2019 Breeders Crown

Mark Hall/USTA photos

Ken Weingartner/USTA story

Orlando, FL --- Shartin N on Sunday night became the first pacing mare to be named Horse of the Year, receiving harness racing’s top honor to cap the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Dan Patch Awards banquet at Rosen Shingle Creek resort. The New Zealand import also became the first horse bred outside North America to receive the award.

Shartin N, who also was named Pacer of the Year, captured 83 votes in Horse of the Year balloting. Three-year-old colt pacer Bettor’s Wish was second with 42 and 3-year-old colt trotter Greenshoe, the Trotter of the Year, was third with 14.

Also receiving Horse of the Year votes were Manchego (three), Warrawee Ubeaut (two), and Atlanta, Six Pack, and When Dovescry (one each).

In balloting for Pacer of the Year, Shartin N received 94 votes while Bettor’s Wish got 48. Warrawee Ubeaut (three) and Lather Up and McWicked (one each) rounded out the Pacer of the Year voting.

Greenshoe led Trotter of the Year balloting with 95 votes, followed by Manchego with 23, Atlanta with nine, and Gimpanzee and Six Pack with six each. Real Cool Sam (three), Bold Eagle and When Dovescry (two each), and Guardian Angel As (one) completed the balloting.

Shartin N, who was a 6-year-old in 2019, is the fifth female pacer to be named Horse of the Year and first since 2-year-old filly JK She’salady in 2014. The others were 3-year-old fillies Rainbow Blue (2004), Bunny Lake (2001), and Fan Hanover (1981).

Trained by Jim King Jr. and driven by Tim Tetrick, Shartin N won 15 of 19 races and finished worse than second only once. She earned $982,177 for owners Richard Poillucci, Jo Ann Looney-King, and Tim Tetrick LLC. She is the first Horse of the Year for the ownership group and trainer King. She is the third Horse of the Year for Tetrick as a driver.

Shartin N’s wins last year included eight races worth six figures --- the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series championship, Roses Are Red, Lady Liberty, Golden Girls, Artiscape, Clara Barton, Betsy Ross, and Sam “Chip” Noble III Memorial.

Her 1:46.4 victory in the Lady Liberty on Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands is the fastest mile by a female pacer in history.

“It’s crazy good,” King Jr. said. “It’s unexplainable. It’s one of those feelings that everybody should get the chance to experience. Unfortunately, everybody can’t do this.

“I was pretty confident, but I was pretty confident last year and it didn’t work. I’ve got special feelings toward her. If I don’t think so, who would?”

Shartin N, a daughter of Tintin In America out of Bagdarin bred by Grant (G J) Crabbe, was runner-up to McWicked in Horse of the Year voting in 2018.

“I wasn’t a voter; she would have gotten my vote,” King Jr. said with a laugh. “She had a tremendous season (in 2018) and to come back and do it again is special. Life is great.”

Trotter of the Year Greenshoe won 10 of 13 races and never was worse than second. His victories included the Kentucky Futurity and Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial. He was second in the Hambletonian, Breeders Crown and Earl Beal Jr. Memorial.

Greenshoe was trained by Marcus Melander, driven by Brian Sears, and owned by Courant Inc., Hans Backe, Lars Granqvist, and Morten Langli. A son of Father Patrick out of Designed To Be, he was bred by Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz.

“It’s great,” Melander said. “Of course, we had our hopes that we could be that. It was fun.

“He had a good season. Missing to win the Hambletonian was the biggest disappointment, but we can’t go back in time. That race is done. We’re happy that he won some other big races and performed as well as he did all year. It was a privilege to train the horse and hopefully I’ll train some of his babies in the future.”

The announcements of Horse, Pacer, and Trotter of the Year were made during Sunday’s banquet. Previously announced divisional champions also were honored at the event.

Division-winning pacers were 2-year-old colt Tall Dark Stranger, 2-year-old filly Lyons Sentinel, 3-year-old colt Bettor’s Wish, 3-year-old filly Warrawee Ubeaut, stallion McWicked, and mare Shartin N. Division-winning trotters were 2-year-old gelding Real Cool Sam, 2-year-old filly Ramona Hill, 3-year-old colt Greenshoe, 3-year-old filly When Dovescry, stallion Six Pack, and mare Atlanta.

Other honorees included Stan Bergstein-Proximity Award winners Joe Faraldo and the Libfeld-Katz partnership, Driver of the Year Dexter Dunn, Trainer of the Year Marcus Melander, Owner of the Year Courant Inc., Breeder of the Year Brittany Farms, and Rising Star Bob McClure.

Also recognized Sunday at the banquet were the members of the 2019 Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted in July: Tom Charters, Jeff Gural, Bill Popfinger, and Tetrick.

For a list of winners, visit the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s website.

Ken Weingartner

Media Relations Manager

U.S. Trotting Association

www.ustrotting.com

The journey began exactly a month ago, when Bold Eagle and his caretaker Hugues Monthule boarded a horse van in the French countryside. The pair made their way to the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, flew into Toronto International on Oct.19 and were ensconced in the woodsy, overgrown Mohawk backstretch by the first race on Breeders Crown elimination night.

Flash forward to 10 a.m. Sunday morning (Oct. 27), Pierre Pilarski, Thomas and Sabine Bernereau, and Francois Jamier sat around a high-top table near the front of the Quest Restaurant on the ground floor of the Hilton hotel in Mississauga. Situated about halfway between downtown Toronto and Woodbine Mohawk Park, the hotel was quiet, save for a few families checking out and a handful of early risers enjoying the pool and hot tub, and only a few of the restaurant’s tables were occupied.

Outside, overnight downpours late in the preceding evening and early that morning gave way to gray, overcast skies. The sharp, cold air left flags in tatters and whipped open hotel doors as high winds gusted through the Eastern Ontario city.

Despite the dreary conditions, Bold Eagle’s connections sat looking relaxed and content. Bright-eyed and with smiles on their faces, they enjoyed each other’s company and cordially entertained the occasional visitors who offered congratulations, accolades, and thanks to the team who brought their champion trotter across the Atlantic to post a dominating victory in the Breeders Crown Open Trot only 11 hours before.

While the aftermath proved tranquil, the hours leading up to Bold Eagle’s victory were fraught with nerves and stress.

Bold Eagle arrived in the Mohawk paddock around 8 p.m. on race night and took his place in a stall in the northwest corner near the test barn. With his cotton-stuffed ears forward and head held up in the crossties, Bold Eagle stood quietly with a black-and-red cooler draped cleanly over his back as the finishing touches were put on his braided forelock.

JGS Photo

As the time to warm up grew closer, though, the stallion became animated. While longtime caretaker Monthule and trainer Sebastien Guarato began to pull equipment out of the black tack box positioned in the aisle just in front of the stall, Bold Eagle began lowering his head and pawing at the rubber-matted floor. Gentle pats on the shoulder, stern warnings, and kisses on the nose from Monthule helped stem the trotter’s eagerness, but Bold Eagle soon grew more excitable.

As Breeders Crown winners made their way past to the test barn, Bold Eagle fixed his gaze on them, extended his neck, and delivered deep, loud roars. His demonstrations intensified as the sophomore trotting fillies, stationed in the row across from Bold Eagle’s stall, lined up to head out to the track.

Jamier, an agent, the Bernereaus, co-owners, and Priscilla Navillod, Bold Eagle’s masseuse and dentist, joined Monthule and Guarato as Bold Eagle prepared for his warmup around 9:45 p.m. Absent from the group was Pilarski, who remained in the clubhouse.

“He was too nervous to come see ‘Bold,’ ” said Kim Gudmand, a Danish photographer and fan who has followed Bold Eagle around Europe since the trotter’s 3-year-old campaign and has become close with the trotter’s owners. “He wanted to stay upstairs.”

“I was nervous, but it was not so much pressure from outside, it was more inside pressure,” Pilarski explained via translation by Jamier. “Now (Bold Eagle) is getting on the edge where he is not so easy in front like he used to be. We came over here, so of course there was some pressure.

“We arrived (Friday). We were pretty tired (Friday) night. We were at the racetrack,” Pilarski said. “We went to downtown Toronto (Saturday) to get lunch and we all tried to get time just to destress. But when we arrived here, we could feel the pressure.”

In the early years of Bold Eagle’s career, the trotter would warm up twice on race day, once with Monthule and once with his driver. Now, the 8-year-old is too excitable on the track and only goes for one light preparation with his driver.

Two races after winning a Breeders Crown with Winndevie and immediately after driving McWicked to a fourth-place finish in the Open Pace, Brian Sears met Bold Eagle in the paddock and headed out onto the track with him, led by Monthule and with the rest of the team in close pursuit.

The warmup was Sears’ first time taking the lines behind Bold Eagle and although he talked briefly with the connections in the days leading up to the race, there was little other prep work the Hall of Famer could do ahead of hopping in the sulky.

Sears took Bold Eagle one lap clockwise around the seven-furlong oval during a short break in the rain. Although high-strung, Bold Eagle quickly trotted up on the heels of two other joggers near the end of his lap and slowed to match their pace. Sears took Bold Eagle past the paddock and down the stretch, turned him, and went a short spurt at a quicker tempo before returning Bold Eagle to the hands of Monthule.

Sears hopped off the bike outside the paddock door and made a B-line for the front of the paddock, darting down a narrow alley formed by the building’s exterior and the parked starting gate. The White Knight’s colors were tarnished with wet stone dust and the driver chomped furiously on a piece of gum.

“He was alright, pretty grabby,” Sears quickly commented before jumping in the bike behind Greenshoe and heading out for another heat.

After his warmup, Bold Eagle’s attitude changed again. After returning to his stall, Bold Eagle stood with all four feet planted firmly on the ground. Neck bowed and ears pinned back, the trotter put on his game face as the final preparations were made for his start.

Boosted by Bold Eagle’s work leading up to the race, Guarato had been steady all night.

The trainer felt confident his trotter would earn a check after training Bold Eagle over the Mohawk oval Thursday (Oct. 24)

“I was very satisfied and confident about the fact that he trained well,” Guarato said via translation by Jamier. “He handled the turns the right way and he was calm and relaxed and had good energy. I was confident to be one-two-three.”

Chris Tully Photo

A chink in Guarato’s armor of confidence finally showed as the trainer watching unnervingly as a Go-Pro was affixed to one of the shafts of Bold Eagle’s sulky shortly before race time.

Only after being reassured that American History carried the camera in his Open Pace victory earlier in the evening did Guarato’s fixation on the device subside.

At 10:40 p.m., Guarato and Monthule were at work in Bold Eagle’s stall making the final preparations for the race. Sabine Bernereau found a seat on the edge of the tack box while Thomas stood in front of the stall, hands shoved in his pockets, shuffling his feet.

Finally, Monthule unhooked the crossties and led Bold Eagle into the aisle. Guarato and Navillod hitched the brand new black-and-red Gorilla race bike to Bold Eagle’s harness and tightened the Go-Pro mount a final time. The Gorilla was one of two equipment changes that evening, replacing the Custom model bikes used by Björn Goop and Franck Nivard overseas. Bold Eagle would also race without an undercheck in the Breeders Crown.

“He has a tendency to play with it. It was the first time I took it off,” Guarato said.

Sears donned Pilarski’s black-and-red colors, slipped a yellow cap over his helmet, and adjusted his goggles before striding up to Bold Eagle. Tucking the whip under his right arm,

Sears clipped the pull-cord for the earplugs in place near his left stirrup, took the lines in his brown-gloved hands, and then came the call from the judge crackling over the paddock’s loudspeakers.

“Bring ‘em out.”

Monthule led Bold Eagle to the paddock door, Sears hopped in the bike, and the trio made their way out.

While the rain had given way for Bold Eagle’s warm up, it returned with a vengeance for his race. In combination with high winds blowing down the stretch, the monsoon delayed the start of the 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace as pylons floated up out of their moorings and blew into the center of the track. Earlier in the evening, a wayward pylon forced a recall.

Such delays and recalls proved Bold Eagle’s undoing before the 2018 Elitloppet elimination.

Although there were no such hindrances before the Open Trot, Bold Eagle still appeared agitated in the post parade. He threw his head up and down, darted left, then right, and looked to the grandstand as something caught his eye.

Lisa Photo

Monthule watched from the porch outside the paddock, seeking refuge from the weather under the overhanging roof. Photographers, journalists, and fellow horsepeople – by now, friends – put their hands on his shoulders, hugged him, and wished him luck. Monthule politely accepted each, but his gaze never left his champion on the track.

Each time Bold Eagle passed in front of the paddock, Monthule hopped down from his perch and ran to the edge of the track, black-leather shank in hand, ready to lend assistance to Sears if needed. Once, he obliged and Monthule led Bold Eagle up the stretch, past the row of photographers before turning Bold Eagle loose again.

Monthule remained out on the track at the end of the line of cameras as Bold Eagle and his 10 rivals faced the gate for the Open Trot. Even as his competitors put their noses on the barrier, Bold Eagle lagged behind from his inside post position, throwing his head and jerking from side to side.

However, as he caught the gate, Bold Eagle picked up his head and put his nose to the wings. As the truck sped away, Bold Eagle trotted straight and true, quickest off the car for the first several strides before letting Atlanta, Guardian Angel As, and Lindy The Great dictate the tempo.

Reaching the backstretch, Sears yanked on the right line, tipping Bold Eagle’s face into the stiff wind. Bold Eagle glided up from a 4 1/4-length deficit to take the lead passing the half. Lindy The Great faded in the pocket while Six Pack tried to follow Bold Eagle’s move, but was left without cover, and Atlanta rode the pylons.

Bold Eagle straightened away with the lead as Six Pack continued to give chase and Atlanta angled wide. Sears turned the whip onto Bold Eagle’s hind end, and as easily as Bold Eagle left the gate, he put up 2 lengths in deep stretch. Sears took three glances over his right shoulder and on the last, realizing he could not be caught, raised his whip in victory. Bold Eagle trotted past the finish post with the plugs still in and his ears pricked as he completed the mile in 1:52.0.

A huge smile lit up on Monthule’s face and the caretaker thrust both arms straight up over his head as he part-ran, part-skipped, part-jumped up the stretch watching Bold Eagle cross the line.

Photo - Alex Dadoyan

In the clubhouse, Pilarski, the Bernereaus, and Jamier stood pressed up against the glass. They clapped, clamored, and leaned as Bold Eagle neared the finish. Just like Monthule, the quartet threw their hands up as he crossed the line before embracing in a group hug.

The pent-up stresses of the evening were instantly lifted, and the heavy rains went unnoticed to the dozens of owners, friends, and fans of Bold Eagle who flooded the track on the way to the winner’s circle. Pleas of “clear the track, clear the track,” from the outriders as a new batch of horses started their warmups went unheeded as Bold Eagle returned to

the winner’s circle.

Sears threw a Bold Eagle scarf around his neck, “Allez Bold Eagle” and French flags flew, and smiles lit up the night as the cameras clicked away.

Back in the paddock, after completing the post-race testing procedures and getting cleaned off, Bold Eagle stomped around with his neck bowed and his ears pinned back, looking none the worse for his dominant display.

“I’m very, very happy for Bold, just to get this race in his record. To come here and to win,” Pilarski said, looking over his champion. “It’s going to make all his fans very happy.”

Although Bold Eagle is most regarded for his victories in the French classics going 2,700 meters, Guarato praised the trotter’s abilities at 1-mile.

“The first time he went to Solvalla, he beat the European record. It was amazing. The first time he went to Solvalla, nobody saw that before, what he did there,” the trainer said. “The first time he’s come here, he’s a monster.”

The Breeders Crown Trot is Bold Eagle’s 46th victory and boosts his earnings to $5,692,680. It is the first North American win for the horse, owner, and trainer. Although Bold Eagle and Pilarski had never raced in North America before, Guarato sent Rapide Lebel to a second-place finish behind San Pail in the 2011 Breeders Crown Trot at Woodbine.

“I’m extremely satisfied and happy,” Guarato said. “This horse brings a lot of happiness to everybody. The last couple of months, he was maybe not as good as he used to be. But he’s still a champion and today, to win in front of everybody in North American is huge, huge.”

