2016 Breeders Crown

Bar Hopping & Tim Tetrick

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. 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.” 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.”

Racing Hill & Brett Miller

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. 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. “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.” 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.

Someomensomewhere & Marcus Miller

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. 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. 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.”

Ariana G & Yannick Gingras

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. 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. 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.” “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."

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 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. 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.”

Call Me Queen Be & Scott Zeron

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. 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.” 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.

Broadway Donna & David Miller

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. 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. 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.” “[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.”

Huntsville & Tim Tetrick

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. 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. 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.

Always B Miki & David Miller

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. “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.” 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. 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.

Flanagan Memory & Brian Sears

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. 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. 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.”

Hannelore Hanover & Yannick Gingras

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. 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. 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.

Lady Shadow & Yannick Gingras

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. 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. 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.

By Perry Lefko for Breeders Crown There is a lot on the line for Marion Marauder heading into this year’s Breeders Crown – the chance to further stamp himself as a Horse of the Year candidate with a victory in the $500,000 Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot and enhance his value with a pending stud deal. Paula Wellwood, who trains the horse with her husband Mike Keeling for their son Devin and mother Marion Jean Wellwood, said she is hoping an announcement will be made in the next two to three weeks concerning the horse’s future as a stallion prospect when his racing career is concluded.

The $37,000 yearling purchase by Muscle Hill has won more than $1.9 million in his career, including in excess of $1.5 million this season with 10 wins and the seconds in 14 starts. A victory could raise the value of the horse who earlier this season became only the ninth to win harness racing’s Triple Crown for Trotters. Paula became the first woman to train a trotting Triple Crown champion. “Going down this road is all new territory for us,” she said. “I think a win would raise his value, but his value obviously increased winning the Triple Crown. That’s very, very big. It’s been a whirlwind, an extremely fantastic year. He’s done everything a horse could possibly do with the Triple Crown and everything. It still seems surreal. I think maybe when the year is over it’ll really start to sink in. This race is as big as all the rest of them and he’s going into it treated all the same as the rest of the races.” Paula said she has tried not to pay too much attention to the Horse of the Year possibility, but added it would be wonderful if it happened. “He does deserve it for all of his accomplishments, but we’ll just have to see how that plays out,” she said. “I don’t really concentrate on that. I just want to concentrate on the race he has next. He is a horse that doesn’t like to train hard and we just kind of worked around what he likes and it’s really paid off. He’s just not a great trainer. He doesn’t really like to train. He likes his same routine. He’s the calmest horse going, nothing bothers him, which is wonderful, too. That really plays to him as well. He’ll go anywhere. He loves to travel. He’s ultimately just a good horse. “I knew we had a very nice horse in the beginning. He had a very good two-year-old year, in our estimation. He was second to Southwind Frank in all the big ones. We knew he was a very nice horse, but what he’s done has exceeded expectations.” She added it has been extra special because it has been a family affair with the horse, including the connection to the matriarch Marion Jean. The second part of his name was changed to Marauder, the name of the McMaster Marauders football team Devin plays for in Hamilton, Ontario. Paula is hoping to win a Breeders Crown race for the first time, having come up short with four starters. Her legendary father, Bill, a Hall of Famer, won four Breeders Crown races. He won with Village Jiffy in the 1992 Two-Year-Old Colt Pace and 1994 Open Pace, Village Jasper in the 1997 Three-Year-Old Colt Pace and Aviano in the 2000 Three-Year-Old Filly Trot. “Maybe Marion Marauder will break that for me,” she said. “He’s going up against a lot of really good horses we’ve raced with all year and however it works out, it works out. But regardless of what he does, he’s accomplished a lot. The Breeders Crown is a very, very prestigious race. It would mean a lot to us to win.” Paula said in all the year the Wellwoods have been racing, they have never had a horse as good as this. “It was a different era when my father was racing – the business has changed – but I’d have to say he’s the best the Wellwood family’s had, that’s for sure,” she said. “We’ve never had one like this. He’s just an ultra-special animal. And that’s saying a lot. Our family has had a lot of great horses. A lot of our horses did go to stud. Some were syndicated. My father syndicated some horses, but I think how that played out, but the business has changed since then. It’s a learning curve for us as well. He’s definitely a dream come true for my husband and I, my son and my mother. “I hope my dad is proud of us. I would think he would probably be just like us. It’s an amazing feat what this horse has done. I would hope that’s what he would think and he would proud, and I know he would be.” Paula, who conditions the horses with her husband, has tried not to place too much emphasis on being a woman trainer. “Women are very good with horses, so are men, we’re just like everybody else,” she said. “I don’t classify the gender thing. I’d rather be known as a good trainer than put the woman part in. I just don’t do that. Both of us train together. We work together, just like many, many others do. You can look at Marcus and Nancy Johansson, Linda Toscano and Brad McNinch, Joann and Jim King…we’re basically in the same boat. It’s both of us, which is very common these days. It’s my husband and me - both of us.”

