Post-Race Media

Columbus, OH — Elimination winner Dandy Ideal vindicated himself from a defeat in last year’s Breeders Crown and kept digging on the coals of hot fractions to seize the $662,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown Open Pace final in a track-record-equaling 1:47.3 mile on Saturday night (Oct. 24) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Driver Tim Tetrick landed into fourth out of post 3 with Dandy Ideal as 49-1 shot Surreal Ideal (driven by Brett Miller) barreled out of post 8 to snatch the lead into the first turn. Best Chip (Jason Bartlett) also pushed out and soon looped to the lead after a :25.4 first quarter while Tetrick then swung off the pylons to procure an outside lane. Women Layer (Yannick Gingras), the other elimination winner, then flushed off the cones from third and marched first-up to challenge for the lead into a :53.2 half.

Best Chip fought to hold his ground against Women Layer on the backstretch, but Women Layer put him away and crossed to the lead nearing three-quarters in 1:19.4, leaving Dandy Ideal to press uncovered. Dandy Ideal clawed toward Women Layer through the last turn and drew to equal terms in the stretch before inching by in the final strides to win by a quarter length. Calicojack Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) flew from a ground-saving mid-pack trip for second with Women Layer taking third and Best Chip settling for fourth.

“There was speed off the gate and they were rocking,” Tetrick said. “Best Chip was doing his best work on the front. We got a good trip, and we needed all of it. It was definitely a horse race. He’s just a winner. He’s got a big heart and he tries hard, and the connections had him ready. Good horses, they pull through. I was super impressed with him last week off that long layoff and he still got the job done. Today we got the same kind of trip and he needed it, but it doesn’t say that on the paycheck.”

Dandy Ideal equaled the track record for 4-year-old pacing geldings with the win, a record coincidentally set by third-place finisher Women Layer when he won an Open Pace back on Aug. 9 of this year. The son of American Ideal-OK Heavenly was denied a Breeders Crown win last year by a neck at Woodbine Mohawk Park to Sippinonsearoc after winning his elimination for the 3-Year-Old Colt Pace.

Brett Pelling trains Dandy Ideal for owners Susan Oakes and Alan Johnston. The gelding, bred by Stephen Dey III and Dandy Farms Inc., won his seventh race from 12 starts this season and his 23rd race from 41 starts in his career, accruing $1.67 million in earnings. He also gave Pelling, who scored two Breeders Crown trophies this year, his third win in the Open Pace and his first since taking the 2000 edition with Western Ideal at The Meadowlands. Tim Tetrick, winning his first Breeders Crown trophy of the year, won for the second time in this division after taking the 2007 edition with Artistic Fella. Pelling and Tetrick also teamed for their first Breeders Crown win together since winning the 2023 3-Year-Old Colt Pace with Dan Patch Horse of the Year Confederate.

“They’re so hard to win,” Tetrick said about the Breeders Crown. “You could have the best horse and not get a check, so it’s always good to not get shut out. I was hoping I didn’t get skunked. I hadn’t been very good up to here, a couple horses raced OK, a couple didn’t. I’m just happy to be a part of the Breeders Crown. It’s a great facility and I’m glad Scioto was a big sponsor for it. Hopefully we can come back soon.”

Sent the betting favorite, Dandy Ideal paid $6.60 to win.

Columbus, Ohio – Brandon Blvd stamped himself as the top 3-year-old pacing colt in harness racing on Saturday night (Oct. 24), winning the $664,500 Grade 1 Breeders Crown final for sophomore male pacers by 1-1/4 lengths over Al Papi in 1:48 at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Things heated up quickly in the race when Melillo (driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), Brandon Blvd (Dexter Dunn) and Al Papi (Yannick Gingras) left alertly. Melillo was able to secure the lead entering the first turn but felt immediate pressure from Al Papi. The latter tried to save ground but was locked out of a hole by Brandon Blvd.

Al Papi and Brandon Blvd began to attack Melillo through a :26.4 opening quarter. By the stands for the first time, Al Papi had worked his way to the lead, but Brandon Blvd powered past as the field approached a :54.2 half.

Entering the backstretch, Wrenn pulled Melillo and dueled with Brandon Blvd. The pair were noses apart until the three-quarters in 1:21.1, when Brandon Blvd kicked clear.

Last week in the eliminations, Melillo had the upper hand on Brandon Blvd, but this week it was reversed.

Gentleman’s Club (Andrew McCarthy) came off cover three-wide around the final turn, and Al Papi tried to surge late, but Brandon Blvd proved to be the strongest, with his winning time of 1:48 establishing a divisional track record. Al Papi was followed by North America Cup champion Odds On Mr Mamba (James MacDonald), who rallied to finish third.

“Once he gets to the lead, they’ll never go by him,” said winning trainer Andrew Harris. “He’s all heart and wants it more than anyone else.”

The colt, a son of Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith, pushed his career earnings to $1.9 million with his 17th win in 24 races. His ownership group, Punisher 11, which consists of Bruce Areman, Andrew Harris and William Pollock, was named in honor of Pollock’s success as a major slow-pitch softball player; The Punisher was his nickname and 11 was his number.

This win is the cherry on top of a season that included victories in the Meadowlands Pace (G1), Max C. Hempt Memorial (G2), and Paul Revere Pace, Somebeachsomewhere and Bluegrass (all G3). He also won the Kentucky Championship Series final and finished second in the North America Cup (G1).

“I think he’s made a case for Horse of the Year now,” Harris said. “I think he’s that good and I think that it’s so amazing that he’s been able to go all year, dancing all the races, and he’s still, at the end of the year, as sharp as he was at the beginning of the year.”

Brandon Blvd gave driver Dexter Dunn his fifth Breeders Crown victory on the weekend, one shy of the record he set in 2024.

Andrew Harris also won a Breeders Crown on Friday with 2-year-old filly pacer Seaside Ubeaut. She is also owned by the Punisher 11 Stable. His first Breeders Crown win was in 2025 with Yo Tillie.

It was recently announced the star will be standing stud at Hanover Shoe Farms in 2027. The Breeders Crown may have been his final start.

“He won’t do the FanDuel,” Harris said. “I’ll talk to the team, but this, more than likely, is the way to go out. Go out on top, I think that’s the way to go, but I’ll talk to the team. Nothing is set in stone, but I would imagine this is the last one for him.”

Columbus, OH – Everything has come together for Diabolic Hill in the last few weeks, as he backed up victories in an overnight race at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Oct. 8 and his elimination a week ago by posting a 1:50.4 career-best mile in the $664,500 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Trot final on Saturday (Oct. 24) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer/co-owner Annie Stoebe, Diabolic Hill got away smoothly from post 3 and drove on two-wide to take the lead away from Nix Nacken (driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) past the :27.4 quarter-mile marker. Diabolic Hill would then be challenged by 4-5 favorite and fellow elimination victor Big Ranger (Tim Tetrick), and Big Ranger grabbed control on the way to the :55.3 half. As that clocking was going up on the board, Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) got rolling first-over out of fourth, giving cover to Hambletonian champion Apex (Dexter Dunn).

Big Ranger remained clear on the way to three-quarters in 1:22.3 as Inexpressable stalled out next to the pocket-sitting Diabolic Hill, and when Inexpressable dropped back on the last turn, that gave McCarthy space to swing to the outside before they turned for home. In the stretch Diabolic Hill had dead-aim at Big Ranger, and when Big Ranger threw in a couple of rough steps, that opened the door for Diabolic Hill to surge by. From there, Diabolic Hill went on to prevail by a length over Nix Nacken in the passing lane, with Big Ranger third. Inexpressable held fourth and Read The Room (Åke Svanstedt) got up for fifth.

“It’s pretty special. Annie had this planned out for the end of the year, and when a plan comes to fruition like that, it’s a great job,” said McCarthy, who collected his fourth career Breeders Crown trophy. “He’s been a tricky horse throughout the year. He’s had a couple of little hurdles, and Annie’s done a great job managing him, figuring him out and getting him to where he is tonight. He was super.

“He’s just seemed to have been finishing a little stronger. He likes racing on a five-eighths-mile track as well. I think that’s probably helped. He’s just peaked right at the right time, this horse. It was one of those races tonight; I said to Annie going out I wasn’t real sure what was going to happen. We were just going to try to map it out as we went. Fortunately, it worked out.”

A Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream colt, Diabolic Hill is the second Breeders Crown champion for breeder AM Bloodstock and the first for Stoebe as owner or trainer, which is also the case for co-owners Mario Mazza and AC Crawford Racing Stable. A $300,000 buy at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Diabolic Hill has a summary of 8-6-3 from 21 starts and went over the $1 million mark in career earnings, with his bankroll at $1.08 million.

“It is a dream come true. It’s been a goal of my life since I got in this business,” remarked Stoebe. “I just looked at Jeremy (assistant trainer Jeremy Morrison), and said, ‘Did it actually just happen?’ What an amazing horse, an amazing drive and I couldn’t be happier. I was screaming (down the stretch). I was absolutely screaming. It’s surreal.

“It’s been a lot of hours, but this sure makes up for it.”

The 6-1 fourth choice in the wagering, Diabolic Hill paid $15.20 to win.

Columbus, OH – After being sidelined for last year’s Breeders Crown Mare Pace, Twin B Joe Fresh collected her second career trophy in the event on Saturday (Oct. 24) when she defeated Francent N by three-quarters of a length in a stakes-record-equaling 1:48.1 in the $443,000 Grade 1 final at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Talk Curdy To Me finished third.

Twin B Joe Fresh, a 6-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze, won the 2024 Mare Pace at the Meadowlands but missed the 2025 final at Woodbine Mohawk Park because of injury. She was out the remainder of the season but has returned this year to win seven of 14 races and earn $651,441 for trainer Chris Ryder and driver Dexter Dunn.

For her career, Twin B Joe Fresh has 43 victories in 63 races and $3.51 million in purses. She has finished in the top three a total of 58 times.

In Saturday’s Breeders Crown Mare Pace final, Francent N and driver Louis-Philippe Roy led the field to the opening quarter in :26.1, outdueling The Last Martini for the top spot, while Twin B Joe Fresh landed in fourth. Dunn had Twin B Joe Fresh on a first-over march as Francent N reached the half in :54.4 and three-quarters in 1:22. The two betting favorites were separated by a head going into the stretch, but Twin B Joe Fresh powered home in a race-best :26 to secure the win.

“She’s feeling so good right now,” Dunn said. “Once I saw Louis getting out of the gate good, much better than last week, I bailed out on to keep going forward. I went in for a few strides and then back out again, and she traveled up so good. I gave her a little chirp halfway down the backstretch and she really just bulked up and was ready to roll.

“To own her, it’s a dream. It’s a once in a lifetime. She’s just incredible.”

Twin B Joe Fresh, bred by Brittany Farms, is owned by Ryder, Dunn, Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. She was the 2024 Dan Patch Award Horse of the Year.

“It’s so exciting to win the way she did,” Ryder said. “You feel a bit of pressure, but she didn’t know it. I’m just thrilled.

“I believe she’s generational. She’s done unbelievable things for a long time, four years solid now. Every race has been a top-level race, and a horse can’t do much more than what she’s done. To win a Breeders Crown the way she did tonight, it just shows you what type of animal she is. She’s just a fantastic horse.”

Ryder also addressed Twin B Joe Fresh’s future following the race.

“We believe that we’re not racing next year, but she does things like this, and it makes you think twice,” he said. “So, we’ll see.”

The win was Dunn’s fourth Breeders Crown of the weekend and increased his career total to 27, moving him into a tie for fifth most in history among drivers. Ryder has now won 10 trophies.

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Twin B Joe Fresh paid $3.20 to win.

Columbus, OH — Hambletonian Oaks champion Nezuko Kamado S became just the 12th filly in harness racing history to win the Breeders Crown in the same year as she lowered her own track record with a 1:51.1 effort to take the $664,500 Grade 1 final for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday night (Oct. 24) at Scioto Downs.

Leaving from post 4, driver Scott Zeron eased Nezuko Kamado S into a seat fifth as last year’s Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot champ Storybook Love (driven by Todd Ratchford) thrusted toward the front from the pylon post. Elimination winner She’s Moni (Yannick Gingras) loomed forward rounding the first turn and pushed past Storybook Love after a :26.3 first quarter to take the lead before tapping the brakes slightly on the approach to a :54.4 half.

Supplemental entrant Little Road (Brady Brown), who also won an elimination, angled off the pylons from fourth and progressed uncovered up the rim with Nezuko Kamado S in tow to the backstretch. Little Road stalled in her bid coming to three-quarters in 1:22.4, at which point Zeron nudged his charge three-wide and gathered speed rounding for home. Nezuko Kamado S kept grinding in the stretch and overhauled her peers reaching the final sixteenth to then pull away for a 1-1/2-length win. Busy Miss Lissy S (Åke Svanstedt) stormed widest of all from last for second with Victorianas Secret (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) chasing in the open stretch for third and She’s Moni left in fourth.

“I wanted to give her the best opportunity to show if she could or couldn’t (win),” said Zeron, who scored his first Grade 1 win with Nezuko Kamado S since an injury sidelined him from competing in the Hambletonian Oaks on Aug. 8. “I believed she could — obviously first-up in the finals is different than the elims, and obviously coming first-up on She’s Moni is a tougher task. Second-over was really good. Having to go three-wide on the last turn, I had my reservations about that. I was more concerned about my patience because I know she’s talented enough and she has enough of lungs to really carry her speed, but at the same time I don’t want to tip her over in the last turn trying to get overanxious and make up the ground I’m losing.”

Nezuko Kamado S, entering the Breeders Crown from a break in stride when racing off the speed in the Kentucky Filly Futurity in early October, rebounded last week in the eliminations when she lowered the track record for 3-year-old trotting fillies with a 1:51.2 mile, which she bested with her win in the final.

“I guess we could say there’s a few blunders along the way just recently, but she came into form obviously again in the eliminations and she delivered like the champion she is,” Zeron also said. “She’s a Hambletonian Oaks champion so she’s deserving of (today’s win) and I’m honestly just happy I had the opportunity to do it. At the same time, she trotted so good in that last turn for me, and I was praying she would (win) and she did, and obviously we straightened down the lane and she’s a champion.”

Zeron, teaming with trainer Marcus Melander on Friday for another Breeders Crown win with Birr Castle in the 2-Year-Old Filly Trot, won for the first time in the 3-Year-Old Filly Trot. Melander also won for the first time in the event to give himself three trophies to this point.

“But Super Chapter lost at 3-5 (in the Open Trot) so that’s what’s going to bother me tomorrow,” Melander said, “but of course I’m very happy. This is our third final (this year). She’s been great all year. She had a little bumps in Kentucky — she got too far off, and it’s hard at The Red Mile because all of them go so fast; if you are a little too far back it’s hard to catch them. Obviously she was great in the elimination last week, got a great trip today. Fantastic filly.”

A homebred for Anders Strom’s Courant Inc., Nezuko Kamado S won her eighth race from 12 starts this season and her 14th race from 23 starts in her career, amassing $1.47 million in earnings. The filly by Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos IT became the first filly to double in the Hambletonian Oaks and Breeders Crown since Bella Bellini in 2021. Sent the 7-5 favorite, she paid $4.80 to win.

Columbus, OH – Miss Jum Jabber overcame a demanding draw to deliver a dazzling performance in the $664,500 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace on Saturday night (Oct. 24) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Tasked with post 8 and taking on a world-class group of rivals meant Miss Jum Jabber would have to come up with her A-game on Standardbred racing’s biggest stage.

Mission accomplished.

Darlin’s Angel emerged with the early lead, but there was plenty of action as a host of hopefuls tussled for early position strides into the race. A Clean Deal settled into second, as Hope Hill marched on to their outside, while Whoomp sat fourth and Miss Jum Jabber, a $72,000 supplement to the race, found a seat in fifth through a lively opening quarter in :26.1.

Hope Hill, who won her Crown elim last week, then took command, followed by the trio of Whoomp, Darlin’s Angel and Miss Jum Jabber, with Andrew McCarthy in the sulky, was on the march in fourth after a half paced in :55.1.

It was status quo from the top four after three-quarters in 1:22.3, as Whoomp ratcheted up the pressure on Hope Hill and Miss Jum Jabber waiting for her cue.