Bold Eagle traveled home to France Friday, Nov. 1. He will seek a third victory in the Grand Prix d’Amérique at Vincennes this January.

“The plan is to probably race every four weeks to prepare for the Prix d’Amérique,” Guarato said.” It depends on how he takes the trip back home, but he could race in the Prix du Bourbonnais (Dec. 8) or the Prix du Bourgogne (Dec. 29).”

The connections have since stated the Dec. 8 race at Vincennes will be Bold Eagle’s next start.

The morning after their Breeders Crown win, as Jamier sat with Pilarski and the Bernereaus back at the Hilton, it wasn’t too early to dream about the future.

“Maybe we’ll be back next year,” Jamier teased with a smile.

Andy McCarthy was looking for his first Breeders Crown trophy when he arrived at Woodbine Mohawk Park this past Friday. By the time the weekend was completed, he had put himself among a small group of drivers to win four or more finals in a year.

He set himself apart by doing it without the benefit of a favorite.

McCarthy became the eighth driver with at least four Crowns in a year, joining record-holder David Miller (five in 2015), John Campbell, Yannick Gingras, Mike Lachance, Ron Pierce, Brian Sears, and Tim Tetrick. Campbell, Gingras, Pierce, and Sears accomplished the feat twice.

But none sans chalk until McCarthy scored with 2-year-old filly trotter Ramona Hill (14-1), 2-year-old filly pacer Reflect With Me (27-1), pacing mare Caviart Ally (5-2), and 3-year-old male pacer Dancin Lou (5-1).

“It’s surreal,” the 33-year-old McCarthy said. “It makes me feel pretty good about where I’m at right now. You want to give yourself a little pat on the back after hearing something like that. It’s a pretty nice little niche to be in.”

McCarthy, a native of Australia who has raced regularly in North America since 2007, has seen his purse earnings increase annually since the start of 2013, reaching a career-best $6.56 million this season. For his career, he has won $44 million in purses and nearly 2,400 races.

He got Breeders Crown triumph No. 1 in the first of the event’s 12 races, capturing the 2-year-old filly trot from post 10 with Tony Alagna-trained Ramona Hill.

“I was quietly confident going into the weekend; I didn’t expect four, but I knew I had four or five decent chances,” McCarthy said. “Ramona Hill, even though she had the 10-hole, I still considered her one of the better shots I had throughout the weekend because I know how talented she is. She wasn’t herself the week before, but I knew Tony would get on top of that and have that figured out. I hold her in high regard as one of the better horses I’ve ever driven. I think she’s that talented.”

McCarthy was happy to get his first trophy quickly.

“It’s always really nice to break the ice,” he said. “Winning the first of anything, it’s always nice to get that out of the way, then you can kind of relax and move on and not have that monkey on your shoulder. Just being able to concentrate on your job without any added pressure as the weekend goes on is definitely nice.”

He was back in the winner’s circle again in the very next race with another Alagna trainee, Reflect With Me. Then on Saturday night, he again got off to a fast start when Brett Pelling-trained Caviart Ally upended her nemesis, Shartin N, in the mare pace. Caviart Ally had finished second to Shartin N on five occasions this season before winning their most recent two outings.

“She’s been terrific all year, I just haven’t been able to get the better of Shartin until now,” McCarthy said. “It does feel good. That rivalry, I think it’s a good rivalry as much as any rivalry. Even though Shartin has had the better of us all year, it still is a rivalry. When people turn on that race, they’re wondering how it’s going to go down. I think we put on good racing. I think it’s very good for racing. It’s very cool to watch and even more to be a part of it.”

McCarthy wrapped up his four wins with Dancin Lou, trained by another Aussie import (and first-time Crown winner) Tahnee Camilleri.

“That was special because I’m good friends with Tahnee,” McCarthy said. “She’s a special person. She’s so happy and emotional. She was crying in the winner’s circle and couldn’t stop hugging the horse and I just love to see that. That worked out really cool. It was a lot of fun.”

The weekend was also cool because McCarthy’s younger brother Todd, an accomplished driver in Australia, came to visit for the Breeders Crown. The two spent the week together and got to hang out in Toronto the day prior to the Breeders Crown’s opening night.

“I had a quiet week back home, so I thought I’d jump on a plane and come over and cheer him on,” Todd said. “It’s pretty awesome to be here and experience it with him. These races are so hard to win. I think that’s what we’re all here for, to try to win these sorts of races. To be here is pretty special. I called home and mom and dad were buzzing. It’s great.”

Also cheering on Andy was his wife Katrina.

“It was even more special having her there as well,” Andy said.

McCarthy was grateful to all the trainers and owners that gave him the chance to drive horses in the Breeders Crown.

“Without them, none of this would be possible,” McCarthy said.

“Everybody always remembers these nights. As far as winning big races, this is right up there. I know there’s a lot of them, but still it’s nice to have at least one of those trophies on your cabinets.”

After a moment, he said with a laugh, “I might even have to buy a trophy cabinet now.”

* * * * * *

McCarthy was not the only driver from Down Under to get his first Breeders Crown at Mohawk. New Zealand native Dexter Dunn, in his first full season of racing in North America, got two trophies.

His first came with 2-year-old male trotter Amigo Volo for trainer Nifty Norman and the second with trotting mare Manchego for trainer Nancy Johansson.

“I probably have to pinch myself a little; really, it’s hard to believe,” Dunn said in a winner’s circle interview. “Back in New Zealand, I followed the American races, like (Hambletonian) Day and Breeders Crown, and I’d be back in New Zealand watching them on TV and now I’m here. It’s pretty cool. It’s very exciting.

“I’ve been extremely lucky with the support I’ve gotten since I’ve been here. I have a lot of people to thank. It’s been a great ride and I’m enjoying it thoroughly.”

Dunn has won 336 races and $10 million in purses this year. His earnings rank third in North America.

“It’s been a great year,” Dunn said. “(Trainers) Chris Ryder and Nifty Norman were two of the first ones to jump on me and supported me when I got over here and got me kickstarted. Without their huge support I wouldn’t be here.

“I’ve been very fortunate this year with the horses I’ve gotten to sit behind. It’s been a pleasure.”

MILTON, October 29, 2019 – The inaugural Breeders Crown Charity Challenge came to a close this past Friday with the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society taking home $109,484 as part of a Woodbine Cares record one-time donation of $282,996 in donations to five local charities.

“We are so humbled by the contributions and donations made by so many people throughout the Standardbred racing community in the US and Canada,” said Jessica Buckley, President, Woodbine Mohawk Park. “This all started as a great idea by Marvin Katz and it far surpassed all of our expectations. It truly is a reflection of the great people in our industry and the power of working together. These donations will positively impact many lives.”

The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge launched in June and featured four teams consisting of a celebrity, a charity of their choosing, and an award-winning three-year-old Standardbred. Each charity is received one per cent of their horse’s earnings from June 1 through Oct. 26.

Along with the horse’s earnings, a breeding auction was held in Lexington, Kentucky in early-October to raise funds for the challenge. Exceeding expectations, more than $200,000 in funds was raised through the auction, allowing Woodbine Cares to make larger donations to each charity.

Each team competed to garner the most votes in a Facebook poll, which closed on October 24, with the winning team receiving the largest portion of the funds raised for their charity.

A special presentation was held during Friday’s Breeders Crown card to recognize the charities and unveil their donation amounts. Marvin Katz, a presenting sponsor for the Breeders Crown, came up with the idea for the Charity Challenge and joined in presenting cheques to each charity.

In recognition of Katz, Woodbine Cares Foundation donated $50,000 to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in the presenting sponsor's name.

The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, celebrity Dan Plesac (former MLB pitcher) and their horse Captain Crunch received the most votes to win the Charity Challenge and earn $109,484 ($100,000 + earnings).

Kim MacDonald (Weather Network personality) and her horse Woodside Charm finished second in the voting to earn $80,000 for the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.

The other two charities in the challenge received a last-minute boost to their earnings courtesy of Breeders Crown victories by their horses.

Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons (Toronto Argonauts General Manager and former CFL player) teamed up with Warrawee Ubeaut to earn $33,831 ($25,000 + earnings) for the Pinball Clemons Foundation, while Eddie Olczyk (former NHL player) and Gimpanzee collected $9,681 (earnings) for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

A total of $282,996 was donated to five local charities through the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge and this could not have been accomplished without the support and generosity of the following individuals and groups.

Captaintreacherous

The Captaintreacherous Syndicate, Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Hanover Shoe Farms

Always B Miki, Father Patrick and Sweet Lou

Adam Bowden, Diamond Creek Farms

Muscle Hill

Michael Klau, Southwind Farms

Chapter Seven

Tom Grossman, Blue Chip Farms

Tactical Landing

Kevin Greenfield, Southwind Farms

Gimpanzee

Courant Inc, SRF Stable, Marcus Melander

Warrawee Ubeaut

Burke Racing Stable, Phillip Collura, J & T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi

Captain Crunch

3 Brothers Stables, Christina Takter, Rojan Stables, Caviart Farms, Nancy Johansson

Woodside Charm

Verlin Yoder

•

Record Handle for Breeders Crown hosted in Canada

•

Charity Challenge raises $282,997 for local charities

MILTON, October 29, 2019 — The 36th Breeders Crown, presented by Libfeld/Katz Breeding Partnership, was held this past weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park and was a huge success according to John Campbell, President of the Hambletonian Society.

“We couldn’t be happier with this year’s Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park,” he said. “Feedback from everyone was extremely positive. From the hospitality, to the facility, to the attention to detail, the event was a huge success.”

The two-day event generated a Canadian-record total handle of $6.6 million wagered on the Breeders Crown.

In addition to the Canadian-record handle, strong attendance, full dining rooms, a sold-out COSA Premium Lounge, the event also gave back to the community in a significant way through the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, raising $282,997 for five local charities.

The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, Breast Cancer Society of Canada, Pinball Clemons Foundation and Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation all received significant donations from the Charity Challenge. Woodbine Cares Foundation also made a donation in honour of presenting sponsor Marvin Katz to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.

“We were honoured to host this prestigious event and we are very proud of the results,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “Staging event of this magnitude wouldn’t have been possible without contributions from our many partners, and specifically the Hambletonian Society and the Libfeld/Katz Breeding Partnership. We look forward to hosting this event again in the future.”

The Breeders Crown weekend featured 12 championship races and was truly an International affair.

The weekend concluded with French trotting sensation Bold Eagle scoring a convincing victory in the $657,895 (CAD) Open Trot, his first start ever outside Europe. The Sébastien Guarato trained eight-year-old can add a Crown trophy to his accomplishments of more than $5 million earned and 46 victories.

Driver Andrew McCarthy of Australia won four Crown trophies over the weekend. Along with McCarthy, three other drivers visited the winner’s circle on multiple occasions, as Canadian-born Yannick Gingras, American Brian Sears and New Zealand’s Dexter Dunn each won two Crown races.

American and Woodbine Mohawk Park regular Tony Alagna led all trainers with three Crown victories. Swedish-American conditioner Nancy Johansson was the only other trainer with multiple victories, capturing two Crown trophies.

This year’s Breeders Crown marked the first visit of the annual harness racing championship series to Woodbine Mohawk Park since 2008 and the first-time ever the Campbellville oval hosted all 12 finals in the same year.

Milton, ON — It hardly seems like 14 years has elapsed since Rocknroll Hanover captured the Breeders Crown sophomore pace at The Meadowlands in what at the time seemed like the final chapter in the ultra-successful North American training career of Brett Pelling.

Pelling was a dominant force on the East Coast and beyond from 1998 through 2005, the year Rocknroll Hanover held the spotlight in the premier division. In the Crown alone he captured 10 trophies and more than $3.8 million in earnings, ranking him high on the all-time trainers list.

That the New Zealand native chose to retire and return Down Under after that season caught some by surprise, but those that knew him and entrusted their horses to Pelling were not caught off guard.

“About a year before I made the move I let all of the owners know my intentions,” Pelling said, recalling the lead-up to his early retirement. “It was the right thing to do and Nifty (Norman) and Noel (Daley) ended up with a lot of the horses.”

When Pelling decided to return to North America in 2017 and re-launch his training career in New Jersey, he expected to find familiar faces and a reasonable opportunity to succeed. When that didn’t immediately happen, Pelling was put in the position to purchase horses on his own or with minor partnerships to get up and running. That was two years ago and heading into this weekend’s Breeders Crown finals Pelling may not be quite where he was when his stable averaged $5 million in earnings each year, but he still seems content.

“It’s about quality, not quantity,” Pelling said this week. “When the stable was at full strength we had about 50 horses racing and I would say another 15 possible horses that people were looking to give me.”

Right now, Pelling trains 15 horses while hoping to add some yearlings in Harrisburg and perhaps lose a few at the mixed sale.

“A lot of the owners that were with me back then have moved on and invested with others in partnerships. I understand that completely,” said Pelling.

One longtime owner, David McDuffee, won a Breeders Crown 3-year-old event some 23 years ago and hopes to again be in the winner’s circle with Pelling this weekend.

“We go way back to Armbro Operative,” said Pelling. “He’s just a great guy and someone who really appreciates what it’s like to have a top horse.”

The top horse Pelling is referring to is Papi Rob Hanover. The Somebeachsomewhere-Panera Hanover colt captured the lone Breeders Crown elimination for 2-year-old male pacers last Friday, and in the process ended the unbeaten streak of Metro Pace winner Tall Dark Stranger. The victory, a mild upset for the bettors, offered Pelling and driver David Miller the results they were looking for.

“We had a bad post in the Metro final,” said Pelling. “I could have taken the bye (in the Breeders Crown) but I didn’t want that to happen again.”

Papi Rob Hanover drew inside and landed post three for the final and that suits his trainer just fine.

“He’s just the perfect horse,” Pelling said of Papi Rob Hanover. “He’s now gone every kind of trip and just performs to the highest level. A lot of people don’t realize how difficult it is for a horse to make the kind of move he made last week. You’re going a second quarter in :26 and change and there’s really no way to slow down. The turn doesn’t save you.”

Papi Rob Hanover did continue at a torrid clip through three-quarters but unlike his Metro elimination race where Tall Dark Stranger sat in the pocket and rolled by, in the Crown elimination Papi Rob Hanover prevailed without being threatened in a career-best-equaling 1:50.2 clocking.

While many in the division were chasing some of the early stakes races, Pelling had a plan for Papi Rob Hanover — to have him ready for the Metro and beyond for this year.

“He’s a good eater and was carrying a bit too much weight, I think, heading into the Metro. A lot of people were surprised when I shipped him home (to New Jersey) after the Metro elimination and then back for the final. The truth is I didn’t want to have to work him very hard and I thought the ship would help him drop some weight,” said Pelling.

The routine was not repeated after last week’s victory, with Papi Rob Hanover remaining in Canada.

Rocknroll Hanover sired the dam of Papi Rob Hanover, and while there are some similarities between the two as juveniles, Papi Rob Hanover has been easier to deal with claims Pelling.

“I think if the horse has been on the racetrack 100 times this year I’ve probably only sat behind him 15 times,” said Pelling. “I sit behind the horses that are having problems or need changes.”

Winning this Crown is no doubt a big thing for the trainer.

“It’s something you look forward to and no doubt a race that means a lot to me to win,” said Pelling. “But to be honest, I hope he wins it for Dave McDuffee.”

When Pelling left after 2005 many of his horses went to Norman and Daley. Last year when Noel Daley decided to go back home, he returned the favor in part and thus Pelling took over the training of Caviart Ally, second choice in Saturday’s $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park. It’s been a solid season for the 5-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight with seven wins and seven seconds in 16 trips to post.

Caviart Ally has ended up on the short end of the stick against division leader and Horse of the Year contender Shartin N for most of the year. Pelling obviously doesn’t see that much separating the two in talent, and recalls the battle the two waged in the Betsy Ross back in May at Harrah’s Philadelphia as an epic struggle that perhaps left him and his mare frustrated for quite some time.

Driver Andrew McCarthy left out aggressively in the Betsy Ross to the tune of a :25.2 opening quarter forcing Shartin N to tuck in behind. With that accomplished, Caviart Ally was able to back peddle the second quarter in :30 and put the pocket sitter in a tough position. Tim Tetrick vacated the pocket with Shartin N and the two mares kicked a third quarter in :26.1, with neither giving ground. The war continued right to the finish wire with Shartin N winning by a neck in a 1:49.2 mile.