Frederick Van Lennep

The signature crystal trophies that have graced the Breeders Crown championship series since 1984 will bear additional etching this year in memory of Frederick Van Lennep and William B. Weaver, two men with enormous influence on the sport of harness racing and the Breeders Crown championship series in particular. Frederick Van Lennep was a vital advocate in the advancement and promotion of harness racing. Inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1974, Van Lennep was Chairman of the Board of Pompano Harness Track, The Red Mile, and owner of Lexington-based Castleton Farms, one of the world`s foremost Standardbred horse-breeding operations. In 1983, Van Lennep, a director of the Hambletonian Society, was instrumental in creating and executing the concept that led to the Breeders Crown series, the year-end championship races for each age, sex and gait. Van Lennep, along with close friend and business partner, thoroughbred breeder John Gaines, conceived a season-ending championship forum for their respective breeds, similar to baseball’s World Series or the Super Bowl in football. Both versions, thoroughbred racing’s Breeder’s Cup and harness racing’s Breeders Crown, were an immediate success. The two-year-old filly trot trophy will be named the Frederick Van Lennep Memorial Trophy in his honor. Van Lennep passed away in 1987, and one year later a 2-year-old colt trotter named Valley Victory took the harness world by storm, winning the Breeders Crown at Pompano Park and subsequent divisional honors. Bill Weaver was responsible for the mating that produced Valley Victory, who sent a shockwave of speed through the bloodlines of the modern day trotter. His first crop featured five offspring in the Hambletonian, with Victory Dream winning. His stupendous daughter Continentalvictory won one of the most memorable versions of America’s trotting classic the next year (1996) in straight heats. Valley Victory’s third Hambo winner in five crops was the equally impactful Muscles Yankee (1998). Over a span of 15 years, Valley Victory sired the winners of $35 million, highlighted by champions like Lookout Victory, Rum Boogie, Lindy Lane, Donerail, Southwind Allaire, Armbro Monarch, Act Of Grace, Bullville Victory and Must Be Victory.

Bill Weaver

That is the impact of just one horse Bill Weaver bred. Additional breeders credits of only Breeders Crown champions Valley Victory, Chocolatier, Juliet's Fate (a rare pacing-bred Breeders Crown winner by Weaver), Wheeling N Dealin and To Dream On ranks Valley High is 13th on the all-time earners list of Breeders Crown breeders, which is dominated by commercial entities like Hanover, Brittany, Kentuckiana and Winbak Farms. From just 26 Breeders Crown finalists, Weaver bred five champions and four runner-ups for an astonishing record of 26-5-4-0 and $2,064,315 in purse money in the series. William B. Weaver, a 2013 Hall of Fame inductee, will be honored by the Hambletonian Society with the Bill Weaver Memorial Trophy for 2-year-old trotting colts. These trophies join the H. A. Grant Jr. Memorial Three-Year-Old Colt Pace Trophy, the John Cashman Jr. Memorial Three-Year-Old Colt Trot Trophy, the Max C. Hempt Memorial Three-Year-Old Filly Pace Trophy and the John Simpson Sr. Memorial Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly Trophy. The Hambletonian Society, which owns and administrates the Breeders Crown races, will continue to designate Breeders Crown memorial trophies annually, as a tribute to the legacies of those who have guided the 32-year-old series so successfully. Crystal Apex Awards and Design of Sheridan, Ontario, handcrafts the winner’s trophies that feature 12-inch high crystal monoliths individually deep-etched to carry the ornate Breeders Crown logo. Each crystal piece is mounted atop a tiered, ebonized wood base upon which a plaque is hand engraved with the name of the Breeders Crown champion.