McCarthy had his bay filly rolling four-wide down the lane and the duo began to methodically pick up ground and pick off their rivals.

An ebullient McCarthy waved his whip strides before the finish line, crossing the wire with the daughter of Bettor’s Wish out of the Captaintreacherous mare Treacherous Reign one length clear in 1:49.4. Whoomp, an Indiana Sires Stakes standout, finished second, with Darlin’s Angel taking third. Hope Hill was fourth.

It was the 14th overall Breeders Crown victory and third in the category for trainer and owner Brett Pelling.

“I figured there would be some options going out of there and luckily, he (McCarthy) pressed on,” said Pelling, of the filly bred by Let It Ride Stables, Alagna Racing, Big Als Stables, and Bottom Line Racing. “I said to him before the race, ‘I don’t mind you leaving, but just don’t come first up.’

“I think having Sangria Summer on his back and then luckily, he did find the right horse to follow. It just worked out perfect.”

Unraced as a 2-year-old, Miss Jum Jabber won the $400,000 Kentucky Championship Series final on Sept. 20 at Lexington in 1:48, drawing off to win by 3-1/2 lengths. She also won the $300,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes on Sept. 6 in 1:49.2 by a neck over rival Say Goodnight.

She arrived at the Crown final off a third in her elimination on Oct. 17.

“I have been super happy with her,” said Pelling. “She never really has a bad day. There were a couple of situations in Lexington (second to Hope Hill in the Grade 2 Garnsey on Oct. 10) – Hope Hill was very, very good. I mean, she definitely improved. The conditions might not have been perfect, coming off a little layoff. I was really trying to prepare for tonight.

“This is great. This is a great feeling.”

With the win, Miss Jum Jabber, a $67,000 purchase at the 2024 Lexington Select Yearling Sale, sports a mark of 14-3-1 from 19 starts, along with over $1 million in purse earnings.

She paid $7.80 for her Breeders Crown score.

Columbus, OH – Tactical Moni grinded out a tough trip to win the $400,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot in 1:51 against nine stiff rivals Saturday (Oct. 24) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Warrawee Michelle, who won last year’s Mare Trot, finished second and Walspea was third.

Piloted by Dexter Dunn for trainer Marcus Melander, the 4-year-old homebred daughter of Tactical Landing-All Our Moni notched her second win of the season and her 12th lifetime victory. Her seasonal earnings now stand at $269,491 and her career bankroll now sports a pot of $515,291 for owner Moni Maker Stable.

“She hasn’t raced too much this year,” said Dunn, who picked up his third Breeders Crown triumph at Scioto Downs this weekend with the victory. “But she’s put in some really good miles and really came alive lately. When I moved her, she really trotted well and straightened out in the stretch and was strong.”

Tactical Moni’s time of 1:51 equaled her Scioto Downs track record clocking, set at the five-eighths-mile oval last week, on Oct. 16, in a Breeders Crown prep event.

“It means a lot to win this race as these aren’t easy races to win so I appreciate the opportunity to do well here,” Dunn added. “She’s really a powerful mare and she was trotting good the whole way and kept her balance despite running-in in the turns.”

When the wings of the starting gate folded, it was a stampede of horses gunning for position into the first turn, with eventual fourth-place finisher R Dutchess (driven by Tim Tetrick) nabbing a slim lead in a :26.2 first quarter. However, her position was quickly overtaken by the hard-trying Warrawee Michelle (Åke Svanstedt), who was then collared by Walspea (Yannick Gingras) to the :55.1 half.

Dunn then moved Tactical Moni from fourth, first-over, charging up on the outside to take over the lead at the 1:22.4 three-quarter-mile marker. Despite running in just a bit, Tactical Moni straightened out and looked much the best, trotting strongly all the way to the wire.

Warrawee Michelle held on for second, beaten 2-3/4 lengths, with Walspea third.

Unraced at age 2, this was Tactical Moni’s first appearance in a Breeders Crown event. She took a career mark of 1:50.3 at Lexington as a 3-year-old in 2025 in the final of the Commonwealth Series. She is the ninth and most prolific foal out of the Self Possessed mare All Our Moni.

Dunn increased his Breeders Crown trophy total to 26 with the win. Melander, who notched his second Breeders Crown victory of the weekend, upped his career total to nine.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, Tactical Moni paid $4 to win.

Columbus, OH — On To Norway ground down odds-on favorite Super Chapter through the far turn en route to becoming the fastest 4-year-old male trotter on a five-eighths-mile track and the fastest trotter ever at Eldorado Scioto Downs with his 1:50 win over Emoticon Legacy in Saturday’s (Oct. 24) $600,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown Open Trot.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. was reserved early with On To Norway, keeping him in mid-division off a hotly contested pace after being looped by a three-wide Super Chapter and Dexter Dunn on the first turn. After Go Dog Go (driven by Scott Zeron) pushed three-wide off the first turn to clear Antognoni S (Yannick Gingras) and French Wine (Jason Bartlett) at the end of a :26.1 first quarter, Dunn floored the accelerator with favorite Super Chapter, who surged to a clear lead over Go Dog Go before the :54 half. Meanwhile, On To Norway began his uncovered ascent in earnest upon reaching the backstretch.

Nearly four lengths down at the half-mile pole, On To Norway made steady inroads up the backstretch and was a quarter-length behind Super Chapter at the 1:22.1 three-quarters with Emoticon Legacy (Bob McClure) following in a live second-over tow before pointing three-wide off the turn for home. Despite being parked for virtually the entire journey to that point, On To Norway had plenty left to take the lead and then keep Emoticon Legacy three-quarters of a length at bay at the finish. Antognoni S shook free from traffic to save third, another two lengths behind.

“I wanted to be near the front, and I was able to find a hole for a couple steps before coming right back out,” said Wrenn of his trip with On To Norway. “To go by a horse like Super Chapter, who’s a world champion himself, and outlast Emoticon Legacy just speaks volumes of the horse and shows how great a horse he is.”

Now a 39-time winner in his career with over $1.5 million in career earnings, On To Norway has won 12 of 15 starts this year for trainer Ron Burke and the partnership of Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black & White Stable and Michael Rosenthal. The Muscle Massive-One Class Act gelding, who was bred by Bennett Farms of Michigan, paid $28.40 to win as the 13-1 fourth choice.

“I wasn’t worried, because he just keeps going,” Baldachino said about On To Norway’s journey. “He’ll just chase down horses until the wire. Naturally, you don’t want to ever see a trip like that in a big race … but he was just mowing them down, and the longer the mile went, the faster he was going.”

The win gave Ron Burke his 25th Breeders Crown trophy, second most in history among trainers, and Wrenn his third.

“I’m so pumped and just so proud of this horse,” Wrenn said. “He raced so good. Ronnie took him home last week and made a shoeing change, and it was the right decision to make.

“It’s a great feeling. I’m so happy to get the job done.”

Columbus, OH — Blazin Lou wrapped up night one of the 2026 Breeders Crown at Eldorado Scioto Downs with a game 1:50.1 track-record-equaling performance to snatch the $700,000 Grade 1 final for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings as the 6-5 favorite.

Securing the pylon draw after romping with a 1:50.4 mile in his elimination last week, Blazin Lou (driven by Dexter Dunn) got away toward the middle of the pack as Shalom Hanover (Louis Roy) barreled alongside other elimination winner Starstruck Dreamer (Todd McCarthy) for the lead. Shalom Hanover pushed past Starstruck Dreamer to take command past a :26.2 first quarter, at which point Dunn swung Blazin Lou outside for clearance and lucked into cover as post-9 starter L A Captain (Bob McClure) eagerly muscled three-wide to cross into the first-over slot approaching a :55.3 half.

L A Captain began to tire from the wide trip midway up the backstretch, prompting Dunn to spring Blazin Lou three-wide to attack Shalom Hanover. Blazin Lou ranged up toward the leader passing three-quarters in 1:23.4 and stayed at his throat all through the last turn before throwing some rough steps rounding for home. Upon straightening, Blazin Lou kept grinding and overhauled Shalom Hanover while also staving off the open-stretch rally from Starstruck Dreamer late to win by a quarter length. Starstruck Dreamer settled for second with Shalom Hanover giving way for third and Eastie Boy (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) taking fourth from a ground-saving trip.

“We got out-sped early (and) he just got a little scrambly when the gate left,” Dunn said after the race. “I probably wanted to get out a little bit closer, but we’d come out in the first turn and obviously got cover. The horse was travelling fantastic the whole mile and he had to dig deep late. It was a great effort from him. When I peeled him three-wide he was moving with authority — he just ducked over a couple of strides. We straightened him up and he powered on from there.”

Blazin Lou, a colt by 2011 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace champ Sweet Lou out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Beautiful Lady, gave Dunn his second Breeders Crown victory of the night as well as his second in this division after he won in 2023 with Gem Quality. The colt, with his 1:50.1 effort that equaled the track record for 2-year-old pacing colts set in 2022 by Act Fast, also gave trainer Tony Dinges his first Breeders Crown trophy with the first horse he’s ever sent into the series.

“Tony does a great job — he turns them out and they’re always ready to roll on race day,” Dunn said. “This horse has come alive this late in the year but he’s beautiful; he looks like a 3-year-old. He’s got a stride like a 4-year-old, so he’s done a great job.”

“It’s amazing. I never dreamed it would happen,” Dinges said. “About halfway through the season he kept getting better and I didn’t think we saw the bottom of him at that point. I thought he was going to get it. He kept digging and about 50 feet before the wire I could tell he was home.”

Dinges trains Blazin Lou for Rick Berks of Paris, Ky., who purchased the colt bred by Cornerstone Stock Farm for $110,000 from the 2025 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Berks also collected his second Breeders Crown trophy in the 2-Year-Old Colt Pace after winning when 18-1 shot Boston Red Rocks vaulted from near last to first in the 2015 edition at Woodbine Racetrack.

“That was awesome. When he ended up three-deep on the back turn over there I was like ‘Oh, wow,’” said Berks, “but he came on. I was happy for sure. Steve Elliott broke him, trained him — he got a little ill, Tony took over what he sent up here and Tony did a great job with him. To come back and win another one is incredible.”

Blazin Lou paid $4.40 to win.

Columbus, OH – Wrong Sounds Right overcame being parked for almost half a mile through a demanding tempo and just kept finding more once he did land on the lead, winning Friday night’s (Oct. 23) $700,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Trot final at Eldorado Scioto Downs in a world record 1:51.3.

Driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer Jim Campbell and owner/breeder Runthetable Stables, Wrong Sounds Right floated away from post 5, and with the best spot available somewhere in mid-pack, McCarthy elected to drive on two-wide as Presidente (driven by Dexter Dunn) and Lifetime Dreamer (Yannick Gingras) were side-by-side at the quarter in a quick :26.4. Lifetime Dreamer made Wrong Sounds Right continue to work as they raced in front of the stands for the first time, and Wrong Sounds Right managed to take control finally just before the half of :54.3.

“It wasn’t probably how I dreamed it going for me, but I didn’t like where I was going to get away early, and I decided to press on,” McCarthy said about his strategy. “I figured that there would be a little bit of speed, and I would have to pay a bit. He’s just so classy, this horse. He can do it either way, and I’ve got so much faith in him.”

Access Now (Bob McClure) loosely followed Wrong Sounds Right’s move to the point and was left first-over when Wrong Sounds Right was able to slide down to the pylons. Access Now would then advance up to McCarthy’s wheel at the 1:23.2 three-quarters as Whateverittakes As (Tony Hall) worked out a second-over trip and Jimdougie Armitage (Åke Svanstedt) sat third-over.

There just wasn’t any catching Wrong Sounds Right around the last turn or through the stretch, though, as his :28.1 final quarter kept him clear from Access Now and gave McCarthy a chance to put his whip in the air in celebration. Access Now got the better of Lifetime Dreamer for second, followed by Whateverittakes As and Jimdougie Armitage.

The time of 1:51.3 bettered the previous standard for a freshman colt trotter on a five-eighths-mile track of 1:52.1 set by Father Patrick in his Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Trot elimination at Pocono in 2013. It also matched the overall 2-year-old world record set by another Campbell trainee in filly Cooler Schooner at Pocono in August 2013. This was the third Breeders Crown win for McCarthy, the seventh for Campbell and the second for Scott Farber’s Runthetable Stable as both a breeder and an owner.

“Jim Campbell has done such a wonderful job with bringing this horse up and having him ready every time,” remarked McCarthy. “He’s had a wonderful season, and he’s just a beautiful horse. It’s pretty special.”

Campbell, who lost longtime client Jules Siegel’s Fashion Farms when Siegel retired from the business and dispersed after the 2025 racing season, certainly landed on his feet with Wrong Sounds Right.

“It just caps off a great year with this horse. He’s been a blessing from God to have a horse of this caliber,” Campbell said. “He’s just a pleasure to be around. Aside from what he’s done on the racetrack, he’s just a happy horse. He’s a professional. Everything we’ve thrown at him, he handles it. He really showed tonight how tough he really is.

“He’s the type of horse that never stops going. When he would train down, he would just trot through the wire, and there was no end to him. He showed that tonight. I’ll be honest, I was a little worried because he really didn’t clear just until before the half. He really had a tough first-half, but he’s a professional. He loves to race and he loves to win. It’s a real pleasure dealing with Scott Farber with a horse of this caliber. Scott said a couple of months ago, ‘We’ve got a nice horse, let’s just have fun and enjoy it,’ and that’s what we’re doing.”

A Tactical Landing-Broadway Jo Ell colt, Wrong Sounds Right went through the 2025 Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pa., where Farber paid $35,000 to purchase the horse back. That’s been a prudent investment, as Wrong Sounds Right now has a summary of 7-1-0 from nine starts and has earned $948,750.

“I’m really happy about that buy-back,” Farber said with a laugh. “I’ve said to Jim repeatedly, ‘Could you imagine if we let this horse go at that price?’ It’s been great, and with a little bit of luck, and I’m not wishing anything on any other horse, I can tell you right now he’s my Horse of the Year. I think he deserves some consideration for Horse of the Year overall. I know that’s a bold statement. I’ve been making them all year long, and he’s been backing me up all year long – world record after world record after world record, tying track records everywhere he goes. This horse is amazing.

“I just told Todd out on the track, when I saw :54.2 come up, I was ready to kill him, but this horse, he does what he does – he just grinds. He grinds and grinds and wears horses down. He’s a tough horse to beat. He’s got a lot of heart. It’s a great group. They’re wonderful people to work with. Obviously Jimmy and I go back 30 years, and Todd has just been great with any horse we’ve ever given him to work with. He just knows how to handle horses. He’s got a way with my horses. I can only speak from experience with me. I’ve had a lot of success, and there’s no arguing with success.”

The 3-5 betting favorite, Wrong Sounds Right paid $3.20 to win.

Columbus, OH – Seaside Ubeaut put in an extraordinarily game effort to take the $700,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace by three lengths in 1:50.1 with Dexter Dunn at the lines for trainer Andrew Harris on Friday night (Oct. 23) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Cowboy Candy (driven by Jason Bartlett) nabbed second-place honors while Cleveland Darby (Chris Page) was third.

Despite being parked to the :26.4 first quarter, the daughter of Downbytheseaside-Warrawee Ubeaut turned in her fifth win of the year in eight starts. The $500,000 buy from the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale is owned by the Punisher 11 Stable and upped her career earnings to $680,370 with this latest triumph.

“She’s progressed really well throughout the year and always raced on the big track, but she has high speed and she won with really good authority,” said Dunn. “She absolutely has matured into her ability. She had to mature a bit and learn to be a racehorse but she’s really at the top now. She was traveling so good in the last turn, and she accelerated so quickly in the last turn.”

Cleveland Darby left hard from the rail, with Cowboy Candy in close pursuit, and Too Pink To Pass (Lauren Tritton) battling for early position. After the first turn to the :26.4 quarter, Seaside Ubeaut was tipped out by Dunn, and raced hard to gain the lead, which she held through fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.1, before storming home in a race-best :27 to easily hold off her rivals.

