A stacked card of elimination events on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Harrah's Hoosier Park helped determine the fields for the illustrious and lucrative 2023 Breeders Crown championships taking place on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28.
The draws for the Open Pace, Open Trot, and sophomore colt trot and pace events will be conducted live on Monday, Oct. 23 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park and streamed live on the SC website.
Tattoo Artist Wins Seventh Straight; Bythemissal Snares Second Breeders Crown Open Pace Elimination
On a rough night for favourites, 1-9 choice Tattoo Artist, piloted by Louis-Philippe Roy, did not let his backers down, coasting to an easy 1:50 victory over 55-1 Abuckabett Hanover in the first $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for open pacers.
Roy put the Ian Moore trainee on the front, although he was parked out nearly to the quarter, reached in :26. The six-year-old son of Hes Watching got a soft middle half of :58.1 as Charlie May mounted a futile first-over move at the five-eighths pole, but Tattoo Artist was never seriously challenged as he posted his seventh straight victory. It took a photo to determine the third spot, but when the ink dried, Linedrive Hanover had bested Charlie May and Lous Pearlman, who rallied late from the outside. All three will join the first two in next week’s Breeders Crown final.
“He’s so nice to drive,” said Roy. “So easy, you can change your mind with him. It’s such a long stretch here, I didn’t want to let him pace too early, but when I let him, he was like a little rocket.”
Tattoo Artist, owned by Let It Ride Stables and Bottom Line Racing, along with Frank Cannon, yielded a paltry return of $2.10 across the board. The triple millionaire was bred by Tara Hills Stud of Canada. Abuckabett Hanover returned $15.40 and $3.80, while Linedrive Hanover paid $3.80 to show.
When six horses are competing for five spots in a final, there’s often not much action in an elimination. That was certainly not the case in the second Crown elimination.
Longshot Chase H Hanover took the field past the quarter in a fast :25.1 as 3-5 favourite Bythemissal found a seat third. As the field approached the three-eighths pole, pocket-sitting Ponda Warrior, the hometown hero, pulled and went by the early leader, only to be met and passed by the favourite, who clicked the half-mile timer in :54.1. Yannick Gingras continued to lead, as Bythemissal, a Ron Burke trainee, hit the three-quarters in 1:23 and then flew home in :26 to post an impressive 1:49 win over closing Allywag Hanover by about two lengths. It was the first sub-1:50 mile of the evening.
“I didn’t want a slow middle half," explained Gingras. “I know I can go with him, but it’s a deep group.”
Ponda Warrior closed inside to finish third, while Taurasi and Chase H Hanover also advanced to the final, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Bythemissal is a four-year-old son of Downbytheseaside, owned by Burke Racing, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He was bred in New Jersey by Dr. Stephen Dey. He paid $3.20 to win, while posting his ninth victory in 12 seasonal starts. The win pushed his career earnings over $1.78 million.
Sophomore Smorgasbord for Pacing Colts in Crown Qualifiers
Confederate continued his winning ways, racing from off the pace and soaring past rivals in the late stages to capture the first of three $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday night. Driven by Tim Tetrick, Confederate posted a 1:49.4 mile in outsprinting a gutsy Stockade Seelster to the wire with Huntinthelastdolar third across the wire.
Tetrick left for position early with Confederate but was content as Doug McNair and Huntinthelastdolar moved to the front in the early stages ahead of Buzzsaw Russ. Huntinthelastdolar hit the quarter in :26.3 but felt immediate pressure from Stockade Seelster with David Miller as that pair remained parked from the outset and assumed command well before the :54.4 half-mile was reached.
Stockade Seelster slowed the pace a bit during the third quarter and that prompted Tetrick to get a move on with the 1-20 favourite and Confederate moved with purpose to get near the leaders before three-quarters were completed. McNair also saw the opportunity to tackle the leader with Huntinthelastdolar and pulled the pocket briefly forcing Confederate a little wider in early stretch. With three-quarters timed in 1:23.2, the field went into full sprint mode and Confederate was widest of all with Tetrick urging him sufficiently in deep stretch to get his attention and prompt him to pass the leaders. Stockade Seelster was resolute in his fight with the remainder and held off Huntinthelastdolar as those two were eye-to-eye through the homestretch.