While Pelling always believed in Caviart Ally, the results week in and week out painted her as a bridesmaid until the two met again in the Allerage Farms Mare Pace at The Red Mile on Oct. 6. This time Caviart Ally drove past the pacesetting Shartin N to win in a 1:48.3 clocking.

“I wouldn’t call it getting a monkey off my back,” said Pelling of Caviart Ally’s victory. “It was a gorilla.”

Pelling has enormous respect for Shartin N and recognized the favorite on Saturday (post one) had not raced competitively in five weeks prior to the Allerage.

Ironically the two mares met last Friday in a qualifier at The Meadowlands. Pelling didn’t seem too concerned that Shartin N won that event.

“I was happy with her qualifier,” said Pelling of Caviart Ally’s 1:51.2 clocking.

“It just worked out well for me logistically to have her down here and get work in. I’ll go with her and ship up on Thursday (Oct. 24).”

Pelling hopes that it won’t just be a two-mare battle in the Crown final.

“I think Youaremycandygirl and Kissin In The Sand are both top mares that will want to get involved,” Pelling said.

Caviart Ally’s last start at Woodbine Mohawk Park was a command performance victory in the Milton Stakes, where she scored in 1:48.3 with a final half in an eye-popping :53.3.

A lot has changed in harness racing since Brett Pelling last trained a Breeders Crown winner. One thing that has not is his dedication to the details and preparation.

He’s come to the Crown with quality.

Breeders Crown finals for 2-year-olds are Friday at Mohawk. The finals for 3-year-olds and older horses are Saturday. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.

For Friday’s entries, click here. For Saturday’s entries, click here.

Milton, ON — Bold Eagle basked in the afternoon sunlight on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International Airport last Saturday (Oct. 19) led by longtime caretaker and groom Hugues Monthule, who donned a neon-yellow safety vest. Despite a flashy black-and-red cooler draped over the trotter’s back and bright red wraps around all four legs up to his knees, it was Bold Eagle’s presence that proved eye-catching.

Bold Eagle carried his head low and ears straight up under a gray hood. His eyes wide and gleaming, the French trotter took long, languid strides over the pavement. Despite emerging from an eight-hour journey over the North Atlantic Ocean, the French champion looked regal.

After clearing customs, Bold Eagle and Monthule boarded a trailer bound for the Woodbine Mohawk Park backstretch. The track’s backside would be Bold Eagle’s home for the next week as the trotter prepares for his start in Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot. The race has been years in the making for owners Pierre Pilarski and Thomas Bernereau.

“It dates from 2017 during our first participation in Elitloppet and our meeting with John Campbell. I promised him to come to the Breeders Crown as soon as it was possible,” Pilarski said.

“It has been two years since John Campbell has invited us to come and compete in this great event with Bold Eagle in North America,” Bernereau said. “We had the opportunity between Pocono and Mohawk, and we decided on Mohawk because this race was very well-placed in the program of Bold Eagle. If we come to play this great event with Bold Eagle, it is largely thanks to John Campbell, who convinced us to come and who organized everything so that everything went well.”

Despite Pilarski’s promise, Bold Eagle’s voyage seemed unlikely to most until the jumbo jet carrying him lifted into the skies over Frankfurt, Germany bound for Canada.

In 67 races, Bold Eagle has only competed outside of his home country six times. He won the Group 1 Grand Prix de l’U.E.T. at the Netherlands’ Victoria Park Wolvega in 2015, captured an elimination of Elitloppet in 1:50 before finishing fourth in the Group 1 final in 2017, won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Wallonie in Mons, Belgium in 2017, made a break shortly after the start of the first Elitloppet elimination in 2018, and repeated in the Grand Prix de Wallonie this year.

Despite his 4-for-6 record outside France, critics of Bold Eagle cite his Elitloppet defeats as evidence the trotter is not as strong abroad as at home. However, Pilarski and Bernereau reject the notion.

“Bold Eagle’s win that impressed me the most was his elimination from Elitloppet when he won over his opponents in (1:50). This performance is the most impressive in my eyes,” Bernereau said.

Bold Eagle’s 2018 Elitloppet bid proved disastrous. Travel delays may have doomed the trotter’s trip before it even began. However, a recall before the race and a long delay on the track saw Bold Eagle come unraveled. His connections could only look on in dismay as Bold Eagle galloped in the first 200 meters and failed to advance to the final.

“In 2018, the plane had been sitting long hours on the tarmac and all the horses of this trip raced badly at Solvalla,” Pilarski said. “And then there were these incidents with the autostart. He was not bad because we cannot say that he had a fair chance.”

“This day was the worst moment of my career as an owner. Everything that could happen to destabilize our champion did happen,” Bernereau said. “Bold Eagle is a very nice horse, but when he is in competition mode, he is impatient to start and can quickly go up in pressure. That day, he stayed 20 minutes on the track after a false start, which completely destabilized our champion. Now it’s the nature of the races and you have to accept it, but that day everything was against Bold Eagle.”

Bold Eagle’s record in France remains impeccable. The Ready Cash son’s career began in the stable of Jean Dubois, where he won eight of his first 10 starts in 2013 and 2014, including the Group 2 Prix Victor Regis. As Dubois looked to retire, Pilarski, Bernereau, and l’écurie Fouquette purchased Bold Eagle.

“When we bought Bold Eagle, he had shown great potential, he had an exceptional pedigree, but we did not think to buy such a champion,” Bernereau said.

“I did not think he would be so good, but I sensed he had a special character,” Pilarski echoed.

Bold Eagle joined the ranks of trainer Sébastien Guarato and his new connections quickly discovered the special horse they had purchased. In his third start for Guarato, Bold Eagle captured his first Group 1 in the Criterium des 3 Ans Dec. 7, 2014. In 2015, Bold Eagle added another three Group 1 successes in the Prix de Selection, Grand Prix de l’U.E.T., and the Criterium Continental.

Bold Eagle’s career reached new heights in the 2016 Grand Prix d’Amérique. With Franck Nivard in the sulky, Bold Eagle defeated Timoko in the 1,000,000€ French classic and became a household name among harness racing fans worldwide.

“The biggest emotion with Bold Eagle was in his first win in the Grand Prix d’Amérique,” Bernereau said. “The horse was the favorite, we were very stressed, and Sébastien had lost his father four days before the race, which added a lot of emotion to this great victory.”

Bold Eagle’s Group 1 wins continued to pile up after the 2016 Prix d’Amérique. Entering his Breeders Crown bid, Bold Eagle is 45-for-67 with 21 Group 1 successes and $5,365,180 earned. His resume includes two wins and a second in four Prix d’Amérique appearances, two Grand Prix de France triumphs, and a win in the 2017 Grand Prix de Paris over 4,150 meters that capped a French Trotting Triple Crown. Now, Bold Eagle’s connections seek North American success.

“Bold Eagle has nothing to prove to us, he has won so many great events and we have so much joy that now all the races we play with him are for fun,” Bernereau said. “We come to Mohawk to present him to the North American public. Bold Eagle is very good, but whatever the result, we are here for the pleasure of playing a big test with our great champion.

“If we want Bold Eagle’s popularity to cross the borders of Europe, it’s important to come up against American champions like Une de Mai or Varenne did at their time.”

A Breeders Crown bid fit perfectly into Bold Eagle’s 8-year-old campaign. Lightly raced, he finished sixth in the Prix d’Amérique to start the year before placing third in the Prix de France. However, after being parked the mile by Dijon and being eased to a distant finish in the Group 1 Grand Criterium de Vitesse at Cagnes sur Mer March 10, Pilarski doubted his champion.

“After the performance in Cagnes sur Mer, I thought to stop racing him, and I was wrong,” Pilarski said. “He was ill and was opposed by the future winner of the 2019 Elitloppet.”

Bold Eagle returned to the races May 5 and finished second in the Group 2 Prix des Ducs de Normandie with Björn Goop taking over the lines from Nivard. Bold Eagle and Goop earned their first victory together in their next start June 23, as Bold Eagle took the Group 1 Prix René Ballière at Vincennes for the fourth consecutive year.

“For an old horse that has raced a lot in Vincennes, it is very difficult to be still very efficient on the racecourse of Paris Vincennes,” Pilarski said. “Even the great Timoko could not win at the end of his career. This fourth Ballière was important. No horse, not even Ourasi and Bellino II had reached it.”

“It is always important to win a Group 1 at Vincennes, but this one was important to us because many people already announced the retirement of Bold Eagle while we knew he was very good, but we had to prove it in competition,” Bernereau said.

Bold Eagle earned another win on the season in the Grand Prix de Wallonie with Tony le Beller in the bike Aug. 4 before finishing third with Goop in the UET Trotting Masters Series Final Sept. 7.

Bold Eagle enters the Breeders Crown off a troubled second-place finish in the Group 3 Grand Prix de la Fédération Régionale du Nord Sept. 18. In that start, Bold Eagle squeezed through a narrow opening in the stretch, briefly brushing with rival Anzi des Liards while stablemate Tony Gio stormed to victory with a clear path in the center of the track.

After just nine seasonal starts, Bold Eagle shipped to Canada for his attempt at North American glory. His connections feel this is the right time to try it.

“This year we have not been to Scandinavia, which allows us to have a fresh horse and in great shape at this time of the year,” Bernereau explained. “In other years, Bold Eagle was resting in October after a busy spring and summer.”

“This year we did not make a great trip by plane because Bold Eagle has had problems with repetitive foot abscess which has prevented us from presenting him in Scandinavia as originally planned,” Pilarski said. “Bold Eagle has raced very little this year, his foot problems are over, so let’s say the planets are aligned.”

Bold Eagle trucked from Guarato’s stable in Normandy to Frankfurt before flying to Toronto. It is the longest trip of Bold Eagle’s life, but he took the journey well according to his connections.

“Everything has been very well managed very professionally by (Global Horse Transport’s) Christian Rakshys and his teams,” Bernereau said. “During this trip, Bold Eagle has always been accompanied by Hugues Monthule, his lad who knows him by heart.

“I was in contact with John Campbell and his team who took care of everything. It’s really a pleasure to work with people who are available, professional, and listening to horses.”

While Bold Eagle’s biggest victories have come over 2,700 meters from a standing start around the Grande Piste at Vincennes, his start in the Breeders Crown will be one mile behind a mobile starting gate.

“Bold Eagle knows how to race all the distances, but I prefer him on the mile,” Pilarski said. “He has raced a lot over 2,700 meters and I think he’s better going shorter.”

“To compare Vincennes and Mohawk is very difficult because the races do not run at all the same way,” Bernereau said. “I think that on the mile, we cannot make a mistake because you have little time to give your horse a breather.”

Bold Eagle drew post one and will have Hall of Fame driver Brian Sears in the sulky. The pair are 4-1 on the morning line. Bold Eagle’s 10 rivals are Will Take Charge, Mission Accepted, Fiftydallarbill, Guardian Angel AS, Atlanta, Lindy The Great, Dunbar Hall, Southwind Chrome, Six Pack, and Marion Marauder.

“It’s great to have in the sulky a crack driver who knows the track and the opponents,” Pilarski said. “Regardless of what happens, it’s going to be a great sporting moment.”

“It is essential to have one of the best drivers in North America to be competitive,” Bernereau said. “In France John Campbell is seen as a legend of the American races. He advised me Brian, who has a lot of experience, who is calm, and who adapts to all the horses.

“It would be wonderful, a great moment of joy to present Bold Eagle in his best light to the North American public,” Bernereau continued. “Bold Eagle is part of the family and at every race I have a lot of stress and emotion. I hope to be able to share all my emotions with the public that I hope will be present in number.”

Breeders Crown finals for 2-year-olds are Friday at Mohawk. The finals for 3-year-olds and older horses are Saturday. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.

For Friday’s entries, click here. For Saturday’s entries, click here.

Tahnee Camilleri, 32, is making her Breeders Crown debut with 3yo Colt Pace elim winner DANCIN LOU p,3,1:48.3.

Camilleri is an Australia native who put her law career on hold to train horses. She did not grow up in a racing family but rode horses until the age of 15 when her family moved from the country to the city.

Missing her riding horse she asked a neighbor if she could "muck stalls for free" just to be around the barn again. She lived one mile from Fairfield Harness Track outside of Sydney and learned to drive horses taking the neighbors' Standardbreds down the side roads to the nearby track.

Ten years ago was her first stint in the U.S. with her own stable. After 18 months, she went back home to Australia and got her law degree. Then, after practicing law for five years, she realized that she missed the horses. Tahnee made a decision to come back to America and train harness horses, once again.

Now, based at Gaitway Farm in New Jersey, this is her first full year back training and racing primarily around the Northeast. She packed up her entire stable in August and shipped to Lexington to give Dancin Lou the benefit of the Red Mile Racing / Kentucky Sire Stakes opportunities.

Evidently that gamble paid off as the son of Sweet Lou has post 4 in the $600,000 final. He is shown here being trained by Tahnee on Wednesday in preparation for the Breeders Crown final.

McWicked’s accomplishments have already put him in rarefied air, and the 8-year-old pacing stallion has a chance this weekend to add to his achievements.

On Saturday, McWicked competes in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where he is the 5-2 morning-line favorite. With a victory, he would join Jenna’s Beach Boy as the only male pacers with three Breeders Crown trophies.

The only other horses with three Crowns are female pacers Eternal Camnation and My Little Dragon as well as male trotter Mack Lobell and female trotter Grades Singing. Female trotter Peace Corps holds the record with four.

In addition, McWicked is on the verge of surpassing $1 million in purses for a third time in his career. The only pacer with three million-dollar seasons is Foiled Again. McWicked will enter Saturday with C$990,198 (US$981,466). For his career, McWicked has earned C$5.03 million (US$4.87 million) and is second to only gelding Foiled Again among all pacers in history.

Last year at age 7, McWicked became the oldest pacer in history to receive Horse of the Year honors from the U.S. Harness Writers Association. He led the sport in earnings, with $1.57 million, and became the oldest horse in 43 years to top the money standings. He also broke Foiled Again’s earnings record for a 7-year-old, which was $1.40 million in 2011. Foiled Again holds the record for an 8-year-old with $1.20 million.

“He’s an amazing horse, no doubt,” said Casie Coleman, who trains McWicked for Ed James’ S S G Stables. “There are not too many horses that have done what he’s done, and to keep doing it at his age. You really wouldn’t know this horse is 8 years old.

“And he’s got a lot of big, tough miles under his belt; it’s not too often he has an easy race. Every time he goes behind the gate, they’re pacing (1):47, (1):48, (1):49. He’s definitely an unbelievable horse.”

McWicked won his first Breeders Crown at the age of 3 in 2014. When he won his second in 2018, he became the first pacer to ever win Crowns separated by four years. He will try Saturday to become the first repeat Open Pace winner since Always B Miki in 2015 and 2016.

He starts Saturday from post eight with regular driver Brian Sears. Jimmy Freight is the 4-1 second choice.

“Everything has been great,” Coleman said about the horse’s preparation for the race. “I trained him (Tuesday) and he was awesome. He’s sharp, sound, healthy. I’m very happy with how he is coming in.

“I obviously would have liked a little bit better (post) but it’s better than the nine and it’s better than the 10. The way this horse has been racing, I’m not too concerned about it. Everybody wants to draw the inside more but it’s a big track and the eight-hole at Mohawk really isn’t terrible.”

McWicked, who has battled throat and foot issues throughout his career, has won 40 of 108 races lifetime. He has won six of 15 this year, hitting the board a dozen times, and enters the Breeders Crown final with back-to-back victories in the Dan Rooney Invitational and Allerage Farms Open Pace.

McWicked is one of three horses attempting to win a third Breeders Crown. The others are trotting mares Hannelore Hanover and Emoticon Hanover.

Hannelore Hanover, from the stable of trainer Ron Burke, won her first Crown in 2016 in the Mare Trot. She came back the following year and won the Open Trot, becoming the first mare to knock off the boys since Moni Maker in 1998. Emoticon Hanover, a Luc Blais trainee, has won the past two editions of the Mare Trot. She was the first to accomplish that feat since Buck I St Pat in 2009-2010.