“She just got better and better all year long and Dexter has taught her a lot,” said winning trainer Harris. “She always had the talent, but Dexter took the time to teach her. She’s got speed and I just leave it to Dex to get her to the wire. I can’t thank everyone enough who has been supportive of this filly. We were blessed to have this moment and race here tonight.”

The win gave Dunn his 24th Breeders Crown, good for sole position of seventh place among all drivers in the 43-year history of the event. It was the second for Harris, William Pollock, and Bruce Areman, who share ownership of Seaside Ubeaut as Punisher 11 Stable.

Seaside Ubeaut is out of the Sweet Lou mare Warrawee Ubeaut, a two-time Breeders Crown champion and Dan Patch Award winner. She was bred by Burke Racing & Crawford Farms.

Sent off as the 4-1 third choice, Seaside Ubeaut paid $10 to win.

Columbus, OH – Birr Castle and driver Scott Zeron fanned out wide from sixth on the final turn and stormed through the stretch to win Friday’s $700,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot by one length over Nevis Peak in a track-record 1:53 at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Blue Ranger finished third.

Kissme Ifyoucan fired off the starting gate from the outside post 9 to lead the field around the first turn, but Climatic Hanover was already applying pressure and grabbed the front just past the :27 opening quarter. Her time on top was short-lived as 6-5 favorite Blue Ranger pushed on with driver Dexter Dunn to take control on the way to a :55.1 half.

Meanwhile, first-over Nevis Peak was leading an outer flow, followed by Two Day Hangover and Birr Castle. Nevis Peak was a parked-out leader at three-quarters, in 1:23.1, as the group geared up for the stretch drive. Zeron moved three-wide coming off the final turn and Birr Castle trotted home in :29.1 to win for trainer Marcus Melander and breeder/owner Ed Lohmeyer and Dr. Patty Hogan’s Pheasant Hill Farm.

“Maybe she’s not the absolute best horse every time she steps on the track, but she’s the one that wants it more than any of the other ones, and that was what she displayed today,” Zeron said. “I’ve been first-up a lot with her, and I was trying to avoid that today because first-up in the Breeders Crown usually means first-up before the tote board, and that’s a long way to go, especially for young horses. I ended up being third-over, maybe out of position, but they were racing enough where they came back to us.”

Birr Castle was the “Win and You’re In” starter in the Breeders Crown, advancing directly to the final thanks to her victory in the Jim Doherty Memorial on Sept. 18 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The daughter of Captain Corey-Melania has now won six races and finished no worse than third in nine starts. She has earned $866,786.

The win gave Zeron his 10th Breeders Crown trophy and Melander his eighth. It was the first for Pheasant Hill Farm’s Lohmeyer and Hogan.

“I can’t say I was confident because it’s an incredible group of fillies, but I knew she belonged in it,” said Dr. Hogan, the renowned equine veterinarian. “She’s just been wonderful. She loves to come from behind. It was a lot of ground to make up, and it’s such a great group of fillies, but she’s unbelievable. I’m just in awe.

“I’ve fixed lots of horses that have won Breeders Crowns, but I really didn’t appreciate the feeling that everyone was chasing – and now I get it. It’s unbelievable, incredible.”

Birr Castle was raised at Lohmeyer and Hogan’s farm in New Jersey.

“Eddie said why don’t we keep this filly and get a mark on her because the mares (in her family) are getting old,” Hogan said. “We can keep her as a broodmare.”

Sent off as the 7-2 third choice, Birr Castle paid $9.40.

On Site Weekend Details

The team at Eldorado Scioto Downs and the Hambletonian Society are excited to welcome fans, horsemen and handicappers to the Breeders Crown this weekend – whether it is on-site or online – Friday & Saturday (Oct. 23 & 24). First post for each race night is 6:00 p.m.

For those that cannot make it to the track to watch live, there are many ways to take in the festivities:

• Scioto Downs simulcast, available at your local racetrack, OTB or ADW and on RTN via streaming services such as Roku, Amazon FireStick and online at www.rtn.tv
• on Fox Sports 1 starting at 8:00 p.m. Friday
• on Fox Sports 2 starting at 7:00 p.m. Saturday
• Breeders Crown YouTube channel starting at 6:00 p.m. both days

The on-site Fox Sports coverage will be brought to you by Gabe Prewitt, Jessica Otten & Ashley Mailloux. The Primetime Racing hosts will be Emily Gaskin, Chad Rozema, Greg Blanchard & Mark McKelvie.

Free program pages are available on the Scioto Downs website for handicappers to make their selections for the plethora of guarantees over the weekend:

• Friday
  • $10,000G early Pick-5, starting in R1
  • $10,000G early Pick-4, starting in R3
  • $20,000G mid-card Pick-4, starting in R7
  • $15,000G late Pick-5, starting in R10
  • $15,000G late Pick-4, starting in R11
• Saturday
  • $20,000G early Pick-5, starting in R1
  • $25,000G early Pick-4, starting in R3
  • $30,000G mid-card Pick-4, starting in R7
  • $15,000G late Pick-5, starting in R10
  • $25,000G Pick-4, starting in R11

For those that will be onsite at Scioto Downs, there will be more than just racing to keep you entertained throughout the evenings. A pre-race party will be held for sponsors and racing connections starting at 4:30 p.m. in between the casino and the clubhouse. Visit with Breeders Crown contenders of the past – Foiled Again, Golden Receiver, Mission Accepted & Pinkman – from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. each night. For families, there will be bounce houses, face painting, a petting zoo (Friday), apple cider making (Saturday) and balloon twister artists for the kids.

For those choosing to sit in the grandstand or beer garden tent, there will be various food trucks and vendors behind the grandstand, including kettle corn, bbq, burgers, gyros, tacos and dirty sodas.

The 2026 Breeders Crown 2-year-old finals will be held on Friday (starting at race 7) and the 3-year-old and open finals on Saturday (races 3-10).

Columbus, OH – Nancy Takter has won 12 Breeders Crowns in her career, tied with Åke Svanstedt for the sixth most in history for a trainer, and her first two trophies came courtesy of 2-year-old filly pacer JK She’salady in 2014 and 2-year-old colt pacer Captain Crunch in 2018. JK She’salady was the 2014 Horse of the Year; Captain Crunch a 2018 divisional Dan Patch Award recipient.

On Friday (Oct. 23), Takter will go for a Crown with a daughter of those two award-winning horses, JK Lady Liberty, in the $700,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace. JK Lady Liberty, a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, has five wins and two second-place finishes in seven races this season, good for $273,803 in earnings for breeder/owner 3 Brothers Stables.

Washington, PA – In Italian and romance languages, Melillo’s name means “little apple.”

Melillo, the 3-year-old pacing colt, could become the apple of the Fredericktown, PA-based Burke Racing Stable’s eye with a win Saturday night (Oct. 24) in the $664,500 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace at Eldorado Scioto Downs in Columbus, OH.

Cranbury, NJ – Thomas Lind-Holm was elated when Custom, a daughter of Walner, delivered her trademark strong finish in her Breeders Crown elimination last week, narrowly missing out on a win, but qualifying comfortably for the $664,500 Grade 1 final for 3-year-old filly trotters Saturday (Oct. 24) at Eldorado Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio.

And on Saturday, she can write herself into the history books like so many from her illustrious maternal family, and Custom’s Danish owner is hopeful of a good result.

Columbus, OH – The connections of Storybook Love are dreaming of another storybook ending at the Breeders Crown.

At the 42nd edition of Standardbred racing’s premier championship showcase last year, Storybook Love, trained by Matt Bax and driven by Todd Ratchford, delivered a performance straight out of a Hollywood script.

Breeders Crown elimination winners Big Ranger, Twin B Joe Fresh and Wrong Sounds Right all made moves in Week 19 of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, released Wednesday (Oct. 21).

Super Chapter and Brandon Blvd held No. 1 and No. 2 for a sixth straight week, with On To Norway third and Wall Of Fame fourth.

Big Ranger won his Crown elim and jumped from eighth to fifth. Apex held sixth.

Twin B Joe Fresh also took her elim and climbed from ninth to seventh, ahead of Redland Rocket Man (eighth) and Shalom Hanover (ninth).

Wrong Sounds Right enters the Top 10 at No. 10 after his own elimination victory.

Hambletonian Society / Breeders Crown Poll — Week 19 · 10/21/26

Also receiving votes: Best Chip, Emoticon Legacy 38; Nix Nacken 28; Miss Jum Jabber 27; Starstruck Dreamer 26; Jersey Bulldog, Miki And Minnie 19; She’s Moni 18; Nezuko Kamado S 17; Sangria Summer 12; Prince Hal Hanover 10; Loua Dipa 7; French Wine 5; Lifetime Dreamer, Melillo 4; Al Papi, Beau Jangles, Francent N, Kountry Plunge 2; Little Road, Up Your Deo, Women Layer 1.

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which will continue weekly on Wednesdays through the Grand Circuit season, does not determine year-end awards. The members of the U.S. Harness Writers Association vote on all Dan Patch Award division winners plus Trotter of the Year, Pacer of the Year, and Horse of the Year.

Rankings based on the votes of harness racing media representatives on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

Full Power Rankings ↗

Lauren Tritton’s résumé already boasts several history-making accomplishments, and over the course of the two-night Breeders Crown championships at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Friday (Oct. 23) and Saturday (Oct. 24) in Columbus, Ohio, she hopes to make more memories.

Tritton, who had more than 900 driving wins in an accomplished career in her native Australia before coming to the U.S. in 2020, already has a Down Under Breeders Crown title to her credit, and she has two chances to add a second Crown trophy to her mantel. If successful with either Too Pink To Pass in Friday’s $700,000 Two-Year-Old Filly Pace or Darlin’s Angel in Saturday’s $664,500 Three-Year-Old Filly Pace, the 33-year-old Tritton would become the first female driver to capture a Breeders Crown final in North America.

While women trainers in the winner’s circle have become a common occurrence in the 43-year history of the Breeders Crown, Tritton will be just the fourth female driver to attempt to take home a Crown trophy, and only the second to have a drive in a final. Karen Fekete (1998), Jacquie Ingrassia (2008 and 2010) and Riina Rekila (2010) all had elimination drives but failed to advance to the final. Only Brooke Nickells in 2001 with Lavecster in the Three-Year-Old Colt Trot reached the final, finishing ninth.

“Winning a Breeders Crown would be beyond my goals, but I’ll take it,” said Tritton, who in addition to helping her husband Shane train a stable of 30 horses is mother to son Levi, 9, and daughter Emily, 5.

Don’t believe capturing a Breeders Crown title is beyond Tritton’s reach. In 2023 Tritton became the first female driver to win the Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park with Lochinvar Art A, who was trained by Shane. Also that year, she became the first woman to drive in a Meadowlands Pace final, finishing 10th with It’s A Me Mario (also trained by her husband) after finishing third in the elims. Another feather in Tritton’s cap came in 2025 when she became the first female driver to win three races on a card at the Meadowlands.

When the Trittons arrived in the U.S. six years ago, Lauren concentrated on helping her husband train their stable. Tritton had only seven driving starts in 2020-21, but since then she has picked up the pace. This year she has already posted career highs in wins (68) and purse earnings ($1.28 million). Overall, she has 177 wins and $2.67 million in purse earnings on this continent.

Tritton admits it was a learning curve once she embarked on a North American driving career.

“It was basically the way races are run here,” she said. “They are a lot faster and are only a mile, where we would race (in Australia) a mile and a quarter. There we would look for a slower second (quarter) but that’s frowned upon here. So, the speed of the races, that was a little hard.”

Tritton said she received favorable advice from some current U.S.-based drivers she competed against Down Under, including Dexter Dunn and brothers Andy and Todd McCarthy.

“We all raced against each other for a long time and if I do need anything they are the people I go to,” she said.

On the flip side, she said she also received some pushback, but that those words essentially lit a fire under her.

“I was actually told that women don’t belong here driving and I wouldn’t fit in at any track, so I might as well give up on that idea,” said Tritton. “I was told that it was a boys’ club here and I wouldn’t be welcomed. It was game on from there.”

Fast forward to now, and there are some who compare Tritton’s talents to those of the late Bea Farber, recently inducted as an Immortal into harness racing’s Hall of Fame. Farber, widely considered the greatest female driver, won 1,801 races over her career and several driving titles in the 1970s and ’80s.

“I didn’t really know much about her and watched as many of her races as possible,” said Tritton. “She reminds me of the same mindset as myself. We both work hard and we just love the horses, and the adrenaline and love to race. And we don’t worry about the other stuff.”

There were no elims needed for Friday’s Two-Year-Old Filly Pace. Tritton will start from post 2 with Too Pink To Pass, who is attempting to become the first horse to break its maiden in a Breeders Crown final. Trained by Shane – who like Lauren is making his Breeders Crown debut – Too Pink To Pass has finished second four times in nine starts, and the Steve Jones-bred, Joshua Graber-owned daughter of Huntsville comes into the race off a fourth-place finish in the $250,000 Big Apple final for freshman filly pacers at Vernon Downs.

“It would be awesome to break a maiden with a 2-year-old in the Breeders Crown,” said Lauren Tritton. “Juvenile races are high on my list as they are very hard to win.”

As for Darlin’s Angel, who starts from post 6 on Saturday, Tritton has been behind the Hot Lead Farm homebred daughter of Captaintreacherous in all 19 career starts, which includes eight wins and a trio of seconds this year in the Jugette, Lynch Memorial and Shady Daisy, all graded stakes events. Darlin’s Angel finished third in her Crown elim to advance.

The pairing of driver and horse is perfect, according to Darlin’s Angel’s trainer Juan Cano.

“When we entered her for her first start in the Kindergarten there were 11 horses entered and she got the 11-hole,” remembered Cano. “There was a shortage of drivers that weekend, so I looked at the early races, and I saw Lauren’s name there. She took the drive and gave her a really good trip and ended up finishing fifth. Ever since she’s been on her and she’s gone everywhere with her. She’s helped develop her to become the nice filly she’s become.

“We wouldn’t want anybody else on her either. She’s so kind to the horses. She talks to them and I think fillies really respond to that.”

Tritton agreed with Cano that talking to the horses helps greatly.

“I drove a couple of 2-year-olds for them early in qualifiers and I had my recording glasses on, and I sent a video to them,” said Tritton. “They couldn’t believe how much I talked to the horses. I don’t even realize I’m doing it. I’m an equestrian from way back, so I think being on top of the horse pays off as I get along really well with a lot of high-strung fillies.

“And that’s crazy because they call me a high-strung filly,” she added with a laugh.

History could be on Darlin’s Angel’s side as her dam, Darlin’s Delight, appeared in five Breeders Crown finals, with three second-place finishes (all behind My Little Dragon) and a third-place finish, while her second dam, Town Pro, was the first pacer to win two Crowns, capturing titles at 2 and 3, in 1989 and 1990.

“(Darlin’s Angel) is so fast off the gate and we love using that for our best interest,” said Tritton. “She needed the run last week as she’d been off three weeks and will be tighter this week.”

Tritton hopes someday that she can stop being identified solely as a female driver, and a Breeders Crown victory could go a long way toward that.

“It does bother me, especially in a country where they make it a big deal when it shouldn’t be,” she concluded. “Here it’s like whose record am I breaking and who else is going to break that? It does get a little annoying.”

Scioto Downs will host all four Breeders Crown championships for 2-year-olds on Friday (Oct. 23) with the remaining eight finals to follow on Saturday. First-race post time both nights is 6 p.m. (EDT). Friday night’s action will be aired on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) from 8-11 p.m. and Saturday’s on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) 7-10:30 p.m.

Trenton, NJ – Wrong not only sounded right, but he looked right as well.

In fact, he’s looking even better than that.

Wrong Sounds Right was one of two winners in last week’s eliminations for the $700,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot on Friday (Oct. 23) at Eldorado Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio.

It was the sixth win in eight starts (along with one second) for Wrong Sounds Right, who has banked $598,750 for breeder/owner Scott Farber’s Runthetable Stable and trainer Jim Campbell. In his previous race, the son of Tactical Landing Broadway Jo Ell won the Grade 1 Mohawk Million at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

“He handled everything well,” trainer Jim Campbell said about Wrong Sounds Right’s 1:53.1 victory in this past Friday’s elim, which was his first time racing around three turns. “That's just kind of the way he's been. Whatever we've thrown at him, he's just been a real professional, and we couldn't be happier with him.