Owned and bred by Diamond Creek Farm, Confederate, now a winner in 11 of 12 starts this year, is trained by Brett Pelling. As the heavy chalk, Confederate paid the minimum $2.10 to win.
“My colt did the job right,” said Tetrick. “He’s just a champion.”
Coach Stefanos and Trace Tetrick blitzed the final quarter in the second Crown elimination and rolled by favoured Its My Show as if he were standing still in mid-stretch to score in 1:50.3 with the final quarter on the board in :25.2 and his significantly faster. The gelded son of Tellitlikeitis won for the sixth time in 2023 and has been first or second in all but one of his 13 starts for trainer Erv Miller.
Its My Show, the 9-5 choice with Scott Zeron aboard, went right to the front ahead of Ants Marching and Ammo, and cut the opening quarter in :27.1. Zeron wasted no time in backing down the action, hitting the half in a pedestrian :57.1, and appeared to have the field at his mercy. Tetrick and Coach Stefanos came out past the half and followed the cover of Redwood Hanover with Dexter Dunn, but the pair didn’t make up that much ground through the :28 flat third quarter.
In the homestretch, Its My Show pulled away briefly, but by mid-stretch, Coach Stefanos was airborne and passed with authority. Its My Show was well clear for second with Ammo holding third and Command coming on late to finish fourth.
Owned by K.W. Duffy, D & M Trading II LLC and Mr. J. Chris Stefanos, Coach Stefanos was bred by Victory Hill Farm. As the third public choice, he returned $8 to win.
“The colt raced super,” said Tetrick in the winner’s circle. “He was sharp in his first qualifier and been good ever since. It's a great opportunity [to have the Breeders Crown here]. It provides chances when it's right here in your backyard. It allows everyone to get involved in. It's a great honour to be involved.”
El Rey, purchased recently in an online auction, paid dividends immediately for co-owner and trainer Andrew Harris capturing the third $25,000 Crown elimination for driver Dexter Dunn in 1:50.3, overtaking favoured Cannibal nearing the wire. A son of Captaintreacherous, El Rey was a winner for the third time in 16 sophomore starts.
El Rey and Dunn left well from the inside but yielded to the speed of Hungry Angel Boy and then Voukefalas before the first turn came up. Cannibal and Yannick Gingras were also present in the early action, but they would be parked well past the :26.2 opening quarter cut by Voukefalas and Jordan Stratton before clearing to the top.
Cannibal led through the half in :55.3 with El Rey and Dunn waiting patiently to move without cover. El Rey moved with purpose late on the final bend for Dunn but Cannibal still had control through the 1:24.3 three-quarters with Gingras asking him to pace strongly through the stretch.
Dunn ducked in briefly behind Cannibal with El Rey but then tipped him off cover and the colt did the rest rather impressively. Bred by Riverview Breeding LLC, El Rey defeated Cannibal with Admiral Hill coming on late between horses for third and advancing to the final.
The winner is owned by Harris along with William Pollock and Bruce Areman. El Rey returned $5.20 to win.
“He’s certainly lived up to expectations,” said Harris in the winner’s circle.
The three elimination winners, Confederate, Coach Stefanos and El Rey, will draw for a post from the inside five spots. The remaining seven finalists are Stockade Seelster, Huntinthelastdolar, Its My Show, Ammo, Command, Cannibal and Admiral Hill.
Logan Park Never Headed in Sole Breeders Crown Open Trot Elimination
Logan Park and driver Doug McNair led from start to finish to capture the $25,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot elimination on Saturday, Oct. 21, at Hoosier Park in 1:52.1. Kyle & Rob Fellows train the five-year-old gelded homebred son of Archangel for the Outofthepark Stable, Reg. W. Higgs and Arped Szabo.
It was the 11th win of the season in 18 starts for Logan Park, who was sent off at 3-1 odds, and his 23rd lifetime triumph in 62 career starts. He now has $287,770 in seasonal earnings and became harness racing's newest millionaire with the victory.