Manchego, the fastest female trotter in history, is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the $325,000 Mare Trot. The Nancy Johansson-trained Manchego is a past Breeders Crown champion, having won the 2-year-old filly division in 2017.

Johansson’s Captain Crunch was a Crown winner in 2018 in the 2-year-old colt-and-gelding pace. He is the 5-2 second choice behind 9-5 Bettor’s Wish in the $600,000 event for 3-year-old male pacers. The most recent male pacer to win a Crown at both 2 and 3 was Artiscape in 1997-1998.

Burke trained three past champions in addition to Hannelore Hanover that are in action this weekend: Warrawee Ubeaut, Youaremycandygirl, and Dorsoduro Hanover.

Warrawee Ubeaut won last year’s 2-year-old filly pace and is the 4-5 favorite in the $550,000 3-year-old filly pace. The most recent filly pacer to win at Crown at both 2 and 3 was My Little Dragon in 2005-2006.

Dorsoduro Hanover won last year’s 3-year-old colt-and-gelding pace and is 6-1 in the $500,000 Open Pace. The most recent male pacer to win a Crown at ages 3 and 4 was Art Major in 2002-2003.

Youaremycandygirl was a Breeders Crown champion at age 2 in 2017. Now trained by Richard Moreau, she is 6-1 in the $300,000 Mare Pace, where returning champion Shartin N is the 4-5 chalk. Shartin N, trained by Jim King Jr. and ranked No. 1 in the sport’s Top 10 poll, is looking to be the first repeat winner since Shelliscape in 2013-2014.

Marcus Melander-trained Gimpanzee is back after winning last year’s 2-year-old colt-and-gelding trot. He is 8-1 in the $500,000 race for 3-year-old male trotters, where stablemate Greenshoe is the 3-5 favorite.

There is one other past champion competing this weekend, Fiftydallarbill, who claimed his title in the 2-year-old colt-and-gelding trot in 2017. He is in the $500,000 Open Trot. Lindy The Great is the 3-1 favorite, followed by Guardian Angel AS at 7-2 and French star Bold Eagle at 4-1.

Breeders Crown finals for 2-year-olds are Friday at Mohawk. The finals for 3-year-olds and older horses are Saturday. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.

For Friday’s entries, click here. For Saturday’s entries, click here.

Capt Midnight trainer Tony Alagna and Catch The Fire owner Charles Taylor were both happy their horses got byes into Friday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old male pacers, but it was Alagna who kept smiling after Tuesday’s draw came out.

Capt Midnight drew post five while Catch The Fire will start out of the nine hole. Ironically, Alagna’s second horse in the final — Put To Right — drew the only spot outside Catch The Fire.

“With Capt Midnight, we wanted to take the bye,” Alagna said. “I’ve had bad luck; one time I (didn’t take) a bye, had to beat one horse, and she made a break going to the gate. I said I’ll never do that again and we’ll just have to wait and see what the draw does. We got lucky enough to get the five hole.”

By the time the gate folds at Woodbine Mohawk Park, it will be 20 days between starts for the Captaintreacherous-It Was Fascination colt, but Alagna feels he will be ready.

“On Saturday I brought Treacherous Reign, American History and Capt Midnight (to Mohawk) to train to the bike; it was a beautiful day and a great day to be able to do it,” Alagna said, adding with grin, “The hardest part was getting (drivers) Dexter Dunn and Andy McCarthy out of bed to do it.

“Once we got here, we trained them a pretty good mile and were very happy with all of them. I think it sets him up good for the final.”

Capt Midnight, who has earned C$328,194 this year, owns five wins at Woodbine Mohawk Park, including the Dream Maker Series final, Champlain, and Nassagaweya. He heads to the Breeders Crown final off a win in a division of the International Stallion Stakes at Red Mile and is 3-1 on the morning line.

Elimination winner Papi Rob Hanover is the 8-5 favorite followed by Tall Dark Stranger, who suffered his first defeat in the elim, at 2-1.

“I thought he was a little flat the last eighth (of a mile),” Tall Dark Stranger’s trainer, Nancy Johansson, said. “His blood work didn’t come back perfectly, unfortunately; he’s battling a little bit of sickness. Hopefully we can get that squared away. I changed his front shoes for the final, so hopefully we get a little more speed out of him. I think that he will be fine. He’s a good horse. The way his blood work looked after the race, he actually put in a pretty good performance.

“He trained a little bit (Tuesday) morning and he was just fine with the new shoes and everything. Hopefully he’s going to have his best performance on Friday.”

Catch The Fire, a Captaintreacherous-Dream Outloud colt, was purchased for $15,000 as a yearling at Lexington and “showed talent right from the start,” according to Taylor. Although the draw is not great, Taylor feels his horse is right in the mix.

“I think we have a good shot,” he said. “I think the top five or six in the class are so close with talent. I think it’s going to come down to who gets the best trip. And if we can work out a good trip we’ve got just as good a shot as anybody in the race.

“He’s been a little tired the last couple starts so this extra week off getting the bye is going to help us quite a bit. It gives him a few extra days off.”

Catch The Fire has four firsts, three seconds and two thirds in 11 starts, good for C$252,547 in earnings. He won the Kentucky Sire Stakes final at Red Mile in 1:49.4. He also won a Kentucky Sire Stakes leg and a Pennsylvania All-Stars division. Trainer John Ackley is making his Breeders Crown debut.

“Very rarely would you want to start a 2-year-old 12 times, but he (will have) 12 starts,” said Taylor, who is seeking his first Breeders Crown win. “We said all year if he shows that he doesn’t want to do it any more we’d shut him down. He’s had a tough season and he just hasn’t shown any signs. He hasn’t lost any weight, his appetite is great.

“There’s very little training for him. He kind of maintains himself, he’s easy on himself so we don’t have to train him hard. He’s just been all-around great. No ailments. He’s a little smaller than the rest of them, I think that’s actually worked to his advantage, that’s why we were able to get 12 starts out of him, because he’s a little smaller and not carrying as much weight as the rest of them.”

And while Taylor feels it’s anybody’s race, if he had to pick a favorite, it would be Papi Rob Hanover out of the three hole.

“I just think he’s raced tough throughout the year and he’s raced against every single one of us and he’s been first or second against every single one of us,” Taylor said. “Whereas the rest of us have tended to race sporadically against each other, he’s taken on all of us and the worst he’s finished is second. He’s just a tough horse.”

Breeders Crown finals for 2-year-olds are Friday at Mohawk. The finals for 3-year-olds and older horses are Saturday. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.

Following is the field for the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male pacers.

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line 1-Mayhem Hanover-Doug McNair-Gregg McNair-20/1 2-Allywag Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Casie Coleman-15/1 3-Papi Rob Hanover-David Miller-Brett Pelling-8/5 4-Cattlewash-Louis Roy-Ron Burke-8/1 5-Capt Midnight-Andy McCarthy-Tony Alagna-3/1 6-Major Betts-Dexter Dunn-Mark Harder-15/1 7-Tall Dark Stranger-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson-2/1 8-Freedom Warrior-Brian Sears-Kevin Lare-15/1 9-Catch The Fire-Mike Wilder-John Ackley-15/1 10-Put To Right-Bob McClure-Tony Alagna-20/1

Twenty years ago, Todd Clements was working as a network administrator in Toronto when his father got sick and asked his son to return home to Newfoundland. Clements resigned from his job and spent six weeks with his dad before Charlie passed from cancer at the age of 49. Their final days together changed the direction of Todd’s life forever.

“I’m a systems engineer by education,” Clements said. “My dad was very proud of the work I did, but he knew my passion for racehorses. One of the last things he said to me was that life can be short, do what you love. Here I was in a three-piece suit, working in an office running a company. I really didn’t like it.

“My dad gave me the green light. I came back to Ontario and I went to work (in a stable) for $400 a week, which I was making a day, and it’s all paid off.”

The 44-year-old Clements is in his first Breeders Crown, sending Fixed Idea to Saturday’s $600,000 final for 3-year-old male pacers. Fixed Idea, who will be driven by Randall Waples, will start from post eight in a field of 10 that includes elimination winners Bettor’s Wish and Dancin Lou as well as returning Breeders Crown champion Captain Crunch, Little Brown Jug winner Southwind Ozzi, and Meadowlands Pace winner Best In Show.

“As a Newfoundland kid growing up, you dream about being in those races,” said Clements, who made several starts as a trainer in the years prior to leaving home for his network administrator job. “I’m extremely excited to be in the Breeders Crown.”

Fixed Idea, a son of Big Jim-Calchips Artist owned by Christopher Nicol, was unraced at age 2 and joined Clements’ stable this year. All five of the horse’s wins this season have come in conditioned races but he earned checks in three preliminary rounds of the Ontario Sire Stakes series as well as the series championship. He also was fifth-placed-fourth in the consolation of the North America Cup.

“The best thing about him is his durability,” Clements said. “He can take a long road trip and the best part of his mile is the last sixteenth. If races were a mile-and-a-sixteenth, a lot of those 3s and 4s would probably be 1s. He has heart. He tries and there’s not much more you can ask.”

Prior to Fixed Idea’s fourth-place finish in the Breeders Crown elimination, Clements’ thoughts returned to his father.

“I looked up and said, dad, please send me down some luck,” Clements said. “I don’t know if it was that, but we made it. We’re going to be one of the longshots (Saturday) but it’s a horse race. You’ve got to be in it to win it. We’re just very humbled and just excited to have the opportunity to be in it.”

Clements is not the only trainer in the race who made a career change. Tahnee Camilleri, a native of Australia, gave up a career practicing law to pursue her passion by moving to the U.S. to train horses. The 32-year-old Camilleri conditions Dancin Lou for owners David Kryway and 1362313 Ontario Ltd.

Camilleri, who trained some horses in the States during a brief stay prior to completing her law degree, is in her first full season with her own stable.

“There’s definitely not going to be a lot of sleep this week,” Camilleri said. “I’m so excited. I’m like a kid right before Christmas.”

Dancin Lou worked his way up through the conditioned ranks at Yonkers, putting together a five-race win streak, and won twice on the Kentucky Sire Stakes circuit. He was third in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes before winning a division of the Tattersalls over Southwind Ozzi.

For the year, he has 10 wins in 17 starts.

“I never thought initially when I got this horse that he was going to turn out like he has,” Camilleri said. “It’s been a gradual thing, but he’s just gotten better and better. He got on a roll at Yonkers and it did wonders for his confidence. I still can’t believe it’s the same horse that I had at the start of the season. It’s been unexpected, but a great ride along the way.”

Dexter Dunn drove Dancin Lou in his three most recent races but will sit behind Bettor’s Wish in the Breeders Crown final. Andy McCarthy, who guided Dancin Lou to a career-best 1:48.3 victory in a division of the Kentucky Sire Stakes, picks up the drive.

“He definitely can get the best out of him,” Camilleri said.

“Everything I’ve asked him to do, he’s stepped up to the plate,” she added about Dancin Lou, who is a son of Sweet Lou-Dancewiththebest. “There hasn’t really been any pressure. It’s just whether he was going to take the next step, and every step I’ve asked him to take, he’s taken it. I’m really so proud of him.”

Breeders Crown finals for 3-year-olds and older horses are Saturday at Mohawk. The finals for 2-year-olds are Friday. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.

Following is the field for the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male pacers.

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Southwind Ozzi-Brian Sears-Bill MacKenzie 2-Captain Crunch-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson 3-Covered Bridge-James MacDonald-Blake MacIntosh 4-Dancin Lou-Andy McCarthy-Tahnee Camilleri 5-Bettor’s Wish-Dexter Dunn-Chris Ryder 6-Best In Show-Bob McClure-Linda Toscano 7-Semi Tough-David Miller-Ron Burke 8-Fixed Idea-Randall Waples-Todd Clements 9-Bronx Seelster-Simon Allard-Rene Allard 10-De Los Cielos Deo-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke

MILTON, October 22, 2019 – Post positions for all 12 of this weekend’s Breeders Crown Finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park are set following a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

A strong turnout, including over a dozen drivers and trainers, attended the press conference to find out the starting spots for the 2-Year-Old Colt Pace, 3-Year-Old Colt Pace and Open Trot finals.

Foreign classic invitee Bold Eagle drew the rail for the $500,000 Open Trot. The legendary eight-year-old trotter will make his North American debut, teaming with reinsman Brian Sears. The Sébastien Guarato trainee has done it all in Europe, winning countless classic events and earning over $5 million.

Superstar trotters Atlanta, Guardian Angel As, Marion Marauder and Six Pack are just four of the 10 trotters that will go up against Bold Eagle.

Marion Marauder, the 2016 Trotting Triple Crown champion, will start directly behind Bold Eagle from the second-tier post 11. The six-year-old is winless in nine starts this season, but has recorded 20 wins and over $3.5 million in earnings through 60 career starts.

Four-year-old mare Atlanta has earned the confidence of her connections to take another crack at the boys. The 2018 Hambletonian champion and winner of nearly $2 million will attempt to claim the Open Trot title for a 20th career victory. She starts from post-six.

This season’s highest earner in the Open Trot is Anette Lorentzon trainee Guardian Angel As, who scored the biggest victory of his career earlier this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The five-year-old stallion captured the Maple Leaf Trot on August 31 and will start from post-five.

World champion Six Pack did not have luck on his side during Tuesday’s post position draw. The Ake Svanstedt trained four-year-old drew the far outside, post position 10.

The Open Trot field is completed by Will Take Charge (PP2), Mission Accepted (PP3), Fiftydallarbill (PP4), Lindy The Great (PP7), Dunbar Hall (PP8) and Southwind Chrome (PP9).

Saturday evening’s Crown finals will also include the $600,000 3-Year-Old Colt Pace.

Elimination winners Bettors Wish and Dancin Lou were guaranteed of a starting spot from post one to five. Bettors Wish drew post-five, while Dancin Lou drew post-four.

The Chris Ryder trained Bettors Wish has been the model of consistency this season, winning 12 of 16 and never finished outside the top-two. The son of Bettors Delight will look to add a Crown trophy to his collection that includes the Art Rooney, Carl Milstein, Kentucky Sires Stakes, Bluegrass and Tattersalls.

Tahnee Camilleri trainee Dancin Lou is red-hot entering the Crown final. The son of Sweet Lou broke through with an upset score in a division of the Tattersalls on October 6 and proved it was no fluke by storming home in :25.4 to win his Crown elimination. The sophomore holds a record of 10 wins in 17 starts.

Little Brown Jug champion and supplement entry Southwind Ozzi, who finished second to Bettors Wish in last Saturday’s elimination, will start from the rail. The Bill MacKenzie trained son of Somebeachsomewhere has won nine of 13 this season, which includes scores in the Adios and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championship.

Pepsi North America Cup champion Captain Crunch drew post-two for Saturday’s rich event. The Nancy Johansson trainee is two for eight since winning the Cup, but has finished top-four in all of those starts.

Meadowlands Pace champion Best In Show was the fast-closer in last weekend’s eliminations, pacing a :25.3 kicker to finished second to Dancin Lou. The Linda Toscano trainee will start from post-six, which has the highest winning percentage of any starting spot at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The 3-Year-Old Colt Pace field is completed by Covered Bridge (PP3), Semi Tough (PP7), Fixed Idea (PP8), Bronx Seelster (PP9) and De Los Cielos Deo (PP10).

The $600,000 2-Year-Old Colt Pace will be the main event for Friday’s quartet of Breeders Crown events.

Elimination winner Papi Rob Hanover drew post-three at Tuesday’s draw and rolls into the final off a major statement victory for trainer Brett Pelling. The son of Somebeachsomewhere handed previously unbeaten Tall Dark Stranger a 1:50.2 defeat, winning by a little over a length.

Papi Rob Hanover has hit the board in each of his nine starts this season, posting four victories. The Pelling trainee finished runner-up to Tall Dark Stranger in last month’s Metro Pace.

Tall Dark Stranger drew post-seven at Tuesday’s draw, a post position he has won from before at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Nancy Johansson trainee is seven for eight with over $542,000 earned.

Capt Midnight and Catch The Fire took byes into the $600,000 final. The Tony Alagna trained Capt Midnight drew post-five, while John Ackley trainee Catch The Fire landed in post-nine.