Sir John F & Matt Kakaley

by Perry Lefko for Breeders Crown Veteran trainer Herb Holland is happy to be a member of harness racing’s dream team. The 59-year-old, whose career in the business goes back to the early years of the Meadowlands, is part owner of a horse, Sir John F., that is owned by brothers John and Jim Fielding and Christina Takter, whose husband, Jimmy, trains the two-year-old Donato Hanover colt. Sir John F is entered in this year’s Breeders Crown in the Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot, only the third time Holland has had a horse in harness racing’s championship event. Holland trained Light Beam, which raced in the 1988 Breeders Crown in the Two-Year-Old Filly Pace and did not hit the board. He also was affiliated with onetime world-record holder Sweet Michelle, who raced in the 1994 Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace and finished third. Holland purchased Sir John F for $45,000 at the Lexington Select Sale, and a mere 15 minutes later he was approached by Jim Fielding about buying a share in the colt. Subsequently, Kevin McKinlay, who has had horses with the Fieldings, bought a share. The horse was subsequently sent to Takter, who liked the horse so much when he began training the colt that he wanted to buy a share. “As soon as he qualified him, he said ‘tell your partners I want in,’” Holland said. So Holland has gone from owning 100% of the horse to now owning 22.5%, but the upside is that he is now associated with Takter, one of the top trainers of the modern era, and the Fieldings, among the top owners in the business. Takter and the Fieldings have outstanding success in the Breeders Crown. Takter leads all trainers with 21 wins. John Fielding is second to Brittany Farms in wins and earnings among owners. Jim Fielding has also had success, winning four of 21 races in which he is named as an owner. Holland said selling off interests in the horse was the right thing to do. “Would he have still raced in the Breeders Crown? I think so,” Holland said. “The ownership group is good. I’ve got a good relationship with Jimmy Takter. I’m happy to have John and Jim and Kevin McKinlay and Jimmy involved with him. It’s old hat to Jimmy racing in the Breeders Crown, and for John it’s nothing new. It’s nice when you’re part of a big race and you have a chance to get some money. “Jimmy is pretty down to earth. If he doesn’t like the horse, he doesn’t mince his words. He tells you straight up. He liked the colt early on. We did have some bad luck with him. He was getting a little warm behind the gate with us. Jimmy raced him one time and realized what the issues were and he attacked it and everything has gone forward since then. We’re hoping for better things ahead.” As an aside, Holland was training in the United States when Jimmy Takter came over from Sweden back in 1982. “He’s the trainer (of the horse), so it’s not quite the same as when you’re actually the trainer, but as an owner it’s always exciting to be in those big races,” Holland said. “When he’s in Takter’s barn, the benefits you get are he’s probably the foremost trotting trainer in North America. If I take a colt to race it myself I may not get the driver I wish. He usually gets the top drivers, and you get his experience in the Breeders Crown and the big races. With one horse it’s not financially feasible to race them all over the U.S. “When they approached me I thought it might be a good business opportunity to get involved with them. I didn’t really want to give up any part of my ownership, but if you’re going to be on board, you’re on board so I was willing to let a bit of mine go and everyone followed suit. I was happy with the partnership. It worked out well for everybody. “When Takter bids on them, you don’t get them,” he added. “I don’t know who was the underbidder, but (Takter and the Fieldings) weren’t involved on it.” Holland changed the name of the colt from Estok Hanover, which he didn’t particularly like, to Sir John F. “When I got to train him down, I thought he was a pretty nice colt, so I changed his name and told John,” he said. “I told him a good horse deserves a good name.” John Fielding had some concerns that naming a horse after him could backfire because that type of thing can sometimes be a curse. “I’m not a believer in black magic, folklore,” Holland said. “I believe it is what it is. If it’s a good horse it will be a good horse. I don’t think naming one after anyone jinxes it. I was praying he would turn out as well as I was hoping he would and win some big races for John and us. But you never know for sure. I thought he was a nice colt and that’s why I did it. John is an icon in the industry, and if you’re going to knight someone in our industry as an owner, you’d certainly knight John. “I’ve raced lots of horses, and even though I haven’t been to that many Breeders Crowns it’s exciting to be involved with a horse like this. When it’s part of an ownership and I’m not in the paddock warming him up and doing the day-to-day things with him, it’s a little bit different. But it’s still good.” The horse has raced nine times so far and has a win and two seconds and earnings of $28,090. He raced fifth in his elimination race. Sir John F starts from post six in the $600,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot and drew a morning line of 20-1 against the superstar colt Walner. He does pick up the services of Yannick Gingras, who ranks seventh in the all-time Crown driver standings. The two-year-old colt trot race is carded as the sixth race with a slated post time of 8:40 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Who knows, Sir John F might turn into Mr. Holland’s opus.

