According to Breeders Crown Publicity Director Moira Fanning, last weekend's 'Crown' eliminations at Pocono Downs provided the Pennsylvania racetrack with a positive jolt to handle, and the wagering pools for this Saturday's highly anticipated finals are set to receive another big
boost.
In an article by Dave Briggs in The Guelph Mercury, Fanning acknowledged that having all 12 of the Crown finals on one card has piqued interest in the annual showdowns. If the wagering action on the elim cards are any indication, the Crown pools could see a nice swell when North America's finest roll behind the gate this weekend.
“The wagering on the eliminations (last week) was up 154 per cent on Friday and 188 per cent on Saturday,” said Fanning, who was comparing the handle of the elim cards to that of Pocono's Friday and Saturday programs from one week prior (Friday, September 24 and Saturday, September 25).
Briggs' piece also quotes Breeders Crown President and CEO Tom Charters as saying punters from Down Under will have their chance to take a stab at Pocono's lush Crown pools on Saturday.
“For the first time in harness racing, Australia and New Zealand are simulcasting the 12 races on Sky Racing and taking wagering through their telephone account betting system,” Charters was quoted as saying.
"(The Breeders Crown) and Pocono Downs have been working hard to get their signal in some places it has not been, and to broker with [tracks simulcasting the races] to treat the event specially," Fanning told Trot Insider.
"Also having all 12 races there (at Pocono) -- whether it was the all-12 format or the deviation from the (Woodbine Entertainment Group - Meadowlands Racetrack) rotation that caught people's interest, but it has."
The Guelph Mercury article also highlights the fact that this year's Crown finals offer a wealth of Canadian representation.
(With files from The Guelph Mercury)
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