of 1:48.3 was held by Somebeachsomewhere, which he took in 2008.

The 2-1 second choice, driven by Brett Miller and trained by Tony Alagna, paid $6.40, 5.40, and 2.80 to post his fourth win in his last six tries.

“I was loving every bit [of the battle on the front]. They were still pacing hard around the last turn, and this colt felt like his old self tonight. I had a big handful of horse into the last turn, and coming off of the last turn, I knew he was a winner,” said Miller. “This was special here. I have loved this colt all year, and I had so much confidence in him, and I knew Tony would get him back good again.”

The win was the second Breeders Crown title for both Miller and Alagna.

Racing Hill Winner's Circle (4).JPG

Owner

Tom Hill

“To say [the last few months] have been easy would be a downright lie. We had bad luck in the [Little Brown] Jug; he got parked the whole mile. Last week, I was there when he got off the truck for the detention barn, and he was wringing wet with sweat, and I said ‘We just left our race on the truck tonight.’,” said Alagna. “He raced that way on Saturday, so I put the groom, who has done a tremendous job with the horse, on the truck, and we shipped him in a boxed stall by himself on a dull truck yesterday just so he wouldn’t get all worked up, and it did the trick. I knew he was a good horse, and he showed it tonight. We had some troubles getting his earplugs out in the last turn [in] the Meadowlands Pace. Not to take anything away from the winner, but this horse has just been a model of consistency all year.”

Split times were 26.3, 53.0, and 1:20.2, with a final time of 1:48.

Manhattan Beach, driven by Matt Kakaley and trained by Ron Burke, paid a solid $23.40 and $12.40 for second.

“Not bad, but not what we wanted. We wanted to win this race; this is the race I thought we had the best chance to win tonight. You know what the thing is, sometimes you make the lead, you want the lead,” Burke said. “I give Yannick (Gingras) credit, he made everyone try to pace around him and the horse dug in and was game all the way to the wire. I think it might be Check Six’s best mile ever. My horses were ready tonight, I’m happy with them all, but things just didn’t work out.”

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Trainer | Driver

Tony Alagna | Brett Miller

Check Six, the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, finished third and paid $3.40

Fernando Hanover, driven by Tim Tetrick and also trained by Burke, finished fourth.

The Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings was the last of the 12 championship races held over the two-day weekend at The Meadowlands.

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Purse $550,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday, October 29, 2016

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Someomensomewhere - 2FP

by Ray Cotolo, Hambletonian Society

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Someomensomewhere, by Somebeachsomewhere from the Western Hanover mare Omen Hanover, angled towards the center of the track into the stretch and rallied by pacesetter and 1-2 favorite Roaring To Go to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old Filly Pace in 1:51.2 at odds of 17-1.

_JGS5816 Someomensomewhere.jpg

Breeders

KDM Stables Corp

Taking command into the first turn, Someomensomewhere soon yielded for the pocket to Idyllic Beach (Yannick Gingras) through a :26.4 first quarter. Roaring To Go (Brett Miller), getting away third, tipped off the pylons and brushed to the top before the half, timed in :55. She maintained control around the far turn and through a 1:24 third quarter before being pursued by Idyllic Beach from the pocket, Someomensomewhere from third, and Agent Q (David Miller) from off cover.

Idyllic Beach reached a narrow lead through the stretch, but Someomensomewhere closed to her outside and grabbed the front. Despite Agent Q gradually gaining ground and drawing alongside Someomensomewhere in the final strides, Someomensomewhere showed the determination of a champion, maintaining a slight advantage in a photo.

Idyllic Beach finished third and Roaring To Go was fourth.

_JGS5828 Someomensomewhere trophy.jpg

Owners

KDM Stables Corp

Someomensomewhere, returning $36.00 to win, won her third race in 11 starts, amassing $407,771 in earnings for owners Nick Surick Stable LLC and KDM Stables Corp. She gave trainer Erv Miller his sixth career Breeders Crown win and driver Marcus Miller his first.

“[The trip] worked out, maybe not exactly as I hoped, but as good as it could,” Marcus Miller said. “The way everybody drew, she was really sharp tonight. David [Miller on Agent Q] does a good job but he couldn’t quite get by me tonight. I wasn’t sure and he [David] wasn’t sure [who won] either. We decided while we waited for the photo that we would be all right with a dead heat as long as they gave us both a trophy.”

“It’s unreal,” co-owner Nick Surick said. “I never want to sweat a photo like that again in my life . . . [winning is] a good experience.”

_JGS7623 Marcus Miller.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Erv Miller | Marcus Miller

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Purse $640,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday October 29, 2016

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Walner - 2CT

by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, N.J. -- Walner (Tim Tetrick) was the easiest kind of winner of the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a track and stakes record 1:53 by 4 ½ lengths on Saturday at The Meadowlands. The record had been 1:53.2, shared by Pinkman (2014) and Manofmanymissions (2010).

Walner Winner's Circle (13).JPG

Breeders

Overseas Farms

Walner is trained by Linda Toscano and owned by Ken Jacobs. Moonshiner Hanover (Scott Zeron) was second and Sortie (Andy McCarthy) was third.

The early pace was set by Moonshiner Hanover who got to the :28 first quarter alone at the lead, after an early break by Giveitgasandgo (Corey Callahan) left the second spot temporarily empty. Walner was up front to take away the lead at the three eighths, and he was in front at the :57 half. Jake (Sylvain Filion) tried to overtake the lead from fifth and got up to third at the 1:26 three quarters, with Moosnhiner Hanover second inside him along the rail.

_JGS5841 Walner.JPG

Owners

Kenneth E Jacobs

When the field straightened for home, Walner got mild urging from Tetrick and the two put distance between them and the field for an unpressured win in record time.

“He can do it either way,” said Tetrick. “He’s got a ton of ability and he’s very special. I just wanted to get around there safe and make sure I didn’t mess it up. I knew I had a good horse, so if I got him in there with decent fractions I knew he would be hard to catch.”

“I was nervous this time because I expect big things from this colt, said trainer Linda Toscano. “He’s a good colt, he has a great attitude. He loves his job.”

_JGS5848 Walner trophy.JPG

Trainer | Driver

Linda Toscano | Tim Tetrick

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Purse $640,000

The New Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ - Saturday, October 29, 2016

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