by Perry Lefko for Breeders Crown It is with a sense of emotion that Jeff Durham is going into the Breeders Crown for the first time following the passing of his father, who had been instrumental in his career, earlier this month. Durham’s father, Jack, had been in failing health the last 10 years and passed away at the family home in Omemee, a couple hours east of Toronto. He was 71. “He hadn’t been well, but it went a little quicker than we thought,” Jeff said. “It’s emotional and to talk about (going into the Breeders Crown) really gets to me. He wanted us to go. It’s just one of those things where life carries on.” The night before Jack passed, Windsun Revenge, who Jeff owns with Robert Van Camp and Van Camp Trotting Corporation and will race in the $500,000 Crown Trot on Friday, won a race at Mohawk with a career mark of 1:51 4/5. “My father got up and watched the race and the next day he passed away,” Jeff said. “It was kind of a bittersweet type of thing. We always thought the horse had a little bit of talent otherwise we wouldn’t have kept him eligible in the spring. It cost $6,000 (Canadian) to keep him eligible. He had a few hiccups in the spring and summer and we quit with him. We took him to a few vets and one found something and he’s a total different horse. He couldn’t trot in 1:56 in the summer and now he’s trotting in 1:51 4/5. He always had the ability; it’s just one of those things where you hope they step up at the right time, and I think he’s stepping up at the right time.” Windsun Revenge, who has won four races in 13 starts this season and earned $72,530 and has collectively banked $293,763, finished seventh in the Maple Leaf Trot by 6¼ lengths. But the gelding has won his last two races and qualified with a 22-length win. Windsun Revenge starts from post four 4 in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot on Friday, Oct. 28 at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, and is 12/1 in the morning line. It’s race nine on the 13-race card, with a planned post time of 10:29 p.m. “He’s definitely going to be a long shot, but it’s an eight-hour drive for us and we weren’t coming down just for a check, that’s for sure,” Jeff said. “If we didn’t think we have a shot we wouldn’t be paying a $13,000 (Canadian) starting fee. We wouldn’t be coming down just for something to do.” Rick Zeron had been scheduled to drive the horse, but was asked by Jeff if he would allow his son, Scott, to drive and he gladly turned over the reins. Scott, who has been one of the top drivers at the Meadowlands, had already named to drive another horse in the race. “It’s kind of exciting to be in the Breeders Crown for the first time,” Jeff said. “I’m not one to get too excited about things. But not too many people get opportunities to race in the Breeders Crown, that’s for sure. I think he belongs. There’s a couple in there that are tough, but I don’t think we’re out of place in there, to be honest with you.” Van Camp owns Brooks Performance Horse Feeds, where Jeff is a wholesaler and salesman. Windsun Farm and Robert Van Camp are the breeders of the gelded son of Kadabra, sharing ownership in the Windsun Revenge’s dam, Oaklea Polly. The Revenge part of his name was borrowed from a TV show of the same title starring Van Camp’s daughter, Emily, who is also known for her roles in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). Windsun Revenge is Jeff’s only horse in training at the moment. He has a couple yearlings and a two-year-old. Jeff looks after the horses in the morning and spends the afternoon delivering feed for his customers. His father, Jack, had been instrumental in Jeff’s start in the horse business, buying a property 35 years ago where he built a farm and two homes. “I never really worked other than on the farm,” Jeff said. “It was my dad that got me into the horse business. My dad had horses before my brother and I were even born. He had to get out of the horse business. It was either feed the horses or feed the family. When he could afford to get back into it, he bought some land, built some barns and built some houses and the rest is history. He always had a few broodmares and colts, and my brother and my dad claimed a few horses. We’ve had some good horses, one that raced in 1:49, Durham’s Cam, about 10 years ago. He was a good raceway horse. He made about $400,000. He was a good overnight racehorse at Mohawk that you could race every Saturday. My dad used to name the (family) horses with the prefix Durham. Durham’s Cam was probably the last Durham horse. “Between my brother and myself, we always had four or five horses racing,” Jeff added. “Because my dad hadn’t been in good health the last 10 years, I had been doing most of the training. But I always asked him for fatherly advice. Robert bought Windsun Revenge back at the yearling sale and I bought a piece of him. You never know with horses. The young ones are the ones you can hit a home run with if you get lucky.”