“You can race him any way you want to race him. He's a good-looking colt and he presents himself well on the track. When he goes out to warm up, he's got his ears up, and he likes to race. He knows when he's at the racetrack that it's race time, and he loves to race.”

Campbell said that even though Wrong Sounds Right trained well, it’s always difficult to determine a 2-year-old’s true potential when training down. Assistant Manny Quevedo did most of the horse’s training and liked how the colt went about his business.

“Manny kept saying, ‘Boy, he feels good,’” Campbell said. “We were training together and I go, ‘Yeah, he looks good too.’ He didn't do anything wrong. He's just one of those horses that did everything we asked of him, and he's still doing it.”

In his elim, Wrong Sounds Right defeated Carbon Fiber by 2-3/4 lengths with Todd McCarthy in the sulky. Jimdougie Armitage was third.

“He was super,” McCarthy said. “That was the first time that I've moved him to the front, and he really liked it, and he finished up really strong.”

Following the eliminations, the draw was conducted for the final. As an elimination winner, Wrong Sounds Right was guaranteed a start spot inside of post 7. He got post 6.

“That's probably a good spot,” McCarthy said. “The beauty of winning these (elims) is you know you’re guaranteed 1 through 6, and anywhere in there you can try to figure out a trip.”

Campbell feels that whatever his driver figures out, the horse has the talent to handle it.

“I'm sure there's going to be a lot of speed, but my colt is very versatile,” he said. “Todd can pretty much race him any way he wants. Todd will figure that all out. The horse and Todd seem to have a great connection with each other.”

Campbell said he hasn’t altered anything with Wrong Sounds Right since May 12, when he changed his front shoes. The homebred colt enters the Breeders Crown final having won four consecutive races.

“I’m very excited about the future of this guy,” said owner Farber, who won the 2022 Hambletonian with Cool Papa Bell (also trained by Campbell and driven by McCarthy). “I've had some good ones, and I’m as excited for him as I've been for any of the other ones. Homebreds are very special. We're very excited to be here.”

The other Breeders Crown elimination winner was Lifetime Dreamer for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Åke Svanstedt. Wrong Sounds Right and Lifetime Dreamer both have career-best victories in 1:51.1, tying them with Southwind Tyrion (2020) as the fastest 2-year-old male trotters ever.

Wrong Sounds Right’s only loss in his past six starts was a second-place finish behind Lifetime Dreamer in the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship on Hambletonian Day, Aug. 8, at the Meadowlands in that gelding’s 1:51.1 mile.

Sired by Ecurie D DK out of Lifetime Gift, Lifetime Dreamer sat in second for most of his elimination race before driver Yannick Gingras made an outside move down the stretch and took a 3-length victory over Presidente. He won in 1:52.4, establishing a track record and equaling the world record for 2-year-old gelding trotters over a five-eighths-mile track.

“He’s had a couple hiccups in between, health-wise the one start, but other than that I think he’s been tremendous this year,” Gingras said. “With a trip like this leading into the final, you couldn’t ask for anything better.

“I’m not sure if he could rough it and cut (the mile), but I think if the fractions were right, he could. Otherwise, following, as he showed, he can explode off a trip.”

Lifetime Dreamer has four wins, a second and a third in eight starts while winning $183,000. He was a $65,000 purchase at the 2025 Lexington Select Yearling sale and is owned Åke Svanstedt Inc., Brittany Farms, Bruni Racing Team and Suleyman Yuksel Stables. The horse will leave from the post 5 on Friday and is one of three Svanstedt trainees in the final along with Jimdougie Armitage and Yankee Boss.

“He is a top horse,” Svanstedt said about Lifetime Dreamer. “He has a very good attitude. He can do everything; he can leave fast and is very strong. You don’t know the attitude before you race with them, but he has gotten tougher and tougher for every race.

“He is a real racehorse. He is a world-record-holder, so of course he has the speed. But what I like best is the attitude. He is a winner. You can see that in the races. Yannick (Gingras) said he just wants to win. When he pulls him, he just takes off. You don’t need to ask him; he takes off by himself.”

Scioto Downs will host all four Breeders Crown championships for 2-year-olds on Friday (Oct. 23) with the remaining eight finals to follow on Saturday. First-race post time both nights is 6 p.m. (EDT). Friday night’s action will be aired on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) from 8-11 p.m. and Saturday’s on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) 7-10:30 p.m.

Columbus, OH — Four past Breeders Crown contenders — Foiled Again, Golden Receiver, Mission Accepted and Pinkman — will be on hand to greet fans at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 23-24).

The three geldings and one stallion have an astounding 719 starts, 244 wins, 131 seconds, 97 thirds and $14.1 million in earnings between them.

To commemorate these horses and their accomplishments, the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association will have a booklet giveaway, featuring statistics on and photos of all four horses. There will also be a limited number of Foiled Again plushies available free for kids, limited to one per child. Adults who would like a plushie can purchase one for $10 with proceeds going to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.

Fans can visit Millionaires Row, located behind the grandstand, from 4:30-8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

The 22-year-old Foiled Again needs no introduction. The all-time money leading Standardbred has been a snowbird, wintering in Florida and spending his summers in Pennsylvania. Always available for meet-and-greet opportunities, Foiled Again has been enjoying the retirement life for the last seven years. Foiled competed in six Breeders Crowns, winning in 2013, finishing second in 2010 and 2011, and third in 2012.

Golden Receiver, at 21 years young, has been a part of the Cherokee Stables All Standardbred Drill Team for the past eight years and a 4-H show horse under the guidance of Emma Thornsberry. During his eight years of racing, Golden Receiver earned $2.2 million and finished second in the 2012 Breeders Crown and also competed in 2013.

Mission Accepted was a Breeders Crown contender in 2019 and 2020. He did double duty, racing and standing at stud during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and earning $1.4 million lifetime. Fully retired to stallion duty since 2024, the 11-year-old currently stands at Winterwood Farm in Ohio.

Pinkman had an amazing 3-year-old year, winning the 2015 Hambletonian, Canadian Trotting Classic, Kentucky Futurity, Earl Beal Memorial, Zweig and Stanley Dancer on his way to being named the Dan Patch Trotter of the Year. Pinkman won the Breeders Crown in 2014, was a 2015 second-place finisher, and a contender in 2017 and 2018. Having earned $2.8 million during his six-year racing career, the now 14-year-old Pinkman has been living in retirement at Richard McClelland’s farm in Zanesville, Ohio.

The 2026 Breeders Crown finals will be held at Scioto Downs Oct. 23 and 24. The 2-year-old finals will be held on Friday (starting at race 7) and the 3-year-old and open finals on Saturday (races 3-10). More details about the racing can be found on the Scioto Downs website and Hambletonian Society website. Available seating reservations can be made on Open Table. Live racing starts at 6 p.m. each day.

Grove City, OH – The final four post position draws for the Grade 1 Breeders Crown championships at Eldorado Scioto Downs took place Tuesday evening (Oct. 20) at a draw party held at Pinnacle Golf Club.

The post draws conducted were for the 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot, 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace, Open Pace and Open Trot. Elimination winners drew for posts 1 through 6 before the remaining finalists were put in an open draw. The draws for the other eight championships were completed this past weekend.

Super Chapter, the No. 1-ranked horse in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, will leave from post 8 in Saturday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot after being one of two horses to receive a bye to the final. The 4-year-old son of Chapter Seven-Lifetime Pursuit has been no worse than second in nine races this season, with seven wins and $1.19 million in earnings. His victories include three Grade 1 events – the John Cashman Memorial, Maple Leaf Trot and MGM Yonkers International Trot – plus the Grade 2 Dayton Trotting Derby in his most recent start on Oct. 3.

Dexter Dunn will drive Super Chapter for trainer Marcus Melander as they look to extend a five-race win streak.

“I think you should always take a bye if you have the opportunity,” Melander said over the weekend. “You never know what can happen in an elimination. You can be interfered with, you can take a bad stop. You lose the opportunity to win the elimination and draw (post) 1 through 6, but sometimes you have to gamble a little bit. Also, three weeks between races has never been any problem for him.”

Four-year-old Emoticon Legacy, who won the sole Open Trot elimination in 1:51.4, will start from post 4 with Bob McClure driving for trainer Luc Blais. On To Norway, a 4-year-old who was the other bye recipient, will leave from post 7 with John DeLong driving for Ron Burke while 2025 Open Trot winner French Wine will go from post 1 with Jason Bartlett at the lines for Nancy Takter.

“I was worried about the rail, but the 4 is perfect; I think Bob has options” Blais said, adding about Super Chapter and On To Norway drawing to the outside, “They’re going to need to work hard. It’s going to change the game a little bit.”

In the $662,000 Open Pace, elimination winners Dandy Ideal and Women Layer, who both won in 1:48.4, landed posts 3 and 1, respectively. Tim Tetrick will be in the sulky behind Dandy Ideal for trainer Brett Pelling while Women Layer will have Yannick Gingras in the bike for Virgil Morgan Jr. Ervin Hanover, the 2025 Open Pace champ who was a half-length behind Dandy Ideal in his third-place elimination finish last week, will leave from post 9.

“We’re just hoping to draw from the five in,” Morgan Jr. said shortly before the draw. “Hopefully the five in and I’m pretty confident will let the chips fall where they may with him.”

The elimination winners for the 3-year-old male trotters, Big Ranger and Diabolic Hill, will start the $664,500 final from posts, 2 and 3, respectively. Big Ranger won his elim in 1:51.1 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky for Anette Lorentzon; Diabolic Hill was a 1:51.2 winner with Todd McCarthy driving for Annie Stoebe.

Hambletonian winner Apex, who was second to Diabolic Hill in their elimination, drew post 6 while Kentucky Futurity winner Nix Nacken, who was second to Big Ranger, got post 5. Both are trained by Melander.

“I’m thrilled with it,” Stoebe said about the draw. “I just didn’t want the rail, so anywhere from three to six, I was going to be very happy. I can’t wait (for the weekend) but I’m trying to keep everything the same, don’t change anything.”

In the $664,500 final for 3-year-old male pacers, elimination winners Gentleman’s Club and Melillo will leave from posts, 1 and 2, respectively. Gentleman’s Club won his elimination in 1:48.3 for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Aaron Lambert. Melillo captured his elim in 1:49.3 with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the sulky for trainer Burke. Brandon Blvd, the sport’s No. 2-ranked horse behind Super Chapter, will start from post 4 with Dunn driving for Andrew Harris.

The Breeders Crown draw party was sponsored by Kountry Lane Standardbreds, Louprint, Right at Home and Standing Stallions.

Scioto Downs will host the four Breeders Crown championships for 2-year-olds on Friday (Oct. 23) with the remaining eight finals to follow on Saturday. First-race post time both nights is 6 p.m. (EDT). Friday night’s action will be aired on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) from 8-11 p.m. and Saturday’s on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) 7-10:30 p.m.

For more information about the Breeders Crown, visit the Hambletonian Society and Eldorado Scioto Downs websites.

Following are the fields for the Breeders Crown Open Trot, Open Pace, 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot, and 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace in post-position order:

$600,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot

$662,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace

$664,500 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot

$664,500 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace

2-Year-Old Filly Pace

Mare Trot

Columbus, OH – Senena Esty is excited for this weekend’s Breeders Crown finals at Eldorado Scioto Downs, she just doesn’t want to think about them.

Esty and her husband, Jeff, own Spring Haven Farm in Utica, OH, located about an hour northeast of Scioto Downs. Two Breeders Crown trotting finalists – the brother and sister duo of 3-year-old colt Big Ranger and 2-year-old filly Blue Ranger – hail from the Estys’ breeding operation. Both horses, by In Range out of the mare Big Blue Bird, head to their finals as elimination winners.

Columbus, OH -The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge (BCCC), presented by Prolific Equine, continues with a horsemen’s golf outing on Tuesday morning (October 20) followed by the Breeders Crown draw party.

The 4-man scramble golf event, which is free for golfers to play, has a 10:00 a.m. tee time at Pinnacle Golf Course in Grove City (OH), just seven miles from Scioto Downs.

There is still one spot open for a 4-man team, anyone interested in playing or donating toward the charity challenge should contact Jessica Otten at jmotten97@gmail.com.

The Breeders Crown draw party, sponsored by Kountry Lane Standardbreds, Louprint, Right at Home and Standing Stallions, will be held after the golf outing, also at Pinnacle Golf Course. A cocktail reception and cigar bar will kick off the evening starting at 4:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the post position draw at 6:15 p.m.

The Breeders Crown finals to be drawn live on Tuesday will be the 3-year-old colt pace, 3-year-old colt trot, open horse pace and open horse trot.

A set of LZR wheels will be auctioned off during the post-position draw party.

Proceeds from all the day’s activities will go to the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge that will be split between the four Columbus area charities – the Ronald McDonald House, Folds Of Honor, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana and the Greater Columbus Sports Foundation.

The BCCC began in 2019 and raises funds for charities in the Breeders Crown host community. The 2026 Breeders Crown finals will be held at Scioto Downs in South Columbus October 23 & 24. The 2-year-old finals will be held on Friday (starting at race 7) and the 3-year-old and open finals on Saturday (races 3-10). More details about the racing can be found on the Scioto Downs website and Hambletonian Society website. Available seating reservations can be made on Open Table. Live racing starts at 6:00 p.m. each day.

For more information about the BCCC and how you can be involved to support these local charities, contact Jason Roth at jroth@caesars.com or Jessica Otten at jmotten97@gmail.com

Hope Hill jogged to victory in the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday (Oct. 17) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. The daughter of Papi Rob Hanover was guided by Dexter Dunn for trainer Petter Engblom to her eighth triumph of the season and her third straight victory, stopping the timer in 1:50 as the 1-2 choice.

Whoomp, who endured a first-up journey, held on to be a game second for John DeLong at 9-2, with 12-1 Darlin’s Angel (Lauren Tritton) garnering third place honors, with 14-1 A Clean Deal (Doug McNair) grabbing fourth.

Darlin’s Angel grabbed the lead as the wings of the gate folded, but Dunn hustled Hope Hill quickly out of the pocket to take command going to the :26.4 opening panel. Whoomp then came first up heading into the second turn with a :28.2 second panel that stopped the half mile timer in :55.1, while Darlin’s Angel continued to save ground on the rail in third. Around the final turn positions remained unchanged as the field passed the 1:23.1 three-quarters, with Hope Hill easily holding off her rivals by one length at the wire.

Tom Hill of Cabus, Preston, UK owns the homebred bay filly who upped her career earnings to $517,932 and her seasonal earnings to $408,742. She came into this elimination fresh off victories in the $212,000 Garnsey Memorial and $76,000 Bluegrass at Lexington, and now has 11 victories in 23 career starts, with four seconds and five thirds.

Sangria Summer posted a new track record of 1:49.3 en route to winning the second Breeders Crown elimination for driver James MacDonald and trainer Luc Blais. Determination of Montreal, Quebec owns the daughter by Captaintreacherous, who is out of the Shadow Play mare Shower Play.

“What she showed at 2, we thought we’d be a good sires stakes filly, and she’s better than we originally thought,” said winning trainer Blais. “She’s healthy and an easy keeper who looks out for herself and is very professional.”

After 56-1 longshot Topville Lucky (Todd McCarthy) took the field to the :27.1 opening panel, Sangria Summer hustled to the front and led through fractions of :55.2 and 1:22.4 basically unchallenged. She easily held off She’s A Bulldog (Yannick Gingras), with Miss Jum Jabber (Andrew McCarthy) third, and Topville Lucky holding on for fourth.

Sangria Summer notched her ninth career victory in 25 starts and her eighth of the season, pushing her career earnings to $516,435. She came into this elimination fresh off her triumph in the $150,000 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park in Cleveland.

Post positions were drawn for the $664,500 Grade 1 final, which will be held Oct. 24, following the elims. Elimination winners drew for posts 1 through 6.