The 2-Year-Old Colt Pace final field is completed by Mayhem Hanover (PP1), Allywag Hanover (PP2), Cattlewash (PP4), Major Betts (PP6), Freedom Hanover (PP8) and Put To Right (PP10).

The full cards for this weekend’s $6 million Breeders Crown, presented by Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, will be released later today.

Post time for Friday and Saturday’s Breeders Crown cards is 7 p.m.

Luc Blais was pleased when Forbidden Trade received a bye to advance directly to Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park. After the Hambletonian winning colt drew post eight, he was less enthused.

“I was happy when they asked about the bye,” Blais said. “After the draw, I said oops. But it’s part of the game. A race is a race. All the time you need luck.”

Twelve horses entered the 3-year-old colt-and-gelding trot, which resulted in Forbidden Trade and Greenshoe receiving byes while the remaining 10 horses competed for the eight remaining spots in the final. Don’t Let’em won the elimination with a Canadian-record-equaling 1:51.3 performance. His reward as an elim winner was being guaranteed a post in positions one through five. He will start Saturday from post two.

Greenshoe, the winner of 10 of 12 races and C$1.16 million this season, will start from post four. He is one of three finalists for trainer Marcus Melander, with returning Breeders Crown champion Gimpanzee and Green Manalishi S.

Forbidden Trade defeated Greenshoe by a neck in the Hambletonian. Since then, Greenshoe has won five in a row, including the Kentucky Futurity on Oct. 6 at Lexington’s Red Mile. The colt’s 1:49.4 triumph in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes on Sept. 29 at Red Mile is the fastest mile of the season for a 3-year-old trotter and the fourth sub-1:50 winning mile by a 3-year-old in history.

“He’s doing great,” Melander said about Greenshoe, a son of Father Patrick-Designed To Be. “I was happy to take the bye. He’s been on the road for a long time, so it was nice for him to be at home. I’m very happy with how he feels. I’m confident going into the race, he feels as good as he can. I think he’ll be good.”

Green Manalishi S and Gimpanzee finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Crown elimination. Green Manalishi S (Muscle Hill-Naga Morich S) has two wins at Mohawk this year, in the Canadian Trotting Classic and Simcoe Stakes. Gimpanzee (Chapter Seven-Steamy Windows) was last year’s Dan Patch Award winner and counts the Yonkers Trot and New York Sire Stakes championship among his 2019 victories.

“There are good horses there,” Melander said. “It’s going to be a tough race to win, but I’m happy with my three horses. We drew good; I’m confident going into the race. It will be exciting.”

Forbidden Trade has won eight of 13 races and C$1.07 million. In his most recent start, he won his second Ontario Sire Stakes championship. The son of Kadabra-Pure Ivory was the 2018 O’Brien Award winner.

“It’s going to be a tough race,” Blais said. “He feels good. He raced good in the Ontario final and he’s in good shape right now. I hope everything goes well in the race.”

The fun-loving Don’t Let’em was once described as “a class clown” by trainer Nancy Johansson but he got an ‘A’ for his elimination performance. The colt, a son of Muscle Hill-Passageway, has finished first or second 12 times in his career. He’s gone off stride in his remaining nine races.

“His mind is his own worst enemy,” driver Yannick Gingras said. “A couple times in the middle of the summer he’d wheel around in the post parade for no reason, but he’s doing none of that stuff now. It seems like he’s got his mind on his business.”

Chin Chin Hall finished second to Don’t Let’em in the elimination. The colt, by Cash Hall out of Canland Hall, had hit the board in seven consecutive starts before an eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Futurity. But that race over a ‘good’ track on a rain-filled afternoon did nothing to dampen trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman’s good feelings.

“I don’t even count that race; you have to throw it out,” Norman said. “I was really happy with his run (in the Crown elimination); why wouldn’t you be. He’s been good every start the last couple of months. He actually feels like he’s getting better and better. I think he drew pretty good (post five). It’s a tough group, it’ll be hard enough to just get a check, but I think he’s good enough to be top five.”

Breeders Crown finals for 3-year-olds and older horses are Saturday at Mohawk. The finals for 2-year-olds are Friday. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the corporate sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.

Following is the field for the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters.

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Green Manalishi S-Tim Tetrick-Marcus Melander 2-Don’t Let’em-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson 3-Marseille-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt 4-Greenshoe-Brian Sears-Marcus Melander 5-Chin Chin Hall-Peter Wrenn-R. Nifty Norman 6-Gimpanzee-David Miller-Marcus Melander 7-Goes Down Smooth-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke 8-Forbidden Trade-Bob McClure-Luc Blais 9-Soul Strong-Dexter Dunn-Ake Svanstedt 10-Super Schissel-Louis Roy-Per Engblom

Considering Bob McIntosh has been training for 48 years, and considering he is tied with Ron Burke for second place among trainers in Breeders Crown wins, one almost has to heed McIntosh’s statement about filly trotter Only Take Cash as a warning.

“This one’s kind of special,” said McIntosh, whose 16 Breeders Crown victories place him behind only Jimmy Takter.

McIntosh realizes, however, that it’s unknown how “special” will translate on the track in Saturday’s Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old filly trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Only Take Cash is in the first of the two $25,000 eliminations, where she is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind 2-1 favorite Evident Beauty.

When Dovescry is the 9-5 favorite in the second elimination. The top five finishers from each elim advance to the $500,000 final Oct. 26 at Mohawk.

Evident Beauty edged Only Take Cash by half a length in September’s Elegantimage Stakes at Mohawk while The Ice Duchess won the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial.

“Evident Beauty sat on (Only Take Cash’s) back and just nailed us at the wire,” McIntosh said about the Elegantimage. “When you race against the good ones it just comes down to the trip sometimes. I don’t see anybody in the field just that dominant. It looks like a pretty close race to me. There’s some very, very nice horses in there.”

McIntosh feels Only Take Cash is right up there with the best of them. She has won 15 of 19 career races, earned $648,561, and is a two-time Ohio Sire Stakes champion. This year she has hit the board in all 10 starts with seven wins and $376,421 in earnings. The homebred filly, by Cash Hall out of Armbro Affair, is owned by Robert McIntosh Stables, Dave Boyle, and Marv Chantler’s Mardon Stables.

“She’s been amazing,” McIntosh said. “She hasn’t had that many starts but she’s come up big every start. She’s just been a dream come true. She’s been special from day one and has a good attitude. She had an amazing 2-year-old year and this year just as good.”

The trainer is especially impressed by her gait and her grittiness.

“She’s not big, but she has no wasted motion in her gait,” he said. “The biggest thing about her is, she’ll give you 120 percent. She wants to win. You can’t train that into them. They’re either born with it or not.”

The best news for McIntosh is how Only Take Cash looks heading into the race.

“I trained her a little bit this morning and she was as sharp as she can be,” he said on Thursday. “When I came in this morning I was very pleased. She’s healthy, she’s sound, ready to go. The rest is up to her and the driver. It’s just going to come down to trips, but I couldn’t be happier with how she’s going into it -- knock on my wooden head she stays healthy.”

If she gets the trips her trainer wants, McIntosh could add to his Breeders Crown wins, which is a source of pride for him.

“I was in front for a while and then Jimmy came along,” said McIntosh, who is in the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. “But it’s been a great series for me. I love the Breeders Crown. It all comes down to the Breeders Crown, and I think that’s a good thing. It’s at the end of the year, you’re going against the best, and if you can pull that one off you stamp yourself as one of the best of the year.”

Racing begins at 7:10 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at Mohawk. The card features Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old male and female trotters and pacers plus older female trotters. Eliminations were unnecessary for the Open Trot, Open Pace and Mare Pace. For complete entries, click here.

Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-olds are tonight, with a 7:50 p.m. post time. For entries, click here.

Trenton, NJ --- It is costing Custom Cantab’s connections $31,250 to supplement her to the Breeders Crown Mare Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park. But the way trainer and part-owner Chris Beaver looks at things, it’s almost like spending found money.

“She was a $6,000 yearling, so with (paying) the supplement we’re still way ahead,” Beaver said with a laugh.

They sure are.

The 4-year-old mare has won 18 of 44 career starts with 11 seconds and 10 thirds, good for $1 million in earnings. She has won three of 15 races and $266,647 this year while making the jump from racing primarily on the Indiana Sire Stakes circuit to the Grand Circuit. She has shown enough to give her owners confidence, winning the Joie De Vie Stakes, taking second in the Harry Harvey Trot in a field with male competition, and finishing third on six occasions.

“It had been in my head for a while through the season,” Beaver said of the Breeders Crown. “The payments were early in the year and she’d never been eligible before and it just kind of wasn’t on our radar. She was staked to do a lot of other stuff. But she’s made the TVG final (in November) and we wanted her to race in between there. She’s split up amongst partners, so nobody had to bear the burden of it themselves, and she’s coming off a real good race (in the Harvey).”

And it was that race that made the final decision for owners Beaver, Donald Robinson and Robert Hechkoff’s R.B.H. Ventures somewhat easier.

“We talked about it a little bit before her last race at Yonkers, and the partners were all on board,” Beaver said. “She was parked the entire mile there. It was still closing for second, and she picked up a good amount of money there. I think over the course of that day, after that race, we talked a little bit, and there seemed to be no objection about supplementing her.”

Custom Cantab races in the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations Saturday at Mohawk. She is 4-1 on the morning line, starting from post three with driver David Miller in a seven-horse field. Plunge Blue Chip is the 8-5 favorite. World record-holder Manchego is the 4-5 favorite in the second elimination. Manchego is a past Breeders Crown champion and the Mare Trot group also includes two-time Crown winners Hannelore Hanover (first elim) and Emoticon Hanover (second elim).

The top five finishers from each elimination advance to the $325,000 final Oct. 26 at Mohawk.

“We have confidence she can be top three in the final or we wouldn’t have made the payment,” Beaver said. “I feel like she’s got a legit shot to win the elimination. In the final, there’s a couple that have been better than her at times, but she’s also been better. We beat Manchego a few times earlier in the season. I’ve got confidence in her. Even some weeks when I haven’t thought she’s trained that good she comes out and races unbelievable for us.”

It has been an interesting year for Custom Cantab. Beaver held her out of some races because he was unsure how she would make the transition to open competition after competing mainly in the Indiana Sire Stakes. But her victory in last year’s Matron gave him a good feeling to take some shots.

“I guess I’ve been pleasantly surprised how good she’s been this year since she went to Meadowlands and started racing there and gone on through the rest of the season,” Beaver said. “When they get stretched out there aren’t many much better than her. So, I think she’s legit. Whether it’s going to pay off we’ll have to wait and see. She’s been in the ballpark all year.”

Racing begins at 7:10 p.m. (EDT) Saturday at Mohawk. The card also features Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old male and female trotters and pacers. Eliminations were unnecessary for the Open Trot, Open Pace and Mare Pace. For complete entries, click here.

Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-olds are tonight, with a 7:50 p.m. post time. For entries, click here.

Third Shift and Moon Bridge got a little unscheduled time off recently because of sickness, but the two Ake Svanstedt trainees are ready to go Friday (Oct. 18) in the single Breeders Crown elimination for 2-year-old male trotters at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Thirteen horses were entered for the event, with the connections of Real Cool Sam, Port Perry, and Capricornus accepting byes to advance directly to the final. The top seven finishers from the remaining 10-horse field will join that trio in the $600,000 final Oct. 25 at Mohawk.

Two-time Grand Circuit-winner Amigo Volo, a son of Father Patrick from the stable of trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman, is the elim’s 5-2 morning-line favorite from post three. Dexter Dunn will drive the gelding, who won divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile in his most recent outings.

Third Shift, the New York Sire Stakes champion, is 8-1 and will be driven by Svanstedt from post one. Moon Bridge, who won the Ontario Sire Stakes championship this past Saturday at Mohawk, is 10-1 and will start from post seven with Sylvain Filion.

Svanstedt considered sending the horses to the recently concluded Grand Circuit meet at Red Mile, but the health of the horses changed those plans.

“Third Shift was sick, so we left him at home and decided to go for the Breeders Crown,” Svanstedt said. “It was the same with Moon Beam. He was sick and hadn’t raced for one month before the (Ontario) final. But both of them are sound and healthy now and I hope they can do good races.”

Third Shift enters Friday having last raced in the New York championship Sept. 14 at Batavia Downs. The colt, by two-time Breeders Crown champ Chapter Seven out of Overnight Command, zipped around the half-mile oval in a track- and stakes-record 1:56. He shaved more than a second off the previous Batavia standard of 1:57.1 and three-fifths of a second off the stakes record, which was set last year by Dan Patch Award winner Gimpanzee.

“He hasn’t raced since then, but he was very good in the final,” said Svanstedt, who owns Third Shift with Mellby Gard Inc. “He has trained good and everything is good with him. He has everything. He is fast and strong and has a very good head. He is a horse that always tries; he wants to win. He’s a good horse.”

Third Shift has won three of six races, finished second twice, and earned $198,212. His fastest win time of the campaign, 1:54.4, came at seven-eighths-mile Vernon Downs in a preliminary round of the New York Sire Stakes.

“He is a big horse, but he handled the (half-mile) tracks good,” Svanstedt said. “I hope he can go faster on the big track (at seven-eighths-mile Mohawk). He raced in (1):54 at Vernon in his third race, so I think he can go faster on the big track.”

Moon Bridge was unraced for nearly a month when he captured the Ontario title, beating Port Perry by a head in 1:55.4. The colt, by E L Titan out of Classic Belle, has won two of six races and earned $149,953 for owners Esa Lahtinen, Janne Korpi, and Jussi Hietalahti. He was bred by Lahtinen’s Overseas Farms and Korpi.

“He was good,” Svanstedt said. “He is a nervous horse, but he handles it good. We have to be careful with him; we always take it easy with him. But he is a good racehorse. He comes to race.”

All eliminations for 2-year-olds, which go for $25,000 each, are Friday at Mohawk. Hypnotic AM and Ramona Hill are the morning-line favorites in the elims for 2-year-old filly trotters; Baby Your The Best, Alicorn and Lyons Sentinel get the nods in the elims for 2-year-old filly pacers; and Tall Dark Stranger is the choice in the single elimination for 2-year-old male pacers.

Racing begins at 7:50 p.m. (EDT) Friday.

The $600,000 finals for 2-year-olds will be Oct. 25 at Mohawk, with an early 7 p.m. post time.

Elimination winners, in an order determined by lot, draw for post positions one through five for the finals. The draws for the 2-year-old finals, except for the colt-and-gelding pace, will be conducted Friday following the eliminations. The draw for the colt-and-gelding pace will be Tuesday at the post-position draw and press conference at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

For Friday’s complete entries, click here. Eliminations for 3-year-olds and up are Saturday, with a 7:10 p.m. post time. For Saturday’s complete entries, click here.

Brandon Bates has a horse in the Breeders Crown for the first time, and it’s Priceless.

Priceless, who last week won an Indiana Sire Stakes championship for her sixth victory of the season, was among the 21 horses entered in Friday’s (Oct. 18) Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old filly pacers at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The 44-year-old Bates trains and drives Priceless for owners Kevin Miller and Bert Hochsprung, who also are starting a horse in the Breeders Crown for the first time.

It will be Priceless’ second Grand Circuit start of the year (she won the Kentuckiana Stallion Management on Sept. 20 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park) and she is the 7-2 third choice on the morning line in the first of three eliminations. Baby Your The Best, the runner-up in both the Kentucky and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championships, is the 5-2 favorite followed by two-time Grand Circuit winner Reflect With Me at 3-1. The field also includes International Stallion Stakes division winner Peaky Sneaky (4-1) and Kentucky Sire Stakes champ Gai Waterhouse (9-2).

Ontario Sire Stakes champion Alicorn is the 4-5 favorite in the second elimination and She’s A Great Lady winner Lyons Sentinel, who brings a six-race victory streak to the event, is the 3-5 chalk in the third.

The top three finishers from each elimination plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest earnings as calculated by Standardbred Canada will advance to the $600,000 final on Oct. 25 at Mohawk.