Muscle Hustle

By Perry Lefko for Breeders Crown; New Image Media photo Trainer Per Henriksen is old enough to know that you’re never too old to take a shot in the Breeders Crown. The 70-year-old native of Norway, who is based out of Norwood, Ontario, is back in this year’s Breeders Crown presented by Mullinax Ford at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on Saturday night, seven years since he last raced in the championship event. He sends out Muscle Hustle in the $500,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Trot, a race stacked with some solid contenders, including Bar Hopping, Southwind Frank and Marion Marauder, each of whom has won some prominent stakes races this season. Muscle Hustle has been a topnotch horse this season on the Ontario Sires Stakes circuit, including setting a Canadian and OSS record on a five-eighths mile track, banking almost US$200,000 in 14 starts. The horse was sent to Henriksen as a two-year-old by Robert Bergh, Sweden’s top trainer, who was having some issues with the son of Muscle Mass. Henriksen is considered somewhat of a horse whisperer because of his ability to figure out the head cases. In the case of Muscle Hustle, Henriksen decided to put trotting hopples on the colt early in his career. This will the last time Henriksen harnesses the colt, who is scheduled to be sent back to Sweden after the Breeders Crown. “If I didn’t think my horse had a shot to win, I would not spend $7,500 for to go in the race,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure going back to the Breeders Crown when you have horses that you think are good enough to compete. I thought I had three that were good enough to compete, but I got one to the final and he qualified really good (with driver Chris Christoforou) and Chris said he’s as good as any of these horses with the right trip. We drew the five hole, which is good, so we’re optimistic.” Henriksen has had 22 previous starters in the Breeders Crown for $1.2 million in earnings and has won three times, all in the Three-Year-Old Filly Trot: Expressway Hanover in 1993, Oolong in 1999 and Southwind Serena in 2007. Expressway Hanover and Oolong won at short prices, Southwind Serena at 50-1. She is notable for being Yannick Gingras’ first Crown win and is also the dam of the world champion and Breeders Crown freshman winner Mission Brief. “Any time you can win a Breeders Crown it means a lot, there’s no doubt about that,” Henriksen said. “That’s something special. Yes, I’ll take a new owner if they pop up with a good horse, don’t misunderstand me. Not that I need it, that’s not the point. I’m 70 years old. I just don’t want to live in a tent when I’m done doing this. “I just had a (physical) and the doctor said he couldn’t find anything wrong with me. He said, ‘Per, you’re like a 55-year-old – your heart rate, everything. You don’t have any aches or pains. You’re so lucky, you don’t know how lucky you are.’ “If I can win the Breeders Crown, it will be such a pleasure, most of all for the people around me who support me all the time – my owners, my support staff. It’s not going to change my lifestyle, let’s put it that way, but it’s a joy. “It would mean a lot to me to win, especially with Robert Bergh,” he added. “He’s my friend. I’ve sent horses to him in Sweden as four-year-olds when I thought they were better off there than in North America. Muscle Hustle struggled with an allergic problem all summer and all fall. He was supposed to go to the Hambletonian and I thought I had a really good shot, but he got an allergy. We got him on some serum but it didn’t help him enough. I think this horse is good enough to go with any of them. If he’s 100 percent and on his game and gets the right trip, he can beat any of them.” This has been an interesting year for Henriksen. He won the Ahlsells Invitational driver championship for legends of the sport in Sweden. “That’s a sign that you’re getting old when you get invited to a legends’ race,” he quipped. He also posted his 1,000th career training win in North America. “It feels good (winning 1,000). At my age, everything feels good,” he said. “I had the two best three-year-old trotting colts in Ontario this year with Muscle Hustle and Bee In Charge. I had another one, Blenheim, that was knocking on the door in the Grand Circuit. How often do you get a trio of three-year-old trotting colts that can compete on the Grand Circuit? One won $300,000 and the other one about $200,000. I can’t complain. “To get those kind of horses to train is just a pleasure. Two of those horses were ones that other people couldn’t get going and that gave me even more joy.” Henriksen came to North America from Europe in the 1980s and won the 1986 Hambletonian with Nuclear Kosmos. He was voted the O’Brien Award for Horsemanship in Canada in 2009 when he won more than $1.6 million as a trainer – his third $1 million season in a row – and almost $700,000 as a driver. He has been cutting back on his drives in the last two years, steering young horses to figure them out and then turning them over to catch drivers. “I like to drive my two-year-olds for awhile to take care of them,” he said. “In my opinion a horse is like a bar of soap. There’s only that many washes in it. If you use it too hard early, there’s nothing left at the end. Anybody can correct me if they think I’m wrong, but I think I can keep some of these horses trotting when they may break stride with catch drivers. I might not be able to make them go that fast. I might lose a fifth of a second, but most of the times you’re better off going a fifth of a second slower and keep them trotting.”

Western Fame & Yannick Gingras

Taking the lead early and cutting all of the fractions, Western Fame, with Mark MacDonald steering, continued his late-season productivity with a win in the second $25,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace at The Meadowlands on Oct. 22. The Jimmy Takter-trained colt, owned by Brittany Farms, led in fractions of :27.2, :56, 1:25 and won in 1:52. Fernando Hanover, who came first over on the second turn to challenge Western Fame, took second, while Manhattan Beach nabbed the show spot. Also qualifying for the final were Katies Rocker, fourth, and JJ Flynn, fifth. Mark MacDonald said after the race that Western Fame is “extremely lazy” but when he leads he is “tough to get by.” Western Fame paid $3.20 to win. Betting Line, tapped to be the rail horse in the field, was scratched due to a spider’s bite. Also scratching was Stolen Glimpse, who was sick.

Bar Hopping & Tim Tetrick

Bar Hopping flew to the lead heading down the backstretch and coasted to a 1:52.4 score in the second of two $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot on Saturday, October 22 at the Meadowlands. The Jimmy Takter-trained colt by Muscle Hill from the Credit Winner mare Cocktail Hour settled into fourth as Southern Cross trotted the first quarter in :28.1. After a :57.2 half, Bar Hopping tipped first over and rushed alongside Southern Cross and took the lead heading into the far turn. He kicked away at three-quarters in 1:25.1 and remained in front as Waitlifter K chased him home in second. Muscle Hustle, Winter Harbor, and Love Matters also qualified for the final. Driven by Tim Tetrick, Bar Hopping won his eighth race in 25 starts, earning $913,033 for owners Christina Takter, Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld. He paid $2.60. “I thought this was a magnificent mile for him,” Jimmy Takter said. “You look at all the times here tonight, and everybody understands the wind is very hard in the stretch and it’s freaking freezing. He’s just learning how to race and has a lack of confidence, but one day he’ll get it.”