$664,500 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace Final (G1)

COLUMBUS, Ohio— Hambletonian Oaks winner Nezuko Kamado S persisted with a first-over grind and staved off late pursuers to take the first of three $25,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old trotting fillies in a track-record 1:51.2 mile on Saturday night (Oct. 17) at Scioto Downs. Little Road and She’s Moni won the other eliminations.

Driver Scott Zeron eased Nezuko Kamado S out of post 3 into fourth behind a three-wide brawl for the lead between Madam Cheval (driven by Tim Tetrick), Southwind Chaska (Dexter Dunn) and Isabella Bi (Ake Svanstedt). Isabella Bi took back to third and Southwind Chaska yielded into the pocket, leaving Madam Cheval to cut a :27.1 first quarter and then a :55.2 half with no challengers looming. Zeron angled Nezuko Kamado S off the pylons into the backstretch and steadily advanced on Madam Cheval heading to three-quarters in 1:23.1 before thrusting to the lead upon straightening for the finish. Nezuko Kamado S extended for the finish and clinched the win by a nose as Custom (Jason Bartlett) bolted from last down the center of the track to settle for second. Southwind Chaska held the last berth into the final in third.

“I thought I’d be first up no matter how I shook that race,” Scott Zeron said after the race, “and I was very happy with even being first-up, just giving her every chance to win. The only thing I didn’t want to do was rush her really, really hard first two steps out of the gate. Timmy’s horse [Madam Cheval] was giving a hell of a run in the last turn and I was still laboring off of him. And then when his started to tire a little bit it gave mine that second wind to just dig on by and she felt good up there. Hats off to Jason’s horse [Custom] she raced phenomenal from behind.”

Marcus Melander trains Nezuko Kamado S for owner-breeder Courant Inc. The filly by Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos IT has now won seven races from 11 starts this season and 13 races from 22 starts in her career, amassing $1,143,869. She paid $3.80 to win.

Supplemental entry Little Road (Brady Brown) ripped from a pocket trip to a 1:53.3 victory in the second Breeders Crown elimination for sophomore trotting fillies.

Brown asserted his charge from the pylon draw and clicked past a :28.1 first quarter before Victorianas Secret (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) ranged forward out of third to grab the lead. Little Road drafted comfortably behind the favorite to a :57 half but lost ground in the backstretch once the tempo quickened with Setyoursightshigh (Dexter Dunn) blitzing the leader out of fourth. Setyoursightshigh reached the Victorianas Secret’s throat to three-quarters in 1:26.1 and kept pressing the leader through the turn while Little Road waited for the open stretch. Brown dove his charge inside in the lane and surged by his rivals late to score a half-length win over Setyoursightshigh while Victorianas Secret held third.

A homebred filly for trainer Roger Hammer by Fordham Road out of the Great George Two mare A Little Laid Back, Hammer decided to pay the $72,000 supplement fee to make Little Road eligible for the Breeders Crown after a sophomore campaign where she’s earned nearly $300,000 including a victory in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final in early September.

“She made the money this year and it was the first horse that I raised to have a shot at the Breeders Crown,” Hammer said after the race. “I wanted to give her a shot. She doesn't like the passing lane that well. She's better when you pull her to the outside and come with her, but I figured with where she's sitting I'm into the final, if nothing happens. It'd mean a lot [to win a Breeders Crown].

"This week, she'll go home tonight and she'll train lightly on Thursday,” Hammer also said, “then come back out on Saturday for the retention barn. I hope she's ready again.”

Little Road has now won 16 races from 25 starts and earned $373,150 in her career. She paid $9.40 to win.

Kentucky Filly Futurity champion She’s Moni (Yannick Gingras) hauled from the outermost draw in the third elimination and held her ground for a 1:53.2 win in the third elimination.

Gingras hustled his charge to seize command from Carve (Andy McCarthy) passing a :28 first quarter and immediately hit the brakes to steal a breather to a :58 half. She’s Moni gradually accelerated in the backstretch and readied for an attack once Busy Miss Lissy S (Dexter Dunn) tipped out of fourth to march up the rim. She’s Moni continued to cruise towards three-quarters in 1:26.1 but endured an unrelenting bid from Busy Miss Lissy S coming for home, and she managed to keep that rival at bay by a neck to the finish. Storybook Love (Todd Ratchford) zipped up the open stretch to take third.

“I always thought that she was my best filly,” trainer Nancy Takter said. “She was my best filly last year training down. Unfortunately, she had a little injury that we had to take care of and give her time off. So she came back from that and she hasn’t had any issues from that all year. It was a matter of just getting her into racing and making up for lost time, not having a lot of starts at 2. She always had the ability. She’s a very gifted filly, probably one of the most gifted I’ve been around.”

She’s Moni, a homebred filly for owners Brittany Farms LLC and Marvin Katz, won her fifth race from 11 starts this season and her sixth race from 12 starts overall, banking $443,606. The filly by Walner-Thats All Moni paid $4.40 to win.

Following the third elimination, Scioto Downs conducted the post position draw for the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot final. Nezuko Kamado S, Little Road and She’s Moni earned draw protection between posts 1 through 6 by winning their eliminations. Below is the field:

$664,500 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot Final (G1)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Women Layer and Dandy Ideal stamped their tickets to the big dance in a pair of $25,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace eliminations, Saturday evening (Oct. 17) at Scioto Downs.

In a week’s time, Women Layer and Dandy Ideal will see if they are indeed fit for a ‘Crown.’

On this night, both showed that they have the talent and tenacity to claim that coronation.

The first division, carded as the second race, featured a riveting late-race duel between the two top choices on the tote board: Women Layer, at 7-5, and Best Chip, at 3-2.

Women Layer, driven by Yannick Gingras, stormed to the lead at the outset, while Best Chip, who had finished second in the Grade 1 Dayton Pacing Derby in his previous start (refunded to bettors because of broken equipment before the race), was forced to march on after failing to secure a spot along the rail. Admiral Hill and Swingtown settled into third and fourth, respectively.

After an opening quarter reached in :26.3, Joe Bongiorno, driving Best Chip, slowed the pace and led the field through a half in :55.0, with Gingras shadowing the pacesetter from the rail.

Still on top after three-quarters in 1:22.1, Best Chip soon came under pressure from the inside as Women Layer began closing the gap in the stretch. With 40 yards remaining, Women Layer seized command and went on to defeat his rival by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.4. Surreal Ideal rallied past Admiral Hill to finish third.

Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr., the 5-year-old son of Sweet Lou out of the McArdle mare Loreenas Ruffian has a career record of 33-10-5 from 58 starts, with nearly $1.1 million in purse earnings.

Women Layer entered his elimination off a 1:48.4 victory at The Red Mile on Oct. 10.

“We just wanted to prep him for this all along, probably, about five or six weeks out,” said Morgan, Jr. “The Lexington race turned out perfect. I don’t want to say it was a soft field, but we got the six-hole on a mile track in a six-horse field, and it was just a nice prep. Yannick gets along with him great, and he couldn’t have come into this better.”

Owned by Let It Ride Stables, Jeff Fought Racing, Larry Wills and Jesmeral Stable, Women Layer was bred by Carl Howard. He sprang a 17-1 upset on Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands, winning the first division of the Grade 2 Sam McKee Memorial in 1:48.2.

“Last year when we got him, he’s a difficult horse to train, but he’s extremely fast,” said Morgan, Jr., who has trained Women Layer since the fall of 2024. “It was by design this year. He’s just matured and he’s a really nice racehorse. He’s so tactical off the gate and obviously, speed wins races.”

The bay gelding was purchased for $72,000 at the 2022 Lexington Select Sale, where he was cataloged as Hip No. 493.

Dandy Ideal, driven by Tim Tetrick, powered home down the stretch to capture top honors in the second elimination.

It was a cavalry charge for the lead, with several contenders looking to secure the front end. Tetrick, however, opted to avoid the early fray and settled Dandy Ideal into fifth in the seven-horse field.

Calicojack Hanover emerged on the front end and led his six rivals through an opening quarter in :26.2 before Ervin Hanover took command shortly after the first quarter.

The son of Captaintreacherous continued to lead through a half-mile in :54.0, while Tetrick remained patient aboard Dandy Ideal. Prince Hal Hanover then made his move, launching to the outside and taking aim at the leader, while Calicojack Hanover remained in third.

The stage was set for a dramatic stretch drive after three-quarters in 1:21.1. With little room to work with, Dandy Ideal got up in the last strides, edging a game Prince Hal Hanover by a neck. Ervin Hanover and Calicojack Hanover finished third and fourth, respectively. The winning time was 1:48.4.

Tetrick, who had recently been reunited with the Brett Pelling trainee, praised his elimination partner.

“I drove him as a two-year-old and he won the Matron and I really liked him then. Then he came back as a great three-year-old and he has been battling ever since. He’s beaten me a lot, so he is a very nice horse.”

A foot issue kept Dandy Ideal out of the Grade 3 Allerage on Sept. 10, a factor Tetrick considered when developing his strategy for the elimination.

“He hadn’t raced in three weeks, so I thought the best way to get him into the [Breeders Crown] final was not to beat him up,” said Tetrick. “He responded. I got a good trip, second over. He’s a good horse – he’ll do it either way. I just like getting to drive him. He was loaded.”

Owned by Susan Oakes and Alan Johnston, the gelding has now recorded 22 wins, six seconds and three thirds from 40 starts, with more than $1.3 million in career earnings.

Bred by Stephen Dey and Dandy Farms Inc., Dandy Ideal was purchased for $52,000 (Hip No. 262) at the 2023 Harrisburg Yearling Sale.

The son of American Ideal out of the Sportswriter mare OK Heavenly returned $8.20 to win his elimination.

The post-position draw for the Open Pace will take place Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio, as part of the official Draw Party for the Breeders Crown finals, scheduled for Oct. 23 and 24 at Scioto Downs.

The elimination winners, Women Layer and Dandy Ideal, will draw from posts one through six in the final, with the remaining positions determined by an open draw. Ken Hanover also secured a spot in the final as the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sent off at 26-1, Gentleman's Club sustained a first-over grind for a half mile to overpower 2025 Breeders Crown champion Beau Jangles in a divisional track record 1:48.3 in the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace eliminations on Saturday (Oct. 17) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

In line to Andy McCarthy, Gentleman's Club eased off an early skirmish that saw Al Papi (driven by Yannick Gingras) push clear of Little Brown Jug winner Redland Rocket Man (Jody Jamieson) on the first turn as Beau Jangles (James MacDonald) stalked from third after pressing at the pegs. Redland Rocket Man angled off the pegs to take charge from Al Papi at the end of a :26.1 first quarter before yielding to Beau Jangles, who brushed from third, with just under a circuit to go. As Beau Jangles hit the half-mile pole in :54.2, McCarthy tugged the right line on Gentleman's Club, who began his first-over ascent up the backstretch.

With three-eighths remaining, Gentleman's Club had worked from midfield to within a length of Beau Jangles, and he turned up the pressure in earnest to the 1:21.4 three-quarters while Redland Rocket Man began to gap the pocket and Funky Buddha (Tim Tetrick) overtook him for third. Gentleman's Club surged clear of a tired Beau Jangles with a sixteenth to go, and the Downbytheseaside-See You At Peelers colt sped home to cap his 10th career win with a :26.3 closing quarter.

Sweet Lovin Lou (Scott Zeron) fanned four-wide off the home turn and rallied to nab Funky Buddha for second, three-quarters of a length back; Al Papi split foes out of traffic to save fourth over the weakening Beau Jangles.

Redland Rocket Man, who was sent off the 3-10 favorite, faded to finish last in the seven-horse field.

"He's come back terrific, his attitude's amazing, and he loves to do what he's doing," said Aaron Lambert, who trains the Fred Hertrich III-bred Gentleman's Club for Anthony LiCastro. "When they mixed it up like that, I knew Andy was probably going to have to come first-up. He carried his speed and kept going, and that was it."

Gentleman's Club paid $54.60 to win.

Another odds-on favorite tasted defeat in the second elimination after 5-1 second choice Melillo seized early control and evaded 1-10 choice Brandon Blvd by 1-1/2 lengths for a 1:49.3 score.

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. pushed forward with Melillo to clear inside leaver Fragment (Jason Bartlett) before completing a :26.4 first quarter. The Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose colt stole the race in a :29.3 stroll through the second sectional, which set up for a monstrous back half.

With stablemate Be Sting (Gingras) offering a first-over challenge and Brandon Blvd (Dexter Dunn) stalking second-over, Melillo accelerated through a :26.2 third quarter, hitting that mark in 1:22.4. As Be Sting faded through the far turn, Brandon Blvd was forced to circle three-wide yet still posed the main threat to Melillo in the final furlong. Undeterred, Melillo held his ground and kept the Meadowlands Pace winner at bay for his eighth career win. Fragment finished third despite lacking late kick from the pocket; Cooperstown Boy (Doug McNair) was an even fourth over Odds On Mr Mamba (Peter Wrenn).

"I thought I might push forward a little bit and I thought Dex might follow me to the lead, but he decided to sit fourth," said Ronnie Wrenn Jr. "After the breather in the second quarter, my horse raced great. I was happy with him."

Ron Burke trains Melillo, who paid $13.40 to win and races as a homebred for Burke Racing Stable, Jason Melillo and Weaver Bruscemi.

The top four finishers from each elimination qualified for next week's final, as did Odds On Mr Mamba by virtue of being the fifth-place finisher with the higher seasonal earnings. By virtue of their elimination wins, Gentleman's Club and Melillo are guaranteed to draw post positions between 1 and 6 inclusive.

The barrier draw for the $664,500 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace final will take place Tuesday (Oct. 20) at Pinnacle Golf Club.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Following wins in the Grade 1 Dayton Distaff Derby and Grade 3 Allerage Farms, Twin B Joe Fresh is poised to tackle a second Breeders Crown Mare Pace championship following a decisive 1:49.4 win in Saturday's (Oct. 17) lone $25,000 elimination for her division at Scioto Downs.

Sent off the 3-5 favorite among eight rivals, Twin B Joe Fresh and driver Dexter Dunn used the entirety of the first turn to clear early pacesetter Champagne Room (driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) at the end of a :26.4 first quarter while The Last Martini (Doug McNair) stalked from third after pressing the pace at the pegs. Once in control of the terms, Twin B Joe Fresh pulled the tempo back through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.2 before facing a steady but mild first-over challenge from Milton winner Francent N (Louis-Philippe Roy) on the far turn.

Twin B Joe Fresh rose to the challenge with aplomb and shook free by 1-3/4 lengths in upper stretch, and she was well within herself through a :26.2 sprint home to defeat Francent N by a measured length. The Last Martini angled between foes with 70 yards remaining and lifted mildly to just collar a flat Champagne Room for third, another 2 lengths behind.

"She had a bit of a slow start this year, but she's back in form and back to her best," said Dunn, who shares ownership of Twin B Joe Fresh with trainer Chris Ryder and partners Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak. "She felt great post parading. She can leave the gate as fast as you want to and she relaxes after that. I couldn't be happier these last three starts with how she is."

Twin B Joe Fresh, a 6-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze bred by Brittany Farms, has won 42 of her 62 starts to date and has earned $3,292,420 in her career. She paid $3.20 to win.

"I was impressed again," said Ryder of his star trainee. "Dex is just raving about her. She's relaxing; she's been better the last three starts. We raced her at [Harrah's Philadelphia] in an overnight and she was a little bit out of control, so we changed the bridle and I think it's helped her a lot. I think she's as good as she can be."

By virtue of her elimination win, Twin B Joe Fresh was guaranteed to draw a post position from 1 through 6 for the final. The top seven finishers qualified for the final, as did Tarapasta and Unreasonable, whose connections accepted byes.

The complete field for next Saturday's (Oct. 24) $443,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace final, in post position order, is as follows:

The two $25,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Trot eliminations on Saturday night (October 17) at Eldorado Scioto Downs saw Diabolic Hill and Big Ranger emerge victorious.

An elimination winner in the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Trot in 2025, Diabolic Hill, driven by Todd McCarthy, repeated that feat in 2026, tallying in a lifetime-best 1:51.2.