Priceless, a daughter of Rockin Image out of Btwnyurheartnmine, has earned $328,662 in nine starts, with an average margin of victory of five lengths in her six wins. She has finished second once and gone off stride twice, the first of which Bates attributed to a bad night and the second to interference.

She heads to her Breeders Crown elimination off her 1:52.2 score in the Indiana championship, where she paced her final quarter-mile in :26.1 and won by 6-1/2 lengths.

“I don’t know that she’s been any better all year,” Bates said Tuesday. “She’s really matured and attitude wise she seems as happy as she could be. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Bates and Priceless did not get off on the best foot.

“The first three days I didn’t like her at all,” Bates said with a laugh. “She laid down three days in a row. The first day I was brushing her and she laid down in the crossties. The second day I was putting hobbles on her and she laid down in the crossties. The third day, just before we were coming off the track, she kind of folded up and laid down in the jog cart.

“But when she got her mind on her business and her work, she just blossomed and excelled. She showed a lot of talent.”

One thing Bates has never had to worry about is Priceless missing any meals. The filly’s nickname is “Pudgie.”

“She likes to eat, and she looks like she’s a little fat,” Bates said. “Her race-night groom, Dani Copeland, gave her the nickname the first time we raced her down here. She’s a great eater.”

Bates would like to see Priceless eat up the racetrack Friday and advance to the Breeders Crown final.

“She’s got a lot of personality,” Bates said. “She gets turned out every day for as long as she wants to be out. She really likes that. She’s the first one out of the barn in the morning and then she gets back out and she likes to watch the other horses jog. She’ll pace some of them down the fence line and just really enjoys herself.”

An Ohio native who 20 years ago moved to Indiana, Bates has won 926 races as a driver and 194 as a trainer. He is on the board of the Indiana Standardbred Association and has worked full time in racing since the mid-2000s. Prior to then, he split his time between the horses and a job in a soybean processing facility.

Over the years, Bates thought he had two previous hopes of making it to the Breeders Crown, with trotters Haulin Laser (who got sick) and Swandre The Giant (who was sold).

“Hopefully the third time is the charm,” Bates said.

Racing begins at 7:50 p.m. (EDT) Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Eliminations for all 2-year-old Breeders Crown divisions are on the card. Eliminations for 3-year-olds and up are Saturday, with a 7:10 p.m. post time.

For Friday’s complete entries, click here. For Saturday’s complete entries, click here.

MILTON, October 15, 2019 – Divisional supremacy and international glory will be on the line in the eight Breeders Crown events for three-year-olds and up at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

All four sophomore divisions will require eliminations this Saturday (October 19), while only the Mare Trot from the older ranks will need eliminations.

The three-year-old colt pace (15 entrants) and three-year-old filly trot (16 entrants) will have two eliminations each on Saturday’s card, while the sophomore trotting colts (12 entrants) and pacing fillies (12 entrants) will each feature just a single elimination after two byes were issued in each event.

The Mare Trot attracted 15 ladies and will need two eliminations to determine its final field. The Open Trot (11 entrants), Open Pace (10 entrants) and Mare Pace (7 entrants) will all headline directly to a final on October 26.

A total of eight elimination races will take place on this Saturday’s (October 19) card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Saturday battles for Crown spots

Trainer Marcus Melander will send his three-headed monster of sophomore trotting colts Greenshoe, Green Manalishi S and Gimpanzee to Woodbine Mohawk Park for the Breeders Crown.

Only a single ten-horse elimination is needed in the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot division, as 12 horses were entered. The top-two earners in 2019 received byes, while the other ten entered will compete to eliminate two ahead of the $500,000 (USD) final.

Melander opted to take the bye with the division-leader Greenshoe, who has banked over $1.1 million this season. Hambletonian champion Forbidden Trade received the second bye, which was accepted by trainer Luc Blais. The Ontario Sires Stakes champion is eight for 13 with $1 million earned.

Green Manalishi S headlines Saturday’s elimination from post-two. The son of Muscle Hill is undefeated in four starts at Woodbine Mohawk Park, capturing this year’s Canadian Trotting Classic and last year’s William Wellwood Memorial.

Gimpanzee has drawn post-four for the elimination, as the son of Chapter Seven attempts to become a two-time Breeders Crown champion. The New York Sires Stakes champion won last year’s 2-Year-Old Colt Trot final in convincing fashion and enters this year’s event having won 15 of 19 career starts.

The elimination field for the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot Breeders Crown also includes Dont Letem (post-five), Marseille (post-nine) and Pilot Discretion (post-ten). All three trotters have posted strong results in marquee events this season.

The single-elimination for sophomore trotting colts and geldings has been carded as Race 5 on Saturday’s card.

The 3-Year-Old-Colt Pace division is a wide-open affair with a group of 15 separated into a pair of eliminations.

Pepsi North America Cup winner Captain Crunch has won just two of seven starts since his classic victory in June at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Nancy Johansson trained son of Captaintreacherous has been knocking on the door in his last two starts, posting runner-up finishes in each. The defending Breeders Crown champion has drawn post-two in the first elimination.

Captain Crunch will tackle the likes of Meadowlands Pace winner Best In Show (post-eight), Tattersalls winner Dancin Lou (post-three) and multiple Grand Circuit stakes winner Century Farroh (post-one), who was supplemented Monday by his connections for $62,500 (USD).

The ultra-consistent Bettors Wish (post-one) will square-off with Little Brown Jug champion Southwind Ozzi (post-three) in the second elimination.

Chris Ryder trainee Bettors Wish has won 11 of 15 starts this season, including the Art Rooney, Milstein Memorial, Kentucky Sires Stakes championship and Tattersalls. The son of Bettors Delight has finished in the runner-up spot in all four of his defeats this season.

Southwind Ozzi rose to stardom this summer for trainer Bill MacKenzie by posting victories in marquee events such as the Adios and Little Brown Jug. The son of Somebeachsomewhere has won nine of 12 starts and earned the confidence from his connections to put up $62,500 (USD) to supplement to the Breeders Crown.

The top-five finishers from each 3-Year-Old Pacing Colt elimination will advance to the $600,000 (USD) final.

Trainer Ron Burke turned down a bye and will race defending Breeders Crown champion Warrawee Ubeaut in Saturday’s single-elimination for the 3-Year-Old Filly Pace event. Tony Alagna’s Treacherous Reign and Bob McIntosh’s Sunny Dee received byes from the group of 12 entered, which sets up a ten-horse division to eliminate two for the $550,000 (USD) final.

Warrawee Ubeaut (post-six) powers into her elimination on a six-race win streak, which includes scores in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championship, Jugette and Glen Garnsey Memorial. The daughter of Sweet Lou has won 10 of 15 this season and is a 13-time winner with over $1.3 million earned.

The sophomore pacing filly elimination will also feature Ontario Sires Stakes champion Boadicea (post-nine). The Bill Budd trained daughter of Big Jim was supplemented on Monday to the event by her owners for a fee of $62,500 (USD).

Standouts Stonebridge Soul (post-two), Tall Drink Hanover (post-five) and Queen Of The Pride (post-eight) will also compete.

The elimination for three-year-old pacing fillies has been carded as Race 8.

A competitive group of 16 has been split into a pair of eliminations for the 3-Year-Old Filly Trot Crown event. The top-five finishers from each division will advance to the $500,000 (USD) final.

Elegantimage winner Evident Beauty (post-one) for trainer ‘Nifty’ Norman, Zweig Memorial winner The Ice Dutchess (post-two) for trainer Johansson and Ohio Sires Stakes champion Only Take Cash (post-three) for trainer McIntosh will all meet in the first elimination.

The second elimination will feature a matchup between Hambletonian Oaks champion When Dovescry (post-two) for trainer Rene Allard and Kentucky Filly Futurity winner Beautiful Sin (post-eight) for trainer Ake Svanstedt. Those two will also have to deal with Millies Possesion (post-three), who has won 10 of 13 starts for trainer Jim Campbell.

The sophomore trotting fillies will clash in Races 2 and 3 on Saturday’s card.

A strong turnout of 15 older trotting mares will allow fans the opportunity to see several superstars in action during this weekend’s eliminations for the $325,000 (USD) Mare Trot.

Four-year-old Manchego storms into Woodbine Mohawk Park on a three-race win streak, highlighted by a World Record 1:49 victory in the Allerage. The Nancy Johansson trainee is a 24-time winner and captured the Breeders Crown at age two in 2017. She’ll line up from post-eight in Saturday’s second elimination.

A pair of two-time Crown champions will compete in the deep Mare Trot division.

Emoticon Hanover is going for a three-peat in the event after victories last year at Pocono and in 2017 at Hoosier. The Luc Blais trained six-year-old has won 24 of 68 career starts, hitting the board in 51 of those outings. She tackles Manchego from post-three in the second split.

Former Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover returns to the Mare Trot Crown division for the first time since 2016. The Ron Burke trained seven-year-old captured the Open Trot division in 2017 and the Mare Trot division in 2016. She is a 46-time winner with over $3.2 million (CAD) in career earnings.

Hannelore Hanover lines up from post-six in the first elimination, which also features local standout Dream Together (post-one), supplement entry Custom Cantab (post-three) and the Svanstedt duo of Darling Mearas S (post-two) and Plunge Blue Chip (post-seven).

The Mare Trot Breeders Crown eliminations have been carded as Races 6 and 9.

Harness Racing Heavyweights head straight to Crown Finals

A trio of events for older competitors will not require eliminations this weekend.

Foreign classic invitee Bold Eagle will star in the $500,000 (USD) Open Trot. The eight-year-old son of Ready Cash will take on 10 rivals in his North American debut, seeking to add a Crown title to his incredible legacy. Hall of Fame driver Brian Sears will steer the winner of over $5 million for trainer Sébastien Guarato.

France’s Bold Eagle is the first foreign classic winner to accept a Breeders Crown invitation since Commander Crowe in 2014, who won the Open Trot at The Meadowlands.

Four-year-old mare Atlanta has earned the confidence of her connections to take another crack at the boys in a classic event. The 2018 Hambletonian champion and winner of nearly $2 million will attempt to steal the attention of the trotting world from Bold Eagle and claim the Open Trot title for a 20th career victory.

This season’s highest earner in the Open Trot is Anette Lorentzon trainee Guardian Angel As, who scored the biggest victory of his career earlier this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The five-year-old stallion captured the Maple Leaf Trot on August 31 and most recently finished fourth in the Yonkers International Trot.

The Open Trot star power also includes World champion Six Pack, 2016 Hambletonian champion Marion Marauder and 2017 Breeders Crown champion Fiftydallarbill. The event is completed by Dunbar Hall, Mission Accepted, Southwind Chrome and Will Take Charge.

Reigning Horse of the Year McWicked is back to defend his title in the $500,000 (USD) Open Pace and is seeking a third Breeders Crown victory. The Casie Coleman trained eight-year-old went four years between Crown victories after winning at age three and again last season. McWicked enters off back-to-back victories in the Allerage and Rooney Invitational.

The ten-horse Open Pace field includes two former Little Brown Jug champions in Courtly Choice and Filibuster Hanover. Blake MacIntosh trained four-year-old Courtly Choice scored an upset win earlier this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park in the Canadian Pacing Derby.

Hometown favourite Jimmy Freight will make his Breeders Crown debut in the Open Pace. The five-year-old is a 21-time winner and has finished outside the top-five only once in 50 career starts.

The field for the pacing heavyweight clash is completed by Always a Prince, American History, Dorsoduro Hanover, Easy Lover Hanover, Geez Joe and This Is The Plan.

Shartin N returns to the $300,000 (USD) Mare Pace with eyes on a second-consecutive Breeders Crown victory. The six-year-old New Zealand bred has won 14 of 16 starts this season, frequently crushing her foes and earning much buzz as potential Horse of the Year. The Jim King Jr. trainee is undefeated in four starts at Woodbine Mohawk Park, sweeping the last two editions of the Roses Are Red.

While nearly flawless, Shartin N did taste defeat in her most recent start, finishing second to rival Caviart Ally in the Allerage at The Red Mile. The superstar mares finished in the opposite order in last year’s Crown event.

A five-year-old, Caviart Ally has seven wins and top-three finishes in all 16 starts this season. The Brett Pelling trainee captured her second-consecutive Milton Stakes last month at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The Mare Pace field also includes 2017 Breeders Crown champion Youaremycandygirl, and Dan Patch Award winner Kissin In The Sand. Bettors Up, Kaitlyn N and Kendall Seelster will also compete.

Elimination and Draw details set

Breeders Crown 2-year-old eliminations will be held Friday (October 18) and the sophomore and open divisions requiring eliminations will race Saturday (October 19). Elimination winners draw for inside post positions 1-5. Post positions will be drawn on Friday and Saturday after the elimination races, except for the 2-year-old Colt Pace, Crown Pace and Crown Trot. Those three events will be drawn at a Press Conference next Tuesday (October 22).

Post time for Friday’s (October 18) card is 7:50 p.m., while Saturday’s (October 19) post time is set for 7:10 p.m.

Following are the fields in post-position order for Friday’s $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

3-Year-Old Filly Trot Elimination 1 (Race 2) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Evident Beauty-David Miller-R. Nifty Norman 2-The Ice Dutchess-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson 3-Only Take Cash-Trevor Henry-Bob McIntosh 4-Seaside Bliss-James MacDonald-Paul Kelley 5-Grimmie Hanover-Corey Callahan-Jeff Cullipher 6-Golden Tricks-Andy Miller-Ake Svanstedt 7-Dark As A Pocket-Jody Jamieson-Mike Keeling 8-Winndevie-Brian Sears-Trond Smedshammer

3-Year-Old Filly Trot Elimination 2 (Race 3) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Sweet Chapter-Tim Tetrick-Blake MacIntosh 2-When Dovescry-Simon Allard-Rene Allard 3-Millies Possesion-Dexter Dunn-Jim Campbell 4-Miss Trixton-Brian Sears-Marcus Melander 5-Go Time-Mike Saftic-Allan McCoy 6-Cambridge Kate-Jody Jamieson-Stephanie Jamieson 7-Asiago-Tim Tetrick-Per Engblom 8-Beautiful Sin-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt

3-Year-Old Colt Trot Elimination (Race 5) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Chin Chin Hall-Peter Wrenn-R. Nifty Norman 2-Green Manalishi S-Tim Tetrick-Marcus Melander 3-Goes Down Smooth-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke 4-Gimpanzee-David Miller-Marcus Melander 5-Dont Letem-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson 6-Soul Strong-Dexter Dunn-Ake Svanstedt 7-Only For Justice-Chris Christoforou-Dany Fontaine 8-Super Schissel-Louis Philippe Roy-Per Engblom 9-Marseille-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt 10-Pilot Discretion-Andrew McCarthy-Tony Alagna

Mare Trot Elimination 1 (Race 6) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Dream Together-Bob McClure-Luc Blais 2-Darling Mearas S-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt 3-Custom Cantab-David Miller-Chris Beaver 4-Supergirl Riley-Simon Allard-Rene Allard 5-Top Expectations-Sylvain Filion-Ben Baillargeon 6-Hannelore Hanover-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 7-Plunge Blue Chip-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt

Mare Trot Elimination 2 (Race 9) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Ice Attraction-Andrew McCarthy-Ake Svanstedt 2-Hey Livvy-Trevor Henry-Jeff Gillis 3-Emoticon Hanover-Bob McClure-Luc Blais 4-Highland Top Hill-Doug McNair-Amanda Fine 5-Weslynn Dancer-Scott Zeron-Richard Banca 6-Royal Witch-Trevor Henry-Ben Baillargeon 7-P L Jill-Mario Baillargeon-Ben Baillargeon 8-Manchego-Dexter Dunn-Nancy Johansson

3-Year-Old Filly Pace Elimination (Race 8) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Ideation Hanover-James MacDonald-Dave Menary 2-Stonebridge Soul-Tim Tetrick-Chris Ryder 3-Bestseller Hanover-Scott Zeron-Scott Blackler 4-Philly Hanover-Brian Sears-Ron Coyne 5-Tall Drink Hanover-Andrew McCarthy-Tony Alagna 6-Warrawee Ubeaut-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 7-Sylph Hanover-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke 8-Queen Of The Pride-Brian Sears-Kevin Lare 9-Boadicea-Jonathan Drury-Bill Budd 10-Beautyonthebeach-Doug McNair-Gregg McNair

3-Year-Old Colt Pace Elimination 1 (Race 10) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Century Farroh-Sylvain Filion-Dr. Ian Moore 2-Captain Crunch-Scott Zeron-Nancy Johansson 3-Dancin Lou-Dexter Dunn-Tahnee Camilleri 4-Air Force Hanover-Simon Allard-Rene Allard 5-Fixed Idea-Randy Waples-Todd Clements 6-Semi Tough-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke 7-Stag Party-Doug McNair-Casie Coleman 8-Best In Show-Bob McClure-Linda Toscano

3-Year-Old Colt Pace Elimination #2 (Race 11) PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer 1-Bettors Wish-Dexter Dunn-Chris Ryder 2-De Los Cielos Deo-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke 3-Southwind Ozzi-Brian Sears-Bill MacKenzie 4-Bronx Seelster-Simon Allard-Rene Allard 5-Covered Bridge-James MacDonald-Blake MacIntosh 6-Blood Money-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson 7-Cant Beach That-David Miller-Brett Pelling

For more information go to www.Hambletonian.com or https://woodbine.com/mohawk/events/breeders-crown/.