Broadway Donna & David Miller

David Miller flew down the stretch aboard Broadway Donna to win the second $25,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot at The Meadowlands on Oct. 22. Emoticon Hanover took the early lead with Windowshopper second and Flowers N Songs third at the :28 first quarter and the field stayed single file to the half in :57.4. EarnYour Wings was the first to pull heading for three-quarters, getting up to the leader in :127. As a brief duel ensued, the second tier formed with Flowers N Songs third over and full of trot, while favorite Broadway Donna went three wide to make a charge. Broadway Donna soared down the outside lane about five wide and hit the wire first in 1:55 for trainer Jim Campbell and owners Fashion Farms LLC. Emotiicon Hanover held on for second, Flowers N Songs took third, while Earn Your Wings earned a berth in the final by finishing fourth, as did Celebrity Eventsy for finishing fifth. Miller said after the race that Broadway Donna is “the best she has been all year . . . She kicked home real good [in this mile].” Broadway Donna is last year’s Breeders Crown two-year-old trotting filly champ and this year she won the Filly Futurity at Lexington in two-straight heats.

Sutton & Andy Miller

Trained by Julie Miller, Sutton, by Donato Hanover out of the Muscles Yankee mare I Wanted Wings, sat in the pocket before edging up the pylons to win at 6-1 in the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot on Saturday, October 22 at the Meadowlands in 1:54.2. Taking the lead in :28.1, Sutton soon took the pocket as Marion Marauder brushed to the lead. He remained in control through fractions of :56 and 1:25.3 before bracing pressure from Southwind Frank travelling uncovered. Marion Marauder was clinging to control in the stretch, drifting off the rail while Southwind Frank was gaining ground to his outside and Sutton was sliding alongside at the pylons. Sutton inched to the front to win by a neck over Marion Marauder, Southwind Frank, Lagerfeld, and Double L Lindy. Racing for Andy Miller Stable Inc. and Jason and Douglas Allen, Sutton won his seventh race in 23 starts, amassing $382,431 in earnings. He was driven by Andy Miller and paid $15.40 to win. “He has been good all year,” Miller said. “[He’s] just had a lack of luck I guess. In the Futurity, he had the outside in a 12-horse field; he was four deep in the first turn and three deep in the last turn and only got beat five lengths. And in the Hambo, he just missed. He’s been knocking at the door, so next week hopefully will be his turn.”

Pacing off the gate into fourth, Jimmy Takter-trainee Pure Country was flushed first over heading to the half and sustained her uncovered bid to win the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace on Saturday, October 22 at the Meadowlands in 1:51. Darlinonthebeach took the lead through a :27.4 first-quarter while Call Me Queen Be settled for the pocket. L A Delight, getting away last, moved two wide and managed to flush Pure Country heading to the half. Pure Country narrowed in on Darlinonthebeach through a half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:23.2 before sticking her head in front in the stretch. L A Delight fanned off cover and closed down the center of the track to take second, while Call Me Queen Be sprinted up the rail for third. Darlinonthebeach and Kiss Me Onthebeach also made the final. By Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Hanover mare Western Montana, Pure Country won her 19th race in 29 starts, earning $1,662,198 for owner Diamond Creek Racing. Driven by Brett Miller, she paid $5.20 to win. “I always felt like she was better when she has a target,” Miller said. “Obviously, she can do it any way, but she was very tough tonight.”

Tori Hanover & Scott Zeron

Scott Zeron was aboard Tori Hanover for the upset win in the second $20,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace at The Meadowlands on Oct. 22. The Tony Alagna Somebeachsomewhere filly didn’t get much mention until she began to close on the bulk of the field late, storming pass favorite Someomensomewhere to win in 1:54.4. Someomensomewhere was three wide to the first quarter in :28, with Blameitonthenight first over and Rockette at the rail. Someomensomewhere then cut the half in :57.2 and at three-quarters in 1:26.3 Tori Hanover was third over and poised to swing out and charge on the group. Someomensomewhere held for second, while Blameitonthenight got third, Jaye’s A Lady paced well after saving ground to get fourth and Rockette got a berth in the final by finishing fifth. Jeffrey Snyder owns the winning filly. After the race Zeron said, “She was the product of a great trip tonight.” Tori Hanover paid $24.20.