Diabolic Hill was part of the early mix for command with Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) and American Power (Yannick Gingras) but relented to sit in third on the first turn briefly before McCarthy wheeled him to the outside and took command past the 28.1 quarter. Hambletonian champion Apex (Dexter Dunn) was hot on Diabolic Hill's heels, though, and he would become the tempo-setter on the way to the 56 second half-mile marker.

Zeron put Inexpressable in motion first-over heading to the 1:24 three-quarters, but Apex remained firmly in control to that station and around the far turn. However, in the stretch McCarthy was able to get Diabolic Hill into the passing lane, and thanks to a 27 second final quarter, Diabolic Hill rallied past Apex to prevail by a quarter of a length. Inexpressable got third, followed by American Power and supplemental entry Strobe Lite (Louis-Philippe Roy). Strobe Lite would be the fifth-place finisher from the two eliminations with the higher 2026 earnings and therefore earned a spot in next Saturday night's final.

"I think he was handled a little bit more aggressively (tonight). We stayed out of the (Kentucky) Futurity and protected him. He's super-sharp and fresh, and I think that's what gave him the edge tonight," said Stoebe.

Following an eighth-place finish in his Hambletonian elimination, Diabolic Hill was put on Lasix, and Stoebe believes there was an adjustment period for him.

"I think it took a little bit for him to recover from the bleeding, but now we have his weight good, he's feeling great and he's just healthy," she remarked, while adding about his training, "I've learned with colts, it's just follow the protocol. I do the same thing every time, and it's really made a difference. He's not nervous; he's just ready."

Stoebe also co-owns Diabolic Hill, a Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream colt, with partners Mario Mazza and Ac Crawford Racing Stable. Bred by Am Bloodstock and purchased for $300,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Diabolic Hill has a summary of 7-6-3 from 20 appearances, has pocketed $744,905 and paid $9.60 to win as the 7-2 third choice.

Hambletonian runner-up Big Ranger, with Tim Tetrick in the bike, bounced back from a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Futurity to score in 1:51.1.

Big Ranger, who is now ten-for-ten in his career at Scioto with this victory, got away in the third position and then brushed to the front around Nix Nacken (Zeron) beyond the 27.3 quarter. From there, Big Ranger trotted clear through middle-half fractions of 56.1 and 1:23.3 before a 27.3 final kicker polished off his 2 1/4 length triumph. Nix Nacken, coming in off wins in the Grade 1 Canadian Trotting Classic and Kentucky Futurity, was clear in second, followed by Read The Room (Ake Svanstedt) and Captain Jordan (Chris Page).

"He felt like his old self. He was really strong and ready to go. He finished out that mile really easy," remarked Tetrick. "With trotters I think (having experience over the track) does help a lot. He knows this track, he likes it here and he's won many times. He knows how to go fast here and that's a big key. When some of the other ones might have to wait on the turn or something, you don't have to wait on him.

"He's a real pleasure. They don't come along very often, and he reminds me of really good horses that I've driven in the past. He's a special animal. He's just so fast and he's so gifted off the car. He makes my job really easy. He's good-gaited and he's a lot of fun."

A colt by In Range and out of the Tactical Landing mare Big Blue Bird, Big Ranger was sent out by Anette Lorentzon for owner Madison Global. Big Ranger, whose 2-year-old full sister Blue Ranger won her Breeders Crown elimination on Friday night, has 15 victories and one runner-up finish from 19 efforts, has earned $965,959 and returned $2.40 to win as the 1-5 favorite. Big Ranger was bred in Ohio by Spring Haven Farm and was a $25,000 buy at the 2024 Ohio Selected Jug Sale.

"He raced good all the way up to the Futurity, but unfortunately he was sick there. We took a gamble and gave him the whole week off to try to get him good for this, Lorentzon said. "I'm very happy with the effort since he was no good last start, but you'd never know that. We thought he had bounced back because he was full of himself all week and tonight he felt really good warming up.

"He's just a cool horse to be around. He's always happy and super nice to be around. He's not mean; he's just playful. When you drive him at home, a 5-year-old could go out with him."

The post position draw for the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Trot final will take place on Tuesday during a press conference at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio. By virtue of winning their eliminations, Diabolic Hill and Big Ranger will draw from posts one through six in the final, followed by an open draw for the remainder of the field.

Finalists in alpha order are:

Emoticon Legacy and driver Bob McClure prevailed as expected in the Breeders Crown Open Trot elimination. The son of Walner, out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover, was the 1-9 favorite and did not disappoint his backers with another stellar performance, stopping the timer easily in 1:51.4.

Owned by Determination of Montreal, QC, Canada, Emoticon Legacy notched his fourth victory of the season in ten starts and upped his seasonal earnings to $319,916 and his career bankroll to $1,437,447. Conditioned by Luc Blais, this home bred has 15 career triumphs, six seconds and one third in 27 trips postward.

“He’s a superstar,” McClure confirmed of his charge. “Last year he could bully his way around a lot more and this year he’s had to learn a few things. With Super Chapter not being in here, I felt he had a really good shot to win. His biggest asset is his lungs—he can carry his speed a long way and he can pull through a situation where he might not have the greatest trip and still give you a great effort.”

Longshots 24-1 Up Your Deo (Ake Svanstedt) and 17-1 Go Dog Go (Scott Zeron) slugged it out to the :28.1 first quarter but both yielded to Emoticon Legacy, who got away fourth, when he made his early move. As the field moved to the :56.4 half, French Wine (Jason Bartlett) was first up to the leader but was not able to progress and by the 1:24.2 three-quarter marker, Emoticon Legacy had a comfortable lead that was not to be surpassed. Go Dog Go held on for second, while the hard trying 15-1 Antognoni S (Yannick Gingras) got up for third, with Up Your Deo holding on for fourth place honors.

McClure admitted he’d prefer Emoticon Legacy to have a mid-inside post for the final.

“On a five-eighths, I’d say the best post for him would be the three or four hole,” McClure stressed. “Having the rail or two-hole would definitely be a disadvantage.”

Emoticon Legacy’s best effort this season came when he won the $347,000 Charlie Hill Memorial Trot over this same oval on Sept. 12, setting a new track and world record of 1:50.2 for 4-year-old trotting stallions.

Draw for the Open Trot will be on Tuesday at the Pinnacle Golf Club.

Brady Brown never figured he would be in the spotlight of the Breeders Crown Saturday night at Scioto Downs (Columbus, Ohio) in an elimination of the $25,000 3-year-old filly trot.

Owner-trainer Roger Hammer, of Johnstown, supplemented Little Road (Fordham Road-A Little Laid Back-Great George Two) into the race for $72,000.

Brown, one of the top drivers at The Meadows, is looking for his first landmark stakes victory. It’s his maiden start in the Breeders Crown.

“I’m still speechless,” Brown said. “I never thought I would get this opportunity, especially to get to drive a filly for one of the best trainers and drivers in this business. It’s very special to me.”

Little Road, who will leave from the rail, will compete with Sharp Seven (Jody Jamieson and George Ducharme), Victorianas Secret (Wrenn Jr. and Vernon Beachy), Emmas Mystery CCl (Andrew McCarthy and Noel Daley), Setyoursightshigh (Dexter Dunn and Marcus Melander), R Ro (Andy Miller and John Butenschoen) and Kngtstlkrs Games (Louis Roy and Peter Shody).

The top three finishers in the three divisions will advance to the final Oct. 24.

Little Road, bred by Hammer, has won nine of 15 starts this season with three seconds and a third. She has earned $282,562 and has a best time of 1:52.

In two seasons, she has 15 wins in 24 starts with four seconds and two third-place finishes with $360,650 career earnings.

Little Road, who is 5-1 on the morning line, has won seven of her last eight starts with wins in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes last month and a victory in the Keystone Classic Oct. 6.

“She’s been a good filly,” Brown said. “Towards the end of her 2-year-old year, we really knew we had a good horse – wasn’t sure how good, but she was good. When (Hammer) brought her back as a 3-year-old, he trained her down and started racing her. She was just phenomenal.

“She can race either way,” Brown said. “She can go forward or she can race from behind.

“One thing about Hammer, he doesn’t put a horse in these kinds of races just to be in the race. He’s in the race to win and to make money.”

Hammer, a Bedford resident, said his only instructions for Brown are to give the horse a “shot” at winning.

“When Brady first started racing at the fairs, I gave him drives,” Hammer said. “That’s how we got together. I told him to not sit back with Little Road.

He gives her a shot all the time and I don’t care if she finishes last, if he gives her a shot to win."

He also thinks Brown’s time has come to win a Grade 1 stakes race.

“I thought too, being Brady has never driven in the big races, I think this would be good for him.”

Hammer admitted he has rarely supplemented horses into a big race, which says much about his confidence supplementing Little Road into the Breeders Crown.

Hammer, 80, won the Hambletonian in 2005 with Vivid Photo.

He’s confident Little Road has the makeup and ability to be his next big winner.

“She doesn’t need a trip,” Hammer said. “The last four, five or six weeks, we just put her to the top and stayed out of trouble.

“She can leave fast – leave the gate good. She’s raced against a lot of these fillies and she beat them, and they beat her. She’s only had one bad race all year. And that was down in Kentucky when she tied up on me. Other than that, she’s been one, two, three the whole time.”

As for supplementing Little Road into the Breeders Crown, Hammer said his decision was easy.

“Nothing has come out of my pocket with this one,” Hammer explained. “She made the money. I’m going to give her a shot at this.”

Burke’s brigade

Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke and the Burke Racing Stable, Fredericktown, have a bevy of Breeders Crown entries.

That group includes defending Breeders Crown champion Loua Dipa (3-year-old filly pace), Al Papi and Melillo (3-year-old colt pace), Bythemissal (Open Pace), Rodeo Drive Deo (Open Mare Pace), Lexus Kody (Open Trot)

Down the stretch

Scioto Downs previously hosted the Breeders Crown Pace (1988) and Mare Trot (1986). After major renovations, including a new race paddock, gaming floor and grandstand, the 2026 Breeders Crown is hosting a festival week, culminating in the Crown final Oct. 23-24. … The event will feature more than $7.2 million in total purses. … Eight of last year’s Breeders Crown titlists will race (Oct. 17). … First-race post time is 6 p.m. both Friday and Saturday at Scioto Downs.

Blazin Lou made it look easy as he captured the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers (race 5) at Scioto Downs. The son of top pacing sire Sweet Lou endured a first over trip in easy fashion to prevail in 1:50.4. Dexter Dunn drove the youngster, giving him his fourth victory on the night’s card.

The victory came as no surprise to the colt’s trainer Tony Dinges, who conditions Blazin Lou for owner Rick Berks of Paris, KY.

"I was expecting him to race good, and I didn’t think the post would matter to him,” Dinges said of the colt’s far outside post position. “I expected a good effort from him no matter how the race went. He showed talent all along—from the beginning of his training—and he’s gone even more forward since racing at the Red Mile.”

Rival Eastie Boy (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.), the 6-5 choice, led the field to an easy :27 opening panel, and positions remained unchanged to the :56.3 half, as Blazin Lou steadily moved up on the outside to the 1:24.4 three-quarter marker. Around the final turn, Blazin Lou turned up his speed a notch and easily collared the leader with a :25.3 final panel. Eastie Boy held on for second, while 5-2 choice Mr Bear (Marcus Miller) held on for third over 21-1 L A Captain (Bob McClure).

Ocean Party (Chris Page) was fifth, with Billy Hill (Austin Hanners) sixth, followed by Night Agent (Andrew McCarthy) seventh, and Mascarpone (Scott Zeron) eighth.

Blazin Lou has scored previous victory in Kentucky Commonwealth stakes, and more recently in the $89,300 Bluegrass Stakes and in the $104,000 International Sires Stakes at the Red Mile. He now has a 5-1-2 record in 11 career starts and pushed his career earnings to $169,550. Blazin Lou was a $110,000 yearling at the 2025 Lexington Select Sale, and is a full brother to Rocknroll Lou p, 4, 1:51.1 ($483,355) and a half-brother to Captain Rocknroll (by Captaintreacherous) p, 4, 1:51.1 ($74,552).

Bred by Cornerstone Stock Farm of Kentucky, Blazin Lou is the third foal from his dam, Beautiful Lady p, 4, 1:50.1 ($328,390), who won a division of the 2014 Jugette and was second in the finale.

Starstruck Dreamer, the 9-5 choice and Todd McCarthy took the second division (Race 11) in 1:50.2 with a grueling first over trip that saw him nip 2-1 Night Surfer (Dexter Dunn) by a whisker in a blanket photo, with 6-5 Shalom Hanover (Louis Roy) third and 87-1 Stonebridge Blitz (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) fourth.

Seine, the 24-1 choice, and driver Joe Bongiorno took the early lead out of the gate, leading the field to a :27.1 first quarter before yielding to Shalom Hanover passing the stands for the first time to the :55 half and 1:23.2 three-quarter marker. Meanwhile, the eventual winner had steadily been making up ground on the backside and through the final turn, where he paced nose-to-nose with the leader, before drawing off to win.

Starstruck Dreamer, a freshman son of Captaintreacherous, himself a Breeders Crown champion, is trained by Noel Daley for the partnership of Steve Wienick Racing, Pryde Stables, Jfoderatritchiecanamerica, and Hyatt Holdings. The victory, the sixth of his career in seven starts, upped Starstruck Dreamer’s career earnings to $146,300.

Bred by the Sergent Stables, Starstruck Dreamer was an impressive force in PASS contests this season, taking a career mark of 1:48.4 on Aug. 14. He is the first foal out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Scarlett Hanover p, 4, 1:49.4 ($946,786) and was a $105,000 yearling purchase at the 2025 Lexington Sale.

Draw for the $700,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lifetime Dreamer and Wrong Sounds Right took their respective Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt & Geldings Trot eliminations on Friday night (Oct. 16) at Scioto Downs.

In the first elimination, carded as Race 6, Presidente, leaving from post six in a field of seven, glided to the front moments after the starting gate pulled away. He led the field through a :27.1 opening quarter, with Lifetime Dreamer tracking in second, Mats third and Special Day fourth, following a break by Access Now.

Presidente, fresh off a divisional victory in the Bluegrass Series at The Red Mile, continued to dictate the pace through a :55.4 half. Meanwhile, Yannick Gingras, aboard Lifetime Dreamer, remained patient as Mats and Special Day continued to race third and fourth, respectively.

Presidente, who had recorded four consecutive top-three finishes entering the elimination, remained in command through three-quarters in 1:24.3. But Lifetime Dreamer was poised to strike as the field straightened for home. Gingras then gave the bay his cue and the rookie responded with a confident outside move to take command.

From there, the only question was the winning margin. Lifetime Dreamer, the 2-1 mutuel choice, answered emphatically, powering home to a three-length victory. Presidente finished second, while Whateverittakes AS, who had bobbled earlier in the mile, rallied for third. Top Reacher finished fourth.

The final time over a track rated good was 1:52.4, establishing a track record and equaling the world record for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters over a five-eighths-mile track.

“In the last turn – I know Timmy has a nice horse (Presidente), I was tracking him – but I had a lot of trot behind him,” said Gingras. “He went by him pretty easily and he had plenty left.”

It was the latest standout performance for the Ake Svanstedt trainee, who arrived at tonight’s test off a six-length score in a division of the Bluegrass Series at The Red Mile.

On Aug. 8, Lifetime Dreamer and Gingras teamed up to capture the $180,000 Platinum Final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes in a world-record time of 1:51.1. The freshman, from Ecurie D’s first crop, won by three lengths.

“He has had a couple of hiccups in between,” said Gingras. “Other than that, he has been tremendous, and with a trip like this tonight leading into the final, you couldn’t ask for anything better.”

A $65,000 purchase at the 2025 Lexington Select Yearling Sale, Lifetime Dreamer is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Brittany Farms LLC, Bruni Racing Team and Suleyman Yuksel Stables. The victory was his fourth in eight career starts.

Brittany Farms bred Lifetime Dreamer, the second foal out of Lifetime Gift, a daughter of Lifetime Pursuit, the 2014 Hambletonian Oaks champion.

Lifetime Dreamer paid $6.20 for his Breeders Crown elimination win.

Wrong Sounds Right was an easy winner in the second $25,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt & Geldings Trot elimination.