Logan Park left handily from the gate from post eight, assumed command and was never headed, taking the field of nine trotters to a :26 opening panel, then backing the speed down a bit, and passing the half-mile marker in :55.3 (:29.3), before storming to a 1:24.1 three-quarter clocking to easily hold off both Southwind Tyrion and Its Academic.
“He’s been good all year,” said Rob Fellows. “He’s on a roll, racing good and is a good horse so it was a no-brainer to bring him here. The horses that took the bye, they’re going to be tough to beat.”
Southwind Tyrion, the even-money favourite was second for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt, with 2-1 Its Academic (David Miller) getting up for third. Delayed Hanover was fourth, Pretender fifth, Take All Comers sixth, Lovedbythemasses seventh and Kildare King was eighth.
Venerate failed to advance by virtue of his ninth-place finish.
The first eight finishers advance to the final to join Alrajah One IT and Rattle My Cage, who both accepted byes into the rich Breeders Crown championship.
Celebrity Bambino, Up Your Deo and Helpfirstedition Stamp Spots into Breeders Crown
A trio of $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown three-year-old colt and gelding trotters went to post on Saturday night at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with top honours claimed by Celebrity Bambino, Up Your Deo and Helpfirstedition.
Celebrity Bambino unfurled a front-stepping effort as the 8-5 second choice to dominate the first elimination in 1:53.1.
Yannick Gingras pushed Celebrity Bambino for the front through a :27.1 first quarter and coasted up the backside to a :57.1 half. Celebrity Bambino remained strong on the helm through the final turn and clocked by three-quarters in 1:25.4 before kicking dust to the field in the lane and posting a 1-1/2-length victory over 3-2 favourite French Wine, who pushed first over through the final turn to take second. Osceola completed the finalists.
“Yeah, I wanted to play it by ear and see how the gate would unfold,” said Gingras. “I thought Dougie [McNair with Osceola] would move, but he didn't and I was looking to follow somebody, but I had to pull. It just worked out that way and he went on to the wire.”
A colt by Muscle Hill, Celebrity Bambino has now won 10 times from 26 starts and earned $1,002,570 for owners Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services and Phil Collura. White Birch Farm bred the Ron Burke trainee, who paid $5.40 to win.
Up Your Deo mounted a furious charge up the open stretch to snag a 1:53.1 victory in the second elimination.
Trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt sent Up Your Deo for the top but yielded command to Kilmister through a :27 first quarter with Winners Bet on the wings. Winners Bet then brushed to the front up the backstretch and took the field by the half in :56.4. He snagged a breather through the final turn to clock three-quarters in 1:26 but folded when under siege in the lane. A four-pronged battalion swarmed into action in the last eighth with Up Your Deo cutting through the inside to grab the lead, which he held to the beam by three-quarters of a length. Tactical Approach persisted first over to take second with Kilmister swooping into third and Air Power, on seasonal earnings, securing the last berth into the final.
“It's actually been a little up and down [for him this year] but now he is finding himself again,” said Sarah Svanstedt. “He did great today. I am very thankful for our horses and the team behind us. It's a whole team so I want to thank everyone out there. They work very hard.”
Winning his sixth race from 20 starts, Up Your Deo has now banked $630,257 for owners Ake Svanstedt, Suleyman Yuksel Stables, Deo Volente Farms and Van Camp Trotting Corp. Deo Volente Farms bred the colt by Walner who paid $11 to win.
The final elimination went emphatically to the lone supplement of the 2023 Breeders Crown when Helpfirstedition rolled to the lead and knocked out his rivals with a 1:53.1 mile.
Getting away fifth, Helpfirstedition followed the outer flow through a :26.2 first quarter set by Dire Straits before Point Of Perfect took the lead. Point Of Perfect then reigned back for the pocket up the backside when 4-5 favourite Ari Ferrari J swooped to take the lead. Helpfirstedition soon found himself uncovered on the rim and pressed forward to complete the shuffle for the lead and clock a :56 half. From there, Helpfirstedition peeled away from his peers. He clocked by three-quarters in 1:25.2 and sailed away to a 3-1/2-length victory over Ari Ferrari J with Dire Straits holding third.