MILTON, October 15, 2019 – Filly pacer Lyons Sentinel, this season’s richest 2-year-old, as well as undefeated divisional money-leaders Tall Dark Stranger, Real Cool Sam, and Hypnotic AM were among 63 freshmen entered Tuesday for the $6 million Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Eliminations for the 2-year-olds, which are necessary in all four divisions and go for a purse of $25,000 each, are Friday at Mohawk. Post time for Friday’s first race is 7:50 p.m. (EDT). The $600,000 finals for 2-year-olds will be Oct. 25 at Mohawk, with an early 7 p.m. post time.

Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-olds and up are Saturday at Mohawk.

Elimination winners, in an order determined by lot, draw for post positions one through five for the finals. The draws for the 2-year-old finals, except for the colt-and-gelding pace, will be conducted Friday following the eliminations. The draw for the colt-and-gelding pace will be Tuesday at the post-position draw and press conference at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Twelve horses were entered for the 2-year-old colt-and-gelding pace, with the connections of Capt Midnight and Catch The Fire accepting earnings-based byes to advance directly to the final. The top eight finishers from the remaining 10-horse elimination will join those two in the final.

Capt Midnight, by Captaintreacherous, has won multiple Grand Circuit stakes for trainer Tony Alagna. Catch The Fire, also by Captaintreacherous and trained by John Ackley, is a Kentucky Sire Stakes champion.

The connections of Tall Dark Stranger and Papi Rob Hanover declined a bye.

Tall Dark Stranger is unbeaten in seven starts for trainer Nancy Johansson, with his wins including the Metro Pace at Mohawk. A son of Bettor’s Delight, the colt has earned $411,265 this season. He starts the elim from post four.

Papi Rob Hanover, trained by Brett Pelling, counts the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship among his three wins in eight starts. The son of Somebeachsomewhere finished second in the Metro and has earned $315,358. He leaves from post six.

Thirteen horses were entered for the 2-year-old colt-and-gelding trot, with the connections of Real Cool Sam, Port Perry, and Capricornus accepting byes to advance directly to the final. The top seven finishers from the remaining 10-horse field will join that trio next week.

Real Cool Sam, the Peter Haughton Memorial and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, is unbeaten in nine races. Trained by Jim Campbell, the son of Muscle Hill has earned $454,575. Ontario Sire Stakes final runner-up Port Perry, a son of Kadabra, has earned $224,090 for trainer Luc Blais while William Wellwood Memorial runner-up Capricornus, by Cantab Hall, has earned $192,885 for trainer Marcus Melander.

Two-time Grand Circuit-winner Amigo Volo, a son of Father Patrick trained by Richard “Nifty” Norman and Carter Pinske, will start the elimination from post three. New York Sire Stakes champion Third Shift, a son of Chapter Seven, leaves from post one for Ake Svanstedt. Ontario Sire Stakes champ Moon Bridge, a son of E L Titan also from Svanstedt’s stable, starts from post seven.

Twenty-one 2-year-old filly pacers entered the Breeders Crown, requiring three eliminations. The top three finishers from each elimination plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest earnings as calculated by Standardbred Canada advance to the final.

Lyons Sentinel, a daughter of Captaintreacherous trained by Jim King Jr., is in the third elim. She has won seven of 10 races this year and finished no worse than second in any start, earning $519,255. She brings a six-race win streak to her Breeders Crown elimination, with her victories including the She’s A Great Lady at Mohawk and the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship.

Ontario Sire Stakes champion Alicorn, trained by Chantel Mitchell, is in the second elimination while the first elim includes Indiana Sire Stakes champ Priceless, from the stable of Brandon Bates.

Seventeen 2-year-old filly trotters were divided into two eliminations, with James Doherty Memorial and New York Sire Stakes champion Hypnotic AM in the first. Hypnotic AM, by Chapter Seven, has won all seven of her races this season and earned $386,457 for trainer Marcus Melander. Also in the first elim is Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Sister Sledge, trained by Ron Burke.

The second elimination includes Peaceful Way winner Dip Me Hanover, trained by Linda Toscano, and multiple Grand Circuit winner Sherry Lyns Lady, trained by Jim Campbell. The top five finishers from each elimination advance to the final.

Following are the fields in post-position order for Friday’s $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT

Elimination 1 (Race 1)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Madame Sherry-Tim Tetrick-Jim Campbell

2-Shishito-Dexter Dunn-Per Engblom

3-Winter Olympics-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt

4-Sister Sledge-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke

5-Whose Blues-Bob McClure-Luc Blais

6-Hypnotic AM-Brian Sears-Marcus Melander

7-Globetrotting-Anthony MacDonald-Jason McGinnis

8-Violet Stride-Tyler Buter-Mark Harder

Elimination 2 (Race 3)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Tricky Sister-Dan Dube-Andrew Harris

2-Crucial-Chris Page-Ron Burke

3-Jula Shes Magic-Jody Jamieson-Susanne Kerwood

4-Romona Hill-Andy McCarthy-Tony Alagna

5-Dip Me Hanover-David Miller-Linda Toscano

6-Wine Rack Hanover-Sylvain Filion-R. Nifty Norman

7-Sherry Lyns Lady-Tim Tetrick-Jim Campbell

8-Ms Savannah Belle-Yannick Gingras-Per Engblom

9-May Baby-James Yoder-James Yoder

2-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING TROT

Single Elimination (Race 2)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Third Shift-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt

2-Synergy-Yannick Gingras-Per Engblom

3-Amigo Volo-Dexter Dunn-R. Nifty Norman

4-Rome Pays Off-Tim Tetrick-Marcus Melander

5-Back Of The Neck-Brian Sears-Marcus Melander

6-Chestnut Hill-Tim Tetrick-R. Nifty Norman

7-Moon Bridge-Dexter Dunn-Ake Svanstedt

8-Beads-Paul MacDonell-John Bax

9-Blue Cupertino-Doug McNair-Gregg McNair

10-Horse Trader-Trevor Henry-Paul Walker

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE

Elimination 1 (Race 4)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Baby Your The Best-David Miller-Linda Toscano

2-Peaky Sneaky-Dexter Dunn-Nancy Johansson

3-Sound Idea-Chris Christoforou-John Balzer

4-Gai Waterhouse-Yannick Gingras-Domenico Cecere

5-Priceless-Brandon Bates-Brandon Bates

6-Reflect With Me-Andy McCarthy-Tony Alagna

7-Merga Hanover-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE

Elimination 2 (Race 6)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Keystone Kalimba-Jody Jamieson-Dave Menary

2-New Year-Corey Callahan-Ross Croghan

3-Shouldabeenatd-David Miller-Ron Burke

4-Alexa Skye-Dexter Dunn-Ian Moore

5-Alicorn-Louis Roy-Chantal Mitchell

6-Off The Press-Yannick Gingras-Paul Reid

7-Lady Lou-Andy McCarthy-Tony Alagna

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE

Elimination 3 (Race 8)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Somebeachsometime-Jody Jamieson-Dave Menary

2-JK First Lady-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson

3-Marloe Hanover-Dexter Dunn-R. Nifty Norman

4-The Bethinator-Andy Miller-Julie Miller

5-Looksgoodinaromper-Chris Page-Ron Burke

6-Lyons Sentinel-Tim Tetrick-Jim King Jr.

7-Betalady-Jody Jamieson-Susanne Kerwood

2-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING PACE

Single Elimination (Race 10)

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer

1-Mayhem Hanover-Doug McNair-Gregg McNair

2-Team Best-David Miller-Blake MacIntosh

3-Seeyou At Thebeach-Tim Tetrick-Brian Brown

4-Tall Dark Stranger-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson

5-Cattlewash-Louis Roy-Ron Burke

6-Papi Rob Hanover-David Miller-Brett Pelling

7-Freedom Warrior-Brian Sears-Kevin Lare

8-Put To Right-Andy McCarthy-Tony Alagna

9-Major Betts-Dexter Dunn-Mark Harder

10-Allywag Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Casie Coleman

For more information go to www.Hambletonian.com or https://woodbine.com/mohawk/events/breeders-crown/.

Cranbury, NJ --- The wide-open sophomore pacing colt landscape and a sparkling performance in the Ontario Sire Stake 3-year-old filly pace Super Final triggered three supplements to those respective divisions. Trotting mare Custom Cantab will also start in the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot via the supplemental entry route.

Today at noon was also the deadline for world champion Bold Eagle, the lone foreign classic invitee to declare, and his connections have entered him in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot for Saturday, Oct. 26.

The connections of Century Farroh and Southwind Ozzi each anted up $62,500 to enter the $500,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Pace, as did the owners of filly pacer Boadicea.

Southwind Ozzi has staked a claim to divisional leadership with a seasonal bankroll of $804,435 and recent wins in the Little Brown Jug and Adios. The son of Crown champion Somebeachsomewhere was recently beaten a head Lexington by Dancin Lou in 1:49.4, but a qualifier at Freehold in 1:56.2 satisfied trainer Bill MacKenzie that a supplement was justified.

“He was just fine,” stated MacKenzie, who trains for owners Vincent Ali Jr. and Alma Iafelice, when he dropped off the check after the qualifier at Freehold Raceway. “Basically a training mile.”

Century Farroh, who has raced primarily in Ontario, and like Southwind Ozzi did not race in the Breeders Crown as a 2-year-old, has also racked up an impressive record for trainer Ian Moore and owners the Ratchford Stable NS. Though he was third beaten a length in his last start, the Ontario Sire Stake Super Final, which saw a mad dash to the wire and an upset win by B Stoney, Century Farroh has picked up $573,570 this year and certainly earned a start in his divisional Crown event.

Boadicea, a sophomore daughter of Crown champion Big Jim, crushed foes with a 1:49.2 mile in her Ontario final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday. Her record of 11 wins in 18 starts and her sharp recent form for trainer Bill Budd and an exuberant group of Lawrence Stable owners saw her supplemented for $62,500 to the $500,000 3-Year-Old Filly Pace. She will face defending divisional and Crown champion Warrawee Ubeaut among others.

Custom Cantab, a 4-year old daughter of Mr Cantab, surged past the million-dollar earnings mark for trainer Chris Beaver with a second-place finish in the $250,000 Harry Harvey Trot to male trotter Mission Accepted. Her ownership of Beaver, Robinson and RBH Ventures will pay $31,250 to start in the $300,000 Mare Trot.

Last, but the farthest from least, is foreign invitee Bold Eagle. The 8-year-old son of Ready Cash-Reethi Rah Jet has won 45 times against the toughest of European competition and banked more than $5 million. He has been invited three times to the Breeders Crown, and his racing schedule and the travel conditions finally aligned for Bold Eagle to ship to Canada for the Crown. He is the first foreign classic winner to accept an invitation since Commander Crowe came triumphantly to the Meadowlands in 2014.

Foreign invitees must make up the same schedule of payments as eligible horses and pay the starting fee, but advance directly to the final if there are eliminations, and are placed in the open post position draw. With current driver Bjorn Goop unavailable due to a racing conflict, Hall of Famer Brian Sears has been tapped to drive the European champion.

Regular entries for all eligible Breeders Crown trotters and pacers are due by 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Woodbine Mohawk Park race office.

The contestants for the 12 Breeders Crown finals will be determined through elimination races, if needed, this Friday and Saturday nights at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Eliminations for all 2-year-old events will be raced on Friday (post time 7:50 p.m.) and eliminations for all 3-year-old and up events will be Saturday (post time 7:10 p.m.).

Elimination winners, in an order determined by lot, draw for inside post positions 1-5 for the finals.

The $6 million Breeders Crown finals will be raced on Friday, Oct. 25 (all 2-year-olds) and Saturday, Oct. 26, (3-year-olds and up) with an early post time of 7 p.m. [EDT] both nights.

For more information go to www.Hambletonian.com or https://woodbine.com/mohawk/events/breeders-crown/.

LEXINGTON, October 2, 2019 – The breeding auction to raise funds for the 2019 Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, presented by Woodbine Entertainment and Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, was held Wednesday evening at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Lexington, Kentucky.

A total of $205,000 was raised for the Charity Challenge through the sale of seven 2020 season breedings to harness racing’s most notable stallions. A breeding to Muscle Hill brought the highest total, selling for $45,000.

Below is list of each breeding auctioned off to raise money for the Charity Challenge:

Always B Miki - $12,000

Captaintreacherous - $36,000

Chapter Seven - $42,000

Father Patrick - $33,000

Muscle Hill - $45,000

Sweet Lou - $15,000

Tactical Landing - $22,000

All the funds raised from the auction will go towards charity to become the single-largest donation by Woodbine Cares.

The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge features four teams consisting of a celebrity, a charity of their choosing and an award-winning three-year-old Standardbred. Each charity is receiving one per cent of their horse’s earnings from June 1, 2019 through October 26, 2019.

The challenge portion of the initiative features the teams competing to garner the most votes in a Facebook poll. The poll will close on October 26, 2019 and the team with the most votes will receive the largest portion of the funds raised in Wednesday’s breeding auction. Votes can be submitted by visiting www.BCCharityChallenge.com.

The four teams for the Charity Challenge are listed below:

Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons – Warrawee Ubeaut – Pinball Clemons Foundation

Kim MacDonald – Woodside Charm – Breast Cancer Society of Canada

Eddie Olczyk – Gimpanzee – Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation

Dan Pleasac – Captain Crunch – Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society

Each charity is guaranteed to receive a minimum of $5,000.

The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge would not be possible without the support and generosity of the following individuals and groups:

Captaintreacherous

The Captaintreacherous Syndicate, Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Hanover Shoe Farms

Always B Miki, Father Patrick & Sweet Lou

Adam Bowden, Diamond Creek Farms

Muscle Hill

Michael Klau, Southwind Farms

Chapter Seven

Tom Grossman, Bluechip Farms

Tactical Landing

Kevin Greenfield, Southwind Farms

Gimpanzee

Courant Inc, S R F Stable, Marcus Melander:

Warrawee Ubeaut

Burke Racing Stable, Phillip Collura, J & T Silva Purnel & Libb, Weaver Bruscemi

Captain Crunch

3 Brothers Stables, Christina Takter, Rojan Stables, Caviart Farms, Nancy Johansson

Woodside Charm

Verlin Yoder

Breeders Crown Divisions Enjoy Purse Hikes;

Two-Year-Old Purses Raised to $600,000

The Hambletonian Society, which owns and administers the $6 million Breeders Crown series, will raise the purses on seven of the 12 divisions of the Breeders Crown championship races to held at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Oct. 25 & 26.

“In recent years the Breeders Crown program has enjoyed support on all fronts – from breeders, owners, trainers and stallion nominators, and we always strive to keep our purse levels high while maintaining the future stability of the program,” said John Campbell, president of the Hambletonian Society.

“It’s important to give owners return on their stake payments, particularly for the two-year-old divisions, as quickly as possible.”

For the fifth straight year the two-year-old Breeders Crown events will be raised to $600,000, making them among the richest offered for the age group in North America.