Opposition set the early tone, blasting off the wings to seize command, followed to his inside by Carbon Fiber, who settled into second, while Todd McCarthy, in the sulky of 1-9 Wrong Sounds Right, tucked into third through an opening panel in :28.1.

Soon after, Wrong Sounds Right, riding a three-race win streak, coasted to the lead and proceeded to take his rivals through a half in :56.2. Opposition broke stride, leaving the trio of Carbon Fiber, Gio’s Hope and Yankee Boss to slot in second, third and fourth, respectively.

Still gliding along on top through three-quarters in 1:25.0 with the wind picking up, Wrong Sounds Right breezed down the lane on his way to a 2 3/4-length win. Carbon Fiber was second, Jimdougie Armitage finished third and Yankee Boss was fourth.

The final time was 1:53.1.

“Very happy with the way he raced,” said owner and breeder Scott Farber, whose nom de course is Runthetable Stables. “Good in the turns – my only real concern was that he hadn’t been on a small track before, but he passed that test like he’s passed every other one.”

Wrong Sounds Right arrived at tonight’s elimination off a stellar showing in the Grade 1 Mohawk Million on Sept. 26, a performance that saw the bay colt, sent on his way as the 2-5 choice, set the stakes and track record and equal the world record, courtesy of a 1:51.1 mile.

In his start prior to the Million, the son of Tactical Landing out of the Broadway Hall mare Broadway Jo Ell stopped the teletimer in a then career-best 1:51.4 in the New Jersey Classic on Sept. 11.

Farber, whose list of standout performers includes Cool Papa Bell, Take All Comers, Next Level Stuff and Hobbs, lauded his rookie charge.

“I’m very excited about the future of this guy. I have had some good ones… I am as excited for him as I’ve been for any of the other ones. Homebreds are very special.

“We’re very excited to be out here.”

With tonight’s victory, the Jim Campbell trainee is 6-1-0 from eight starts.

Wrong Sounds Right paid $2.20 for tonight’s win.

Following the second elimination, Scioto Downs conducted the draw for the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Trot final. Below is the field:

$700,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Trot Final (G1)

Elimination winners Lifetime Dreamer and Wrong Sounds Right earned draw protection between posts 1 through 6 for the Breeders Crown final. Access Now earned a spot in the final as the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio Sires Stakes champion Blue Ranger matched the Scioto Downs track record she set last month when ripping out of the pocket to a 1:53.1 victory in the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Friday night (Oct. 16).

Leaving from post 2, driver Dexter Dunn idled off the wings with Blue Ranger as longshot Fleur Delacour (driven by Todd McCarthy) swooped down from post 8 alongside Kissme Ifyoucan (Austin Hanners) to battle for the lead. Dunn marched Blue Ranger forward once the dust settled and overtook Fleur Delacour past a :27.1 first quarter but soon yielded for the pocket as 9-5 favorite Nevis Peak (Yannick Gingras) pushed past for the front heading towards a :55.4 half.

Nevis Peak coasted up the backstretch and endured mild first-over pressure from City Of Light (Tim Tetrick) before that rival rolled off stride past three-quarters in 1:24.2, which gave Dunn ample room to tip out of the pocket coming for the homestretch. Blue Ranger angled out and ground down Nevis Peak in the lane to notch a one-length victory while Orinoco kicked from second-over before breaking stride and crossing the line third, which violated the breaking rule and resulted in her disqualification to sixth. Putitondad’stab (Scott Zeron) inherited third and Kissme Ifyoucan ascended to fourth to earn the last berth into the final.

“She felt sharp,” Dexter Dunn said after the race. “I drove her at Hoosier [on Sept. 25] and she was a bit flat that day. She came back and raced really good in Lexington for Orjan [Kihlstrom], and she was good tonight—she won the sire stakes final here, so she likes the track obviously. We had to do a little bit early there—that first half was hot enough. She was travelling good coming off the turn, and once Timmy [Tetrick]’s one made a break and we could come out, she peeled off a helmet and did her work strong.”

Marcus Melander trains Blue Ranger for owner Bender Sweden Inc. The filly by In Range-Big Blue Bird, bred by Spring Haven Farm, won her third race from seven starts this season and has now earned $251,480. She paid $6.20 to win.

Dunn and Melander teamed later in the night to win with 6-5 favorite Two Day Hangover with a 1:53.2 effort in the second elimination for freshman trotting fillies.

After Rio De Janeiro (Joe Bongiorno) blasted towards the lead, Climatic Hanover (Yannick Gingras) eased forward from the outermost draw to press for the lead with Two Day Hangover looming behind to a :28 first quarter. Two Day Hangover slid by Climatic Hanover passing the stands to take the lead heading to a :56 half and continued up the backstretch under minimal pressure. Past three-quarters in 1:24.3, Two Day Hangover cruised for home and strode comfortably to a 1-1/2-length victory with Climatic Hanover following suit in second. Dandelion Wine closed for third with Shes A Home Run taking fourth via placing with fourth-place finisher Rio De Janeiro getting disqualified to fifth for a pylon violation heading to the half.

“She’s a really nice filly,” Marcus Melander said. “She really likes the five-eighths track. Hopefully she’ll get a good draw here and she’ll have an easy week. It’ll be exciting next week.”

Two Day Hangover competes for owners Brittany Farms LLC and Marvin Katz LLC. The Captain Corey-Sherry Lyns Lady filly, bred by Coyote Wynd Farms, has now won four races from seven starts and earned $246,450. She paid $4.40 to win.

Following the second elimination, Scioto Downs conducted the draw for the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot final. Below is the field:

$700,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot Final (G1)

Elimination winners Blue Ranger and Two Day Hangover earned draw protection between posts 1 through 6 for the Breeders Crown final as well as “Win and You’re In” recipient Birr Castle, who earned the bye to the final with her victory in the Grade 1 Jim Doherty Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Sept. 18.

For the first time ever, Whoomp will stray from her home track, and breeder/owner Pat DeLong feels she has earned the opportunity.

The daughter of Rockin Image-Nightcap will compete in the first of Saturday’s (Oct. 17) two $25,000 eliminations for the Grade 1 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace at Eldorado Scioto Downs. It will be her first start away from Harrah’s Hoosier Park, where she has won 13 of 24 career races, captured Indiana Sire Stakes championships at ages 2 and 3, and earned $741,851.

After all that success in one place, DeLong, with his cousin John, who drives the horse, and trainer Roger Welch, felt it was time to tell Whoomp “there it is” while pointing to a new track (and, yes, she was named after the 1993 hit song).

“I ultimately left the decision up to Roger and John,” said DeLong, who bred the filly with his father, Bo, and also shares ownership with John’s father, Jesse. “She’s going to miss two good $40,000 or $50,000 races at Hoosier that she could probably be first or second in.

“I know it’s a tough group of fillies. We were kind of torn in the middle. At the last moment we said, ‘She’s racing so good, we’ve got to take a shot.’ It’s not like we’re trying to pull off a miracle by any means. I think we’re in the middle of the pack.”

As for racing in new surroundings, the owner has no concerns.

“She’ll be just fine,” he said. “We just wanted to see her make her way through this season and see how she finishes the year. Luckily, she won the (sire stakes) final and we said, ‘Let’s take a shot, she’s looked so good.’”

Whoomp has amassed 10 victories and seven seconds in her last 17 races, with her victories including the Grade 2 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes last year. This year, she won the fourth round of the sire stakes in a career-best 1:48.3; only three sophomore filly pacers – Loua Dipa, Miss Jum Jabber and Sangria Summer – have won with faster times this season.

The only horse to beat Whoomp during that 17-race stretch was Somemore Blue, who finished sixth in the sire stakes final and was not entered in the Breeders Crown.

“I’m happy she’s not there but at the same time it’s been so much fun racing against her,” DeLong said. “I think it’s been so good for the sport, and especially the state of Indiana. But it will be nice to race against some new faces.

“I’m kind of excited to see what she does against better competition because she finishes so good. I just want to see what happens when they get down there in fast fractions. She can be sitting anywhere, and I don’t think she’ll embarrass herself by any means.”

DeLong was happy to see Whoomp draw post 3 in her Breeders Crown elimination, where she is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in an eight-horse field that includes returning Crown champion and multiple Grade 1-winner Loua Dipa (post 8 with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. driving for Ron Burke; 7-1) as well as graded stakes-winner Be Perfect BG (post 7, Louis-Philippe Roy, Anthony Beaton; 8-1).

“They’ve proven they can fit in that group,” DeLong said. “We’re kind of the beginner; we haven’t raced against them yet. They’re obviously the ones to beat.

“It will be an interesting race. I’ll leave it up to John what he wants to do with her, whether he wants to leave and get a good spot or just see what happens out of the gate. I think he’s got lots of options with where we drew.

“With a filly like her you can pretty much do what you want. If you’re somewhat close and if she’s got pace, she’s going to finish good. Or you can leave, get a good spot and see where you want to sit.”

Pat and Bo have bred some quality horses in recent years, such as Fortunada, Tellmeitmatters and Can’ttouchthese, who have combined to earn over $1.5 million. But Pat considers Whoomp the best of the lot and credits his trainer and driver for that.

“Roger and his wife Amy have done a tremendous job,” DeLong said. “Roger picked his spots with her to educate her and she obviously proved herself. They managed her very well; they kept her in top form all year. She’s been healthy, knock on wood, and sound. All the credit goes to them.

“Obviously John’s done a super job driving her for her whole life. He and Roger are always on the same page. John’s always going to drive in the best interest of the horse. He knows where they fit and just drives them very smart.”

The team now gets ready for the biggest race of Whoomp’s career. It’s exciting, but DeLong knows if all else fails, there’s no place like home.

“She hasn’t really raced a bad race,” he said. “The worst case is we go back to Indiana and there’s a bunch of little races for her there. She’s still a great horse.”

The morning-line favorite in the second elimination for 3-year-old filly pacers is Sangria Summer, at 5-2. She will start from post 4 for driver James MacDonald and trainer Luc Blais. The 7-2 second choice is supplemental entry Miss Jum Jabber, starting from post 5 with Andrew McCarthy driving for Brett Pelling.

The top four finishers from each elim plus the fifth place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings will advance to next week’s $664,500 final.

Scioto Downs, which is hosting all 12 Breeders Crown events for the first time after being the site of single Breeders Crown finals in 1986 and 1988, is holding eliminations for 2-year-olds on Friday, with the four $700,000 freshman finals all on Oct. 23. Eliminations for the 3-year-olds and Open events are Saturday (Oct. 17) with those finals on Oct. 24.

Hightstown, NJ – After enduring a difficult year in 2025, breeder Mark Adams has found a level of comfort in watching the exploits of 2-year-old male pacer Mr Bear in 2026.

Mr Bear, a son of Rockin Image-Mama’s Lil Beach who will head to Friday’s (Oct. 16) eliminations for the Grade 1 Breeders Crown at Eldorado Scioto Downs with eight wins in 10 starts this season, was bred by Adams and Timothy Sullivan (better known by his middle name, Sean) and born in April 2024 at Winterwood Farm in Bellville, Ohio.

by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Read the full story at U.S. Trotting News ↗

Redland Rocket Man kept climbing and Twin B Joe Fresh returned to the Top 10 in Week 18 of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, released Wednesday (Oct. 14).

Super Chapter and Brandon Blvd held No. 1 and No. 2 for a fifth straight week. On To Norway won the Indiana Sire Stakes championship for older male trotters and moved up to third, trading places with Wall Of Fame, who drops to fourth.

Redland Rocket Man has now won four in a row. His Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final victory for 3-year-old male pacers lifted him from seventh to fifth.

Apex (sixth) and Shalom Hanover (seventh) each slipped a spot, and Big Ranger held eighth.

Twin B Joe Fresh is back at No. 9 after winning the Allerage Mare Pace, her first Top 10 appearance since Week 12. Best Chip is 10th, one point ahead of Nix Nacken.

Hambletonian Society / Breeders Crown Poll — Week 18 · 10/14/26

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which will continue weekly on Wednesdays through the Grand Circuit season, does not determine year-end awards. The members of the U.S. Harness Writers Association vote on all Dan Patch Award division winners plus Trotter of the Year, Pacer of the Year, and Horse of the Year.

Rankings based on the votes of harness racing media representatives on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

Full Power Rankings ↗

Columbus, OH – Eldorado Scioto Downs will host eliminations for the $8 million Grade 1 Breeders Crown this weekend, and there will be no shortage of past champions and up-and-coming stars in action over the two-days of competition.

Eight of last year’s Breeders Crown titlists will race on Saturday (Oct. 17) when Scioto Downs hosts eliminations for the 3-year-old and Open events. One night earlier, Friday’s elims for 2-year-olds will include undefeated male pacer Shalom Hanover, who is ranked No. 6 in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, as well as three Grade 1 stakes-winners: filly trotter Athena’s Girl, colt pacer Eastie Boy, and colt trotter Wrong Sounds Right.

Eliminations will be required for 10 of the 12 Breeders Crown events, with the 2-Year-Old Filly Pace and the Mare Trot going directly to their finals.

All elimination purses are $25,000. Elimination winners, as well as “Win and You’re In” 2-year-old filly trotter Birr Castle (who advanced directly to her final thanks to winning the Grade 1 Jim Doherty Memorial), will draw for post positions 1 through 6 in their respective finals. All other finalists will be placed in an open draw for the remaining post positions.

First-race post time is 6 p.m. (EDT) both Friday and Saturday at Scioto Downs.

Following is a brief overview of the 10 Breeders Crown events with eliminations this weekend.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Two eliminations will be contested in each of Friday’s three events for 2-year-olds. For the freshman male trotters and male pacers, the top-four finishers from each elim plus the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings will advance to their respective finals. For the 2-year-old filly trotters, the top-four finishers in each elim will advance to join Birr Castle in the final. All 2-year-old finals have a purse of $700,000 and will be held Oct. 23.

Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot

Fourteen horses were entered, with Wrong Sounds Right drawing into the second of two eliminations. He is the season’s richest 2-year-old male trotter, with $586,250 in earnings, and co-fastest freshman male trotter in history thanks to his 1:51.1 victory in the Mohawk Million on Sept. 26 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Jim Campbell trainee will leave from post 1 Friday with Todd McCarthy in the sulky. Graded-stakes winner Yankee Boss (post 4, Tim Tetrick, Åke Svanstedt) also is in the second elim.

Wrong Sounds Right heads to the Breeders Crown with five wins in his past six starts. His only setback was a second-place finish behind Lifetime Dreamer in the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship on Aug. 8 at the Meadowlands. Lifetime Dreamer’s winning time was 1:51.1, also equaling the world record for a 2-year-old male trotter. He will start from post 2 in first elim with Yannick Gingras listed to drive for Svanstedt. Graded-stakes winners Special Day, Whateverittakes AS, Presidente, and Access Now also are in the field.

Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace

Sixteen horses were entered, with Shalom Hanover (post 2, Louis Roy, Ian Moore) drawing into the second elimination. The multiple graded-stakes winner is 7-for-7 this year. The elim also includes Starstruck Dreamer (post 4, Todd McCarthy, Noel Daley), who is this season’s fastest freshman male pacer – 1:48.4 – and lost to Shalom Hanover by a head in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship last month for his only loss in six races.

Metro Pace winner Eastie Boy (post 2, Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Ron Burke) is in the first elimination along with graded-stakes winners Mascarpone (post 6, Scott Zeron, Ian Moore) and Blazin Lou (post 8, Dexter Dunn, Tony Dinges).

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

Seventeen horses were entered, with Peaceful Way winner Athena’s Girl (post 3, Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander) landing in the second elimination. The field also includes graded-stakes winner Climatic Hanover (post 8, Yannick Gingras, Lucas Wallin).

The first elimination includes this season’s fastest freshman trotting filly Kissme Ifyoucan (post 4, Austin Hanners, Todd Luther), who has a mark of 1:51.4. She was runner-up in the Ohio Sires Stakes championship for 2-year-old filly trotters to Blue Ranger (post 2, Dunn, Melander). The field also includes graded-stakes winner Orinoco (post 3, Gingras, Åke Svanstedt), who was second to Birr Castle in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship and will now try to join her in the Breeders Crown final.