World record holders took top billing on Opening Night (October 21) at The Meadowlands, with Always B Miki ($2.20) leading a David Miller grand slam in the evening's $25,000 Open Pace and Lady Shadow ($3.20) capping a four-bagger for driver Yannick Gingras with a Breeders Crown elimination win. Lady Shadow, the world record holder at 1-1/8 miles, settled just off the pace in her $25,000 Breeders Crown split for older pacing mares (race 11) before using a bold middle move to take charge through a :54 half mile. The 5-year-old Shadow Play mare subsequently drew clear of Bedroomconfessions (Scott Zeron) for a 1:48.4 victory, mounting a 7-3/4 length margin of victory. Gingras drove the Ron Adams trainee for his fourth win of the night after teaming up with Ron Burke trainees Clear Vision ($3.20, 1:49.1) and Dayson ($2.80, 1:52.2), as well as Andrew Harris trainee Urbanite Hanover ($7.80, 1:49.3). In the other elimination for distaff pacers (race 7), Frost Damage Blues ($10.00, Brett Miller) swept to the fore down the grandstand side in the last yards to finish second, but was elevated to first place after unofficial winner Solar Sister (Doug McNair) was deemed guilty of interference to Sassa Hanover in deep stretch. Miller began his grand slam with victory in the night's first $20,000 Crown elimination for 2-year-old trotting fillies (race 2), pulling the pocket with Trond Smedshammer trainee Chezatter ($10.60) in mid-stretch to reel in 1-5 favorite Ariana G (Gingras) for a 1:53.4 score. While the daughter of Explosive Matter and Chez Lucie represented the Buckeye's only Crown elimination win on the evening, he also partnered with mile world record holder Always B Miki in what amounted to a prep for a showdown with defending Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit in next week's Breeders Crown for older pacers. Always B Miki used a first-over push through the far turn to capture the evening's Open Pace, pushing clear by four lengths to defeat Dealt a Winner (Andy Miller) in 1:48. Jimmy Takter trains the 5-year-old Always a Virgin entire. Kelvin Harrison trainee Spicebomb ($7.60, 1:50.4) and Valeriya Medik trainee Exotic Beach completed Miller's grand slam. Thats All Moni ($5.60) and Tim Tetrick took the other elimination for freshman fillies (race 4), dueling down Treviso (Charlie Norris) in 1:54.1. A 14-race all-stakes card is on tap for Saturday (October 22) evening, with the balance of the Breeders Crown eliminations to be contested. Post time is 7:15 p.m. Eastern.

East Rutherford, NJ - The Meadowlands and the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown are announcing pertinent details regarding the security to be employed for the upcoming Breeders Crown races. For the elimination races this weekend, participants in the Open Mare Pace will be required to report to the security barn by 10 p.m. on Thursday (Oct. 20). All 14 elimination races on Saturday are required to be checked in to the security barns by 10 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 21). Names of all attending personnel for the security barn must be submitted to Andrea in the Racing Office via fax at 201.460.4042, phone at 201.460.4214 or e-mail ahanley@playmeadowlands.com. Looking forward to next week's Breeders Crown finals, The Meadowlands, in concert with the Hambletonian Society executive and Breeders Crown committee, has made the decision to require all starters to be available for out of competition testing by stabling in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York or Connecticut. All finalists must be in one of those states by 4 p.m. on Wednesday (Oct 26). The Meadowlands also reserves the right to require designated horses to be stabled in New Jersey by 4 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 23). For the finals, all participants will be required to check in to the security barns by the time designated on the overnight sheet and remain in that secured area overnight. The next condition sheet is available here.

Cranbury, NJ - The entries for the $6.2 million Breeders Crown events at The Meadowlands Racetrack saw an overflow 174 trotters and pacers in the entry box to qualify for the 12-race finals on Friday (Oct. 28) and Saturday (Oct. 29). This is the highest number of entries in the last five years. There were 68 2-year-olds and 65 3-year-olds entered, forcing eliminations in all divisions for Saturday (Oct. 22). The record number of entries forced the 2-year-old filly trot eliminations to be held Friday (Oct. 21). The Mare Pace elims, the only open event to split with 14 entries, will go as scheduled on Friday night. All 2-year-old finals will go for $600,000, which is the richest purse offered for that age group in North America. The following open races will go straight to finals on Friday (Oct. 28). Post positions for all open events will be drawn live at The Meadowlands on Friday (Oct. 21). The winners of the Mare Pace elims will draw by lot for inside posts 1-5. The $500,000 Open Trot, with nine entered in alphabetical order: Centurion ATM, Crazy Wow, Crescent Fashion, Flanagan Memory, Il Sogno Dream, JL Cruze, Lookslikeachpndale, Resolve, Windsun Revenge. The $250,000 Mare Trot with eight entered in alphabetical order: Barn Doll, Bee A Magician, Charmed Life, Classical Annie, D’One, Hannelore Hanover, I’m So Fancy, Shake It Cerry. The $421,000 Open Pace with 10 entered in alphabetical order: All Bets Off, Always B Miki, Americanprimetime, Dealt A Winner, Luck Be Withyou, Mach It So, Melmerby Beach, Shamballa, Split The House, Wiggle It Jiggleit. Elimination winners draw for inside post positions 1-5. Post positions will be drawn Saturday (Oct. 22) after the elimination races. Post time is 7:15 p.m. for Breeders Crown elimination nights. Complete elimination and final fields will be available when elimination draws are finalized.