An additional $50,000 will be added to each of the mare events and $100,000 to the open pace. The Breeders Crown Mare Trot and Pace will now race for $300,000 each and the Breeders Crown Pace for $500,000. The Crown Trot and all four sophomore divisions remain at $500,000.

The Society has a mission statement incumbent on supporting and promoting the breeding of Standardbred horses, and raising two-year-old purses shows provides immediate benefit to breeders, owners and yearling buyers.

The 2019 Breeders Crown will take place over two nights in October, with the host track of Woodbine Mohawk Park creating a festive weekend of events surrounding the races. The parent group, Woodbine Entertainment Group, has hosted more Breeders Crowns from 1984 to the present than any other entity, with one at Greenwood, 91 at Woodbine and 64 at Mohawk.

Eliminations for 2-year-old races will be held Friday, Oct. 18, while 3-year-old and older eliminations will race Saturday, Oct. 19.

The freshmen Breeders Crown finals take place Friday, Oct. 25 and the eight three-year-old and up events are set for Saturday, Oct. 26

Harness Racing’s Championship Series Presented by Woodbine Mohawk Park

Twelve Events • $6.5 Million Estimated in Purses

Friday, October 25

$600,000 BREEDERS CROWN 2YO COLT TROT

$600,000 BREEDERS CROWN 2YO FILLY TROT

$600,000 BREEDERS CROWN 2YO COLT PACE

$600,000 BREEDERS CROWN 2YO FILLY PACE

Saturday, October 26

$300,000 BREEDERS CROWN MARE TROT

$300,000 BREEDERS CROWN MARE PACE

$500,000 BREEDERS CROWN 3YO FILLY TROT

$500,000 BREEDERS CROWN 3YO COLT TROT

$500,000 BREEDERS CROWN TROT

$500,000 BREEDERS CROWN PACE

$500,000 BREEDERS CROWN 3YO FILLY PACE

$500,000 BREEDERS CROWN 3YO COLT PACE

MILTON, ON – Undefeated rookie Tall Dark Stranger established a new stakes record with a 1:49.1 victory in Saturday’s $750,000 Metro Pace.

The son of Bettors Delight angled from the two-hole and cruised home in :27, giving his driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Johansson each their first victory in harness racing’s richest race for two-year-olds.

“He’s just a great colt,” said Johansson. “He looked strong the whole way and still had his plugs in at the wire. If they were coming harder at him I think he still had some left in the tank.”

Tall Dark Stranger left from post-four and circled around Easi Hanover, who blasted from the outside, to lead at the opening-quarter in :27. Race-favourite Capt Midnight moved out from third and went after the lead racing up the backstretch, getting stretched out by Tall Dark Stranger before clearing after a :54.1 half.

Capt Midnight carried the lead around the far turn with Tall Dark Stranger and Gingras angling from the two-hole ahead of the three-quarter pole. Ys Mathis was first-up, three-lengths from the lead, with Papi Rob Hanover on his back. The three-quarter time was 1:22.

In the stretch, Tall Dark Stranger powered by Capt Midnight to a clear lead with an eighth of a mile to go. Papi Rob Hanover made things interesting late, ultimately coming up half a length short to a steady Tall Dark Stranger. Capt Midnight finished third, while Seeyou At Thebeach was fourth.

Tall Dark Stranger grinded away to narrowly defeated Papi Rob Hanover in last week’s elimination. Gingras felt that performance made a big impact on the colt.

“(Last week) it took him a long time in the stretch, but today I stretched the other colt and in the last turn he knew what it was about this time,” said Gingras. “When I came out of the two-hole he went right by Capt Midnight and that was without even me asking him at that point.

“He’s got some learning to do, but he’s got all the tools to be a great one.”

Tall Dark Stranger is owned by Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms and Howard Taylor. The son of Bettors Delight is now six for six with $499,533 earned after being purchased for $330,000 at last October’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

The clocking of 1:49.1 shaved a fifth of a second off the previous stakes record set by Sportswriter in 2009. It also matches the track record set by A Rocknroll Dance in 2011.

Gingras and Johansson can now scratch the Metro Pace off their bucket list, as the duo teamed up in the 2011 edition to finish second with Western Vintage.

Johansson’s victory with Tall Dark Stranger gives her a sweep of Mohawk Park’s two richest races of the season, as she captured the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup in June with Captain Crunch.

“Not bad for a girl born in Sweden,” laughed Johansson. “I’m very lucky that I have owners that support me with great horses and makes my job a lot easier having the material to perform at the highest level.”

Tall Dark Stranger paid $5.40 to win.

MILTON, ON – Caviart Ally defended her Milton Stakes title with a stakes record 1:48.3 victory in Saturday’s $250,000 event at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The five-year-old pacing mare shot to the front for driver Andrew McCarthy and never looked back, pacing a :53.3 back-half to secure her second Milton Stakes victory.

“I knew in the post parade she was going to be good,” said McCarthy of Caviart Ally. “She usually tells me and she was very focused and had her mind on the job.”

A model of consistency, Caviart Ally started from post-eight in the nine-horse field and went off at odds of 4/1. She posted opening fractions of :26.4 and :55, before race-favourite Youaremycandygirl started first-up from fourth.

McCarthy stomped on the gas pedal in the third-quarter, posting a :26.3 split. The duo proceeded to say goodnight to their rivals and sprinted home in :27 to win by a length and three-quarters. Kissin In The Sand finished second, while Seaswift Joy N and Apple Bottom Jeans completed the Superfecta. Youaremycandygirl finished eighth.

Owned by Caviart Farms, Caviart Ally joined the barn of trainer Pelling this season after former trainer Noel Daley returned to his home-country of Australia.

“She’s so consistent,” said Pelling, noting he was confident when his mare turned for home with the lead. “I just didn’t think coming first-up on her and it was the favourite first-up and I said ‘that’s a big ask’ and I was pretty confident. He hadn’t pulled the plugs and I thought she was doing it tonight.”

Caviart Ally is now six for 15 this season and has hit the board in every start. Her 22nd career victory gives her $432,064 earned this season, bringing her career earnings to $1.5 million for Caviart Farms.

A $2 win ticket on Caviart Ally returned $10.70.

MILTON, ON – Lyons Sentinel entered the Canadian harness racing record books with a stunning 1:49.3 victory in Saturday’s $540,000 Shes A Great Lady for two-year-old pacing fillies.

The daughter of Captaintreacherous converted off a two-hole trip to win for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King Jr. in a Stakes, Track and Canadian Record time.

“She’s done things we didn’t think could be done,” said King Jr. post-race. “About time she walked in my barn I could tell she was really special.”

The $540,000 contest carried the storyline of a showdown between impressive elimination winners Alicorn and Lyons Sentinel. The fillies didn’t disappoint, sitting one-two from start to finish.

Alicorn and driver Louis Philippe Roy blasted from post-five and hung up an opening-quarter of :26.4, while Lyons Sentinel followed in second. Reflect With Me got away third and hugged the rail for most of the mile.

After a second-quarter breather of :28.4, Alicorn faced pressure from Somebeachsometime, who had been parked every step of the mile after starting from post-nine. Peaky Sneaky failed to stay with the first-up challenger while in a second-over position, which left room for Tetrick to slide off the rail at three-quarters with Lyons Sentinel.

Alicorn went into sprint mode after reaching three-quarters in 1:23.1, but Lyons Sentinel was too much to handle. The King Jr. trainee stormed by powerfully in :26 to win by half a length. Alicorn finished second, while Reflect With Me couldn’t find room up the rail in the stretch and settled for third over JK First Lady.

“I just didn’t want to give Roy too much space,” said Tetrick. “I didn’t want to give him three or four lengths and get the half cheap and take off from me, so I put her on the back and I took a chance of getting locked in, but it all worked out.”

A $55,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase, Lyons Sentinel has stamped herself as harness racing’s top two-year-old pacing filly for owners Threelyonsracing. The Captaintreacherous filly has now won five in a row and is six for nine on the season with $562,330 earned.

Lyons Sentinel’s record mile broke the previous Canadian record of 1:50.1, which she matched in last week’s elimination. The now-fastest two-year-old filly in Canadian racing history returned $3.40 for a $2 win ticket.

MILTON, September 14, 2019 – Green Manalishi S and driver Tim Tetrick went to the front and never looked back to capture the $605,000 Canadian Trotting Classic on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The Marcus Melander trainee held off a late push from Pilot Discretion to win Woodbine’s marquee event for three-year-old trotters by half a length in 1:52.4. Tetrick becomes the winningest driver in the history of the Canadian Trotting Classic with now four titles to his name.

“That’s a big honour,” said Tetrick of claiming the Canadian Trotting Classic wins record. “It just kind of fell into place and worked out really good.”

Tetrick’s previous three victories in the Canadian Trotting Classic came with Crystal Fashion (2018), Bar Hopping (2016) and Market Share (2012).

Green Manalishi S, who went off as the 6/5 favourite, shot to the top from post-four and led the field by the opening-quarter in :27.2. After an easy :29 second-quarter, Tetrick ramped up the tempo with the son of Muscle Hill to trot a :27.3 third-quarter.

Swandre The Giant raced in the two-hole, but made a break going to three-quarters. Hambletonian winner Forbidden Trade moved out from third entering the final turn and was nearly fourth-lengths behind Green Manalishi S turning for home. Goodtimes winner Pilot Discretion followed the moves of Forbidden Trade to sit third at the three-quarter pole.

In the stretch, Green Manalishi S had close to three-lengths on his rivals with an eighth of a mile to go. The push to the finish line saw the lead shrink with Pilot Discretion closing in, ultimately coming up half a length short.

“I wanted to get out of there and either sit really close or go ahead and cut it, but I didn’t want to have to work too hard to do it,” said Tetrick of his strategy. “I wanted him to feel really brave going down the backside and I went a little faster in the third-quarter to get a little separation on them and down by the wire it was getting close, but my horse held on good and he never wins by too many.”

Forbidden Trade finished third, but was placed back to fifth for causing interference in deep stretch to Only For Justice. Smart As Hill was moved up from fourth to third, while Only For Justice entered the Superfecta going from fifth to fourth.

Owned by Courant Inc, Green Manalishi S improved to four for four in starts at Mohawk Park. The Melander trainee becomes the first horse since Father Patrick in 2014 to win the Wellwood Memorial and Canadian Trotting Classic in consecutive seasons.

“This horse has kind of been in the shadow of Greenshoe and Gimpanzee,” said Tetrick of Green Manalishi S status among Melander’s stable stars. “He’s done really well and he’s made money and won an elimination of the Hambletonian. He’s a very qualified horse.”

Green Manalishi S is now five for nine this season with $688,226 earned. The Canadian Trotting Classic victory is the 10th career visit to the winner’s circle for the son of Muscle Hill and pushes his career earnings over the million-dollar plateau to $1.2 million.

A $2 win ticket on Green Manalishi S returned $4.60.

MILTON, September 14, 2019 – Evident Beauty overcame a post-ten starting spot to score a 9/1 upset victory in Saturday night’s Elegantimage at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman and capitalized off a great steer from driver David Miller to rally from third-over at the head of the lane for a 1:53 victory in the $376,000 event for three-year-old trotting fillies.

“I thought I better got forward with her some and it actually worked out great,” said Miller. “They were working pretty hard up front and I felt pretty good in the last turn.”

Evident Beauty left from post-ten and got away seventh, while an early lead shuffle settled with The Ice Dutchess leading the field up to the half in :55.3. When Dovescry came first up on the far turn, providing cover for Only Take Cash and Evident Beauty.

The three-quarter time popped up 1:24.1 with The Ice Dutchess surrendering the lead to the outside pressure.

When Dovescry moved to the lead momentarily, but Only Take Cash muscled by her with victory in her sights. However, Evident Beauty was full of the most trot and powered by on the far outside for a half-length victory. Only Take Cash was second, while When Dovescry was third and Princess Deo fourth.

Evident Beauty made a costly break in last week’s Simcoe Stakes and entered the Elegantimage with miscues in two of her last four starts. Miller noted a solution the connections came up with that may have played a role in the victory.

“We really can’t figure out why she’s doing that, but we watched her Hambletonian Oaks replay and last week’s and every time I pull the ear plugs she takes off running,” explained Miller. “Tonight they didn’t put a string on there.”

A daughter of Trixton, Evident Beauty improved to six for 11 on the season with her ninth career victory. She now has $753,463 earned for owners Mel Hartman, Little E LLC and R A W Equine Inc.

Evident Beauty paid $21.40 to win.

MILTON, September 14, 2019 – Dip Me Hanover powered to a 1:55.2 victory in Saturday evening’s $405,000 Peaceful Way Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The Linda Toscano trainee and driver David Miller angled out from third on the final turn and wore down rival Hello Tomorrow in the stretch to capture the rich event for two-year-old trotting fillies.

“Coming first up on Hello Tomorrow that was a big challenge and she stood up to it there,” said Miller following Dip Me Hanover’s victory. “They had her really sharp and she just raced great.”

Hello Tomorrow left quickly from an outside post-nine and cleared to the lead shortly after hitting the opening-quarter in :28.2. Elimination winners Panem and Dip Me Hanover sat second and third throughout, as the leader reached the middle-half stations in :57.4 and 1:26.2.

Dip Me Hanover slid out from third to attack first-up heading to three-quarters and sat just under two-lengths from the lead turning for home.

The stretch drive saw Hello Tomorrow battle tough in an attempt to hold the lead, but Dip Me Hanover moved by in the final-eighth to win by a length. P L Notsonice came from fifth to grab third, while Panem was fourth.

A $52,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase, Dip Me Hanover now sports a record of two wins and $237,016 earned in eight starts for owners Camelot Stable Inc, Dreamville Stable and Randi Farms LLC. The daughter of Father Patrick had entered last week’s elimination as a maiden.

“She was a little high strung, so we spent a lot of time kind of getting her quiet and taking her back,” said Toscano. “She’s been just waiting for a good post and it came along last week and David (Miller) took it from there.”

A $2 win ticket on the Toscano trained Dip Me Hanover returned $4.90.

MILTON, September 14, 2019 – Hp Royal Theo came off the final turn three-wide and stormed by rivals to win the $370,000 William Wellwood Memorial for two-year-old trotters on Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The Ben Baillargeon trained Hp Royal Theo and driver Louis Philippe Roy flipped the script after a narrow loss in last week’s elimination to defeat elimination winner Capricornus by a length and three-quarters in a career-best 1:54.2.

The opening-quarter of the race saw fireworks with several leavers, including Port Perry and Beyond Kronos from near the outside of the gate. Beyond Kronos claimed the top spot at an opening-quarter of :27.2, while Port Perry sat second with elimination winner Back Of The Neck right behind and Nylander left parked.

Beyond Kronos led the field up to the half in :56.1. Hp Royal Theo moved out from mid-pack to sit second-over behind Nylander, while Capricornus sat on the eventual winner’s back.

The third-station was reached in 1:25.2 with Beyond Kronos creating separation to lead by two-lengths. Nylander began to fade approaching three-quarters, forcing Roy to go three-wide with Hp Royal Theo.

In the stretch, Hp Royal Theo found his best stride and muscled by rivals with a :28.2 last-quarter for the victory. Changing roles from last week, Capricornus couldn’t track down his rival and finished second. Back Of The Neck was third, while Port Perry was fourth. Beyond Kronos dropped back to finish sixth.

“He’s a freak, I call him the freak,” said Baillargeon of Hp Royal Theo. “He doesn’t mind fighting. His first qualifier he went :28 the first-quarter and :28 the last-quarter, the speed was always there we just had to manage him. Now he’s controlled it and we’re going to try to keep it that way.”

A son of Royalty For Life, Hp Royal Theo was bred by Claude Hamel, who shares ownership of the gelding with Michel Damphousse. The rookie moved into the barn of trainer Baillargeon following his qualifying debut with original trainer Jean Tourigny.

“Jean Tourigny did all the ground work and after that we had to work a few quirks he had,” said Baillargeon, who also gave credit to his trotter’s drivers. “He was a little aggressive, but between Sylvain (Filion) and Louis (Roy) we got it done and now we have a great horse.”

Hp Royal Theo is now two for six with $227,600 earned and returned $15.40 to win.