For Friday’s complete entries, click here ↗.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Two eliminations will be contested in the events for 3-year-old male trotters, 3-year-old male pacers, 3-year-old filly pacers and the Open Pace. The top-four finishers from each elim plus the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings will advance to their respective finals. There will be three elims for 3-year-old filly trotters, with the top-three from each advancing to the final. The purses for all 3-year-old finals will be $664,500 and the Open Pace is $662,000.

There will be single eliminations for both the Open Trot (the connections of Super Chapter and On To Norway accepted byes based on earnings) and Mare Pace (Tarapasta and Unreasonable accepted byes), with the top-seven finishers advancing to their respective finals. The purse for the Open Trot final is $600,000 and for the Mare Pace it is $443,000. The Mare Trot (no elims) has a final purse of $400,000.

Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace

Thirteen horses were entered and divided into two eliminations. Beau Jangles, who won the Breeders Crown last year on his way to Horse of the Year honors in the U.S. and Canada, will start from post 1 in the first of two eliminations. James MacDonald will be in the sulky for trainer Ian Moore. The elim also features Redland Rocket Man, who will enter with a four-race winning streak that includes the Little Brown Jug. He will leave from post 5 with Jody Jamieson driving for John Pentland. Adios winner Al Papi will go from post 7 for trainer Ron Burke, with Yannick Gingras listed to drive.

In the second elimination, Brandon Blvd, ranked No. 2 in the sport’s Top 10 poll, will start from post 3 with Dexter Dunn driving for Andrew Harris. He has won five graded stakes this year, including the Meadowlands Pace. North America Cup winner Odds On Mr Mamba will leave from post 6 for trainer Melanie Wrenn and graded-stakes winner Melillo will start from post 4 with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. listed to drive for Ron Burke.

Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot

Seventeen horses were entered, with defending champion Spencer Hanover landing in the second elimination for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Marcus Melander. He will leave from post 6. That field also includes Kentucky Futurity and Canadian Trotting Classic winner Nix Nacken (post 8, Scott Zeron, Melander) and Hambletonian runner-up Big Ranger (post 2, Tim Tetrick, Anette Lorentzon).

The first elimination features Hambletonian winner Apex (post 3, Dunn, Melander), Yonkers Trot winner Inexpressable (post 4, Zeron, Lucas Wallin) and supplemental entry Strobe Lite (post 1, Louis Roy, Benoit Baillargeon).

Three-Year-Old Filly Pace

Fifteen horses were entered, with returning champion Loua Dipa, a two-time Grade 1 winner this season, drawing post 8 for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke in the first elimination. Graded-stakes winner Be Perfect BG (post 7, Dexter Dunn, Anthony Beaton) also is in the elim.

The second elimination includes multiple graded-stakes winners Sangria Summer (post 4, James MacDonald, Luc Blais) and Topville Lucky (post 6, Todd McCarthy, Andrew Harris) as well as supplemental entry Miss Jum Jabber (post 5, Andrew McCarthy, Brett Pelling).

Three-Year-Old Filly Trot

Twenty horses were entered, creating the only three-elimination event. The third elimination will include defending champion Storybook Love (post 2, Todd Ratchford, Matt Bax), Kentucky Filly Futurity winner She’s Moni (post 7, Yannick Gingras, Nancy Takter) and Elegantimage winner Nuance (post 1, James MacDonald, Marcus Melander).

Hambletonian Oaks winner Nezuko Kamado S (post 3, Scott Zeron, Marcus Melander) will go in the first elimination. Delmonica Hanover winner Victorianas Secret (post 3, Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Vernon Beachy) and supplemental entry Little Road (post 1, Brady Brown, Roger Hammer) are in the second.

Open Pace

Fourteen horses were entered, with last year’s winner Ervin Hanover getting post 2 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer David Menary in the second elimination. The field also includes Dan Patch Stakes winner Dandy Ideal (post 4, Jason Bartlett, Brett Pelling), Dayton Pacing Derby winner Harrisburg Heist (post 7, Chris Page, Ron Burke) and multiple graded-stakes winner Prince Hal Hanover (post 5, Todd McCarthy, Ian Moore).

The first elimination includes Canadian Pacing Derby winner Best Chip (post 6, Joe Bongiorno, Joe Bongiorno), who was a supplemental entry, as well as multiple graded-stakes winner Ken Hanover (post 2, Tim Tetrick, Roland Mallar) and 2023 Breeders Crown Open Pace champ Bythemissal (post 4, Page, Burke).

Open Trot

Last year’s winner French Wine (post 3, Jason Bartlett, Nancy Takter) was among the 11 horses entered and will look to join bye recipients Super Chapter and On To Norway in the final. The elim also features 2025 Dan Patch Award Trotter of the Year Lexus Kody (post 6, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke) and O’Brien Award winner Emoticon Legacy (post 2, Bob McClure, Luc Blais).

Mare Pace

Always B Naughty (post 9, Austin Hanners, Todd Luther) won last year’s event and is joined in the nine-horse elimination by 2024 champion Twin B Joe Fresh (post 6, Dexter Dunn, Chris Ryder) and 2025 3-year-old filly champ (in a dead heat) The Last Martini (post 1, Doug McNair, Jared Bako). Also looking to join bye recipients Tarapasta and Unreasonable in the final is Milton Stakes winner Francent N (post 3, Louis Roy, Pat Lachance), who was a supplemental entry.

For Saturday’s complete entries, click here ↗.

Ken Weingartner
Media Relations Manager

Cranbury, NJ – A total of 168 horses were entered Tuesday (Oct. 13) for the 2026 Grade 1 Breeders Crown at Eldorado Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio.

Eliminations will be required for 10 of the 12 Breeders Crown events, with only the 2-Year-Old Filly Pace and Mare Trot going directly to their finals. Both events attracted 10 entries.

Following are the entries for the 2-Year-Old Filly Pace, in alphabetical order:

Aceandaten
Cleveland Darby
Cowboy Candy
JK Lady Liberty
My Taylors Swift
Positive Process
Seaside Ubeaut
Tempting Flames
Too Pink To Pass
We Want It All

Following are the entries for the Mare Trot, in alphabetical order:

Bravo Angel S
Delaney Hanover
Jurassic Hattie
Miracle Maven
R Dutchess
Tactical Moni
Walspea
Warrawee Michelle
Woman Of Passion
Yo Tillie

Eliminations for the 2-Year-Old events will be Friday (Oct. 16), with the 3-Year-Old and Open events that require eliminations following on Saturday. The finals for freshmen are Oct. 23, with the remaining eight championships on Oct. 24. All Eldorado Scioto Downs post times for the Breeders Crown are 6 p.m. (EDT).

The number of entries for the events requiring eliminations are listed below. The draws for the Breeders Crown eliminations will be released later this afternoon.

2-Year-Old Colt Trot: 14
2-Year-Old Colt Pace: 16
2-Year-Old Filly Trot: 17 (includes Birr Castle, who advances directly to the final as the winner of the Jim Doherty Memorial)
3-Year-Old Colt Trot: 17
3-Year-Old Colt Pace: 13
3-Year-Old Filly Trot: 20
3-Year-Old Filly Pace: 15
Open Pace: 14
Open Trot: 11
Mare Pace: 11

Cranbury, NJ – Six horses were supplemented to the 2026 Breeders Crown at Ohio’s Eldorado Scioto Downs by Monday’s (Oct. 12) noon deadline, equaling the most in a year since 2014.

The six horses supplemented were 4-year-old male pacer Best Chip in the Open Pace, 6-year-old female pacer Francent N in the Mare Pace, Little Road in the 3-Year-Old Filly Trot, Miss Jum Jabber in the 3-Year-Old Filly Pace, Redland Rocket Man in the 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace, and Strobe Lite in the 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot.

For the 3-year-old events and Open Pace, the supplemental fee was $72,000. For the Mare Pace, the fee was $48,000. The one-time payment also makes the horses eligible to future Breeders Crown events under the normal schedule of payments.

There are no supplements for 2-year-old races.

All eligible Breeders Crown horses enter on Tuesday (Oct. 13) by 10:30 a.m. (EDT). Two-year-olds will have eliminations on Friday (Oct. 16), with the 3-year-old and up events that require eliminations following on Saturday. The finals for freshmen are Oct. 23, with the remaining eight championships on Oct. 24. All Scioto Downs post times for the Breeders Crown are 6 p.m. (EDT).

Best Chip, a son of Heston Blue Chip-Place Your Best, has hit the board in 14 of 16 races this year, winning nine and earning $530,805. His victories include the Grade 1 Canadian Pacing Derby in a stakes-record-equaling 1:46.4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the Grade 2 Aria Invitational at the distance of 1-1/4 miles at MGM Yonkers Raceway.

Most recently, he finished second in the Grade 1 Dayton Pacing Derby at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Oct. 3.

He is owned by El Dorado Stables, trained by Joe Bongiorno, and was bred by Winbak Farm. For his career, Best Chip has won 14 of 54 races and earned $596,459.

Francent N, a New Zealand-bred daughter of Vincent-Mary Niven in her first season of racing in North America, has won four of six races and $155,740 in purses for owner Ecurie CSL and trainers Pat Lachance and Jacques Dupont.

Her victories include the Grade 2 Milton Stakes, which she captured with a Canadian-record 1:47.3 mile at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 5. She was bred by R.G. Higgins and has 17 lifetime wins in 35 starts, good for $324,567.

Little Road, a daughter of Fordham Road-A Little Laid Back, has finished top three in 13 of 15 races this year, with nine wins and $282,562 in earnings for breeder-owner-trainer Roger Hammer. Her triumphs include the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship for sophomore filly trotters at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sept. 6. For her career, she has won 15 of 24 starts and banked $360,650.

Miss Jum Jabber, a daughter of Bettor’s Wish-Treacherous Reign, was unraced as a 2-year-old but has returned at 3 to hit the board in 16 of 17 races, with 13 wins and $678,139 in earnings for owner-trainer Brett Pelling.

Her victories include the championships in the Pennsylvania and Kentucky Sire Stakes. Most recently, she was second in the Grade 2 Glen Garnsey Memorial at Lexington’s Red Mile on Oct. 10. She was bred by Let It Ride Stables, Alagna Racing, Big Als Stables, and Bottom Line Racing.

Redland Rocket Man will bring a four-race win streak to the Breeders Crown, with his victories including the Grade 1 Little Brown Jug, Grade 3 Simcoe Stakes (in a world-record-equaling 1:46.4 at Mohawk on Sept. 12) and this past Saturday’s Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final for sophomore male pacers (in a stakes-record 1:48) at Mohawk.

The son of Bulldog Hanover-Granny Hanover has won eight of 27 career races and earned $799,520, with $669,978 accumulated this year. He was bred by Redland Farms and is owned by trainer John Pentland, Murray Cox, and Gary Volpe.

Strobe Lite, a son of Alarm Detector-Shine Bright, became a two-time Ontario Sires Stakes champion this past Saturday with a 1:52 win in the Super Final for 3-year-old male trotters. He finished third in the Grade 1 Canadian Trotting Classic, behind Nix Nacken and Apex, last month at Mohawk and was third in the Grade 2 Goodtimes at Mohawk in June.

He was bred by Glengate Farms, which shares ownership of the gelding with trainer Benoit Baillargeon, Claude Hamel and Nunzio Vena. For his career, Strobe Lite has won seven of 25 races and earned $702,993.

For more information about the Breeders Crown, visit the Hambletonian Society website. For additional details about the Breeders Crown weekends at Eldorado Scioto Downs, click here ↗.

The entry box for supplements to the 3-year-old and older Breeders Crown races and for all eligible horses to declare in to the $7.2 million year-end championship events at Eldorado Scioto Downs Racetrack, Columbus, Ohio, closes next week.

Supplemental entries for 3-year-old and open events are due and payable by 12:00 noon (EDT), Monday, Oct. 12, at the Scioto Downs race office or the Hambletonian Society office in Cranbury, NJ. There are no supplements for 2-year-old races.

Scioto Downs previously hosted the Breeders Crown Pace (1988) and Mare Trot (1986). After major renovations, including a brand new race paddock, gaming floor and grandstand, the 2026 Breeders Crown at Scioto Downs will host a festival week culminating in the Crown finals on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2026. The event will feature more than $7.2 million in total purses, plus eliminations if needed, a golf tournament, post-position draw dinner, the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, and other fan events.

Click here for more instructions on supplementing ↗

All eligible Breeders Crown horses enter on Tuesday, Oct. 13 by 10:30 a.m. Two-year-olds will have eliminations on Friday, Oct. 16. All 3-year-old and up events that require eliminations will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17. Eligible 3-year-olds have the option of entering the sophomore event to which they were nominated or an Open event. All Scioto Downs post times for the Breeders Crown are 6:00 p.m.

You can access the Scioto Downs Condition Sheet here: Scioto Downs Breeders Crown condition sheet ↗

All eliminations will race for a minimum of $25,000.

If there are eliminations, post positions in the final will be determined by an open draw with the exception that elimination winners, in an order determined by lot, will draw for post positions number one (#1) through six (#6) in the final. All other finalists will be placed in an open draw for the remaining post positions. Any horse(s) that receive a bye into the final will be in the open draw for post positions in the final. The sole Win and You’re In horse (Birr Castle) for the freshman filly Trot will skip the elimination and draw for post 1-6 in the final. In all finals the winner receives 50% of the purse but all horses that start in the final receive money.

All 2-Year-Old Breeders Crown races will be held Friday, Oct. 23, with a post time of 6:00 p.m. (EDT).

All 3-Year-Old and Open Breeders Crown events will race Saturday, Oct. 24, also with a post of 6:00 p.m. (EDT).

For more information and racing conditions click: Breeders Crown Conditions 2026 ↗

by Emily Ratcliff, for The Red Mile · US Trotting News ↗

Lexington, KY — The Red Mile, in partnership with the Hambletonian Society, announced Tuesday (Sept. 22) that the 2027 Breeders Crown finals will be held Friday, Oct. 22, and Saturday, Oct. 23, at the historic Lexington racetrack. Eliminations, as necessary, are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, Oct. 16.

The dates were formally unveiled during a press conference at The Red Mile attended by Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, local dignitaries, community leaders and officials from across the harness racing industry.

Recognized as harness racing’s world championships, the Breeders Crown brings together the sport’s premier Standardbreds, drivers, trainers, owners and breeders. The series features 12 championship events across divisions of age, gait and gender and plays a defining role in determining divisional honors.

“The opportunity to host the Breeders Crown represents a significant moment for The Red Mile, the Lexington community and the future of harness racing in Kentucky,” said Joe Costa, president and CEO of The Red Mile. “Our team is committed to delivering a first-class championship experience that reflects the stature of this event and the history of this racetrack. Lexington has a deep appreciation for championship equine competition, and we look forward to welcoming the sport’s finest horses and horsemen while showcasing harness racing on one of its most important stages.”

Created by the Hambletonian Society in 1984, the Breeders Crown was established to provide a year-end championship in each of harness racing’s major divisions. Since its inception, the series has become one of the sport’s most prestigious and consequential events, attracting leading competitors and racing fans from throughout North America and beyond. The Red Mile has previously hosted two Breeders Crown divisional championships, but 2027 will mark the first time it hosts the complete Breeders Crown series.

“The Breeders Crown is where an entire season of hard work reaches its defining moment – it all comes down to the Breeders Crown,” said John Campbell, president and CEO of the Hambletonian Society. “For the first time, all 12 divisions will be contested at The Red Mile, bringing the very best horses and horsemen in the world to one of racing’s most historic stages. Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World, and The Red Mile’s history and connection to the very best of our sport make it a remarkable setting to crown our champions. We look forward to working with The Red Mile and the Lexington community to create an unforgettable event for everyone to enjoy.”

The announcement comes during The Red Mile’s 2026 live harness racing season and ahead of the track’s signature Grand Circuit meet. Grand Circuit racing will be held Oct. 1-3 and Oct. 8-10, with first post at 1 p.m. (EDT) each day. The 134th Kentucky Futurity, one of harness racing’s most historic events and the third leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, will headline the Saturday, Oct. 3, program.

Planning for the 2027 Breeders Crown is underway. Additional details regarding tickets, hospitality, sponsorship opportunities and the full schedule of events will be announced as they become available.