Cranbury, NJ --- Defending Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit has been supplemented to the $421,000 Breeders Crown Pace, setting up another epic showdown with arch-rival Always B Miki, winner of last year’s Crown title for older pacers at Woodbine Racetrack. Wiggle It Jiggleit, owned by George Teague Jr. Inc. and Teague Racing Partnerships LLC, is the richest harness horse this year with seasonal earnings of $1,624,337, and will meet up once again with the fastest Standardbred of all–time, Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Christina Takter’s Always B Miki, who lowered the world pacing mark to 1:46 on Oct. 9 at Lexington’s Red Mile. The two have electrified the sport battling in the open ranks this year and the adage “In harness racing, it all comes down to the Breeders Crown” may never hold truer. The pair has met seven times in open stakes competition with each horse winning three -- Shamballa beat them both in the U.S. Pacing Championship, though Wiggle It Jiggleit finished second and Always B Miki fourth in that match-up. One of four Breeders Crown events slated for the Meadowlands on Friday (Oct. 28), the Crown Pace will be featured in a one-hour live broadcast on Sports Net New York from 9-10 p.m. (EDT). Though owner George Teague and trainer Clyde Francis had not been inclined to supplement their extraordinary 4-year-old gelded son of Mr Wiggles, the ease with which he racked up his 38th career win in 50 starts in a $250,000 Invitational at Yonkers last Saturday changed their minds. Wiggle It Jiggleit was the lone supplement to any Crown event by the noon deadline of Monday (Oct. 17). “The main reason I wanted to do it was because it’s good for the business,” said Teague from his home base of Harrington, Del. “People like to see him race and these two together, they may meet another time, but for him to be in the Breeders Crown it’s really good for the business more than anything. “This horse just gets stronger and sharper as the year goes on," marveled Teague. “When he trained before the Yonkers race I thought he was sharper than he was in April and May. He’s never taken a week off all year and never had a bad race either.” Regular entries for eligible trotters and pacers are due by 9 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 18) at the Meadowlands race office. The contestants for the 12 Breeders Crown finals will be determined through elimination races this Friday and Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Eliminations for all open events will be raced on Friday (post time 7:15 p.m.) and eliminations for all 2- and 3-year-olds will be Saturday (post time 7:15 p.m.). Elimination winners draw for inside post positions one-five for the finals. For more information go to www.Hambletonian.com or www.playmeadowlands.com. Follow Breeders Crown news and updates on Twitter @Breeders_Crown, using #BCrown16 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BreedersCrown. Fans can also go to http://harnessracingfanzone.com, the Place for Harness Racing Fans to See, Share, Connect and Play.

Jimmy Takter and Always B Miki in the paddock before their 2015 Crown win - SLS Photo

Cranbury, NJ – The world’s fastest pacer, Always B Miki, who recently reset the time standard in harness racing to 1:46, leads a group of 39 eligible pacers for the $400,000 Breeders Crown Pace slated for Friday, Oct. 28, at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Always B Miki, the defending Breeders Crown Pace champion, is one of a record six Breeders Crown champions among the eligible pacers: the 5-year-old son of Always A Virgin is joined by Freaky Feet Pete (2015 sophomore pacing champ); Foiled Again (2013 Open Pace); Luck Be Withyou (2013 freshman champ); McWicked (2014 sophomore champ); and Traceur Hanover (2014 2-year-old-colt pace champ). Both Freaky Feet Pete and McWicked have called it quits this season. Also eligible is the sensational Shamballa, who was just 1-1/4 lengths back of Always B Miki in that historic 1:46 mile, and also defeated both divisional leaders Always B Miki and Wiggle It Jiggleit in a 1:47.1 score in the U.S. Pacing Championship at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day, Aug. 6. Shamballa is driven by the red-hot Scott Zeron, who is having a career year at age 27, having just won the Triple Crown of Trotting with Marion Marauder. Zeron has more than $800,000 in Crown earnings though he is still seeking his first title. One of four Breeders Crown events slated for the Meadowlands on Friday, Oct. 28, the Crown Pace will be featured in a one-hour live broadcast on SNY (SportsNet New York) from 9-10 p.m. (EDT). The battle for division supremacy may very well come down to the Breeders Crown, as 2015 Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit is not eligible to the program which has stallion eligibility as its cornerstone. The $400,000 Breeders Crown Pace carries a supplemental tag of $50,000, and supplements are due Monday, Oct. 17, at the Meadowlands race office. The starting fee is included in the supplemental amount, and at least 50 percent of the supplemental money, minus the normal starting fee, is added to the purse of the individual events. Horses eligible to the Breeders Crown events must enter by 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 18, also at the Meadowlands race office. Elimination events, if necessary, will be raced on Friday, Oct. 21.

The countdown is on for entries to the $5.8 million Breeders Crown Events, to be raced Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29 at Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ. Supplemental entries for 3-year-old and open events are due and payable by 12:00 noon, Monday, Oct. 17, in the race office [1-877-782-2537] at the Meadowlands Racetrack. There are no supplements for the two-year-old races. Foreign invitees to the Crown Trot must also declare by noon on Monday, Oct. 17. Regular entries for all other horses kept eligible by the required sustaining payments in 2016 are due Tuesday, Oct. 18, by 9:00 a.m. at the Meadowlands race office. Supplemental declaration amounts are listed below