“I had a sense of relief when he hit the stretch,” said co-owner Lester Schmucker of Running Wild Stable. “I kind of thought he was home free. It was the first time he has ever been on the front and I just want to give thanks to the team.”
The connections of Helpfirstedition paid a $72,000 supplemental fee to compete in the Breeders Crown after his 1:53.3 victory in the $250,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final on Oct. 13. Unraced as a two-year-old, the gelding by Helpisontheway has won eight times from 19 starts and accrued $394,875 for owners Erv Wickey, John Graber, Running Wild Stable and John Schmucker. Martin Wickey bred the Missy Essig trainee. John De Long piloted him to a victory where he returned $8.20.
Jiggy Jog S Jogs and Refined Upsets in Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot elims
With overwhelming support from the betting public, 1-9 favourite Jiggy Jog S won the first of two $25,000 Open Mares Trot elims. The time for the mile was 1:55.
Leaving the gate, Jiggy Jog S and Dexter Dunn took it easy sitting in third as Adare Castle (James MacDonald) grabbed the lead followed by Weslynn Quest (Andy Miller). Jiggy Jog S let her foes dream about finishing in that order with :28.1, :59.2 and 1:29 fractions to three-quarters.
At three-quarters, Dunn had plenty of room to move off the pylons and allow Jiggy Jog S effortlessly trot to a 1:55 victory. Adare Castle took second and HP Mama B finished third. Herculisa and Weslynn Quest also made the final.
Mischevious Rose (Louis-Philippe Roy), who galloped just before the gate opened, got back to trotting too late to be one of the five finishers eligible for the final.
Dexter Dunn said the win was as easy as it looked.
“I was happy where I was and she has such a great turn of foot. She has put in great performances all year.”
Ake Svanstedt trains Jiggy Jog S for owner Jorgen Sparredal, Inc. Vestmarka Ab bred the Walner-Hot Mess Hanover mare. Her bankroll now reads $2,014,246. She paid $2.10 to win.
In the second Open Mares Trot elim, 12-1 Refined (Uncle Peter - Reinvent) was guided through the stretch by driver Doug McNair and upset heavy hometown favourite M Ms Dream by a nose in the 1:54.1 mile.
Refined left well and quickly cut the first quarter in :26.4. Martysmagicmoment (Tony Hall) took the catbird seat with M Ms Dream (David Miller) third. The field raced in line until Miller took M Ms Dream to the outside and gained command towards a :57.1 half.
M Ms Dream moved swiftly towards the turn while Warrawee Xenia (Tim Tetrick) moved first over, giving cover to Raised By Lindy (Scott Zeron) forming potential challenges as three-quarter passed in 1:27.2.
Refined found a path to attack M Ms Dream and pressured the leader to hustle for a win but Miller’s urging could not fault Refined’s momentum and at the wire the photo showed a neck win for the Virgil Morgan Jr.-trained seven-year-old. M Ms Dream held for second and Warrawee Xenia was third.
Refined paid $26.40 to win. She is owned by Joyce A. McClelland and Larry W. Willis. Walnut Hall Stock Farm bred the winner of six in 19 starts this season. Her bankroll increased to $1,027,218.
“She was great today but my mare has been great every time I go with her," said McNair. "[Tonight] I moved her fairly early and she trotted right through to the wire.”
“We bought her after her three-year-old season and she has just been a pleasure to train," said Virgil Morgan Jr. "She has done nothing wrong and been ultra-consistent.”
The complete field for the $400,000 final from the rail out is listed below.
1. Jiggy Jog S
2. Adare Castle
3. M Ms Dream
4. Refined
5. HP Mama B
6. Warrawee Xenia
7. Ghost In The Shell S
8. Weslynn Quest
9. Raised By Lindy
10. Herculisa
Max Contract, Kobes Gigi Take Breeders Crown Mare Pace Eliminations
An off-the-pace effort from Max Contract and a down-the-road mission by Kobes Gigi planted them in the winner’s circle of their respective $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown Mare Pace on Saturday at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Max Contract burst off the pegs and down the centre of the track to win going away in the first elimination for the Mare Pace with a 1:50.3 effort
Silver Label, the 7-5 favourite, pushed from the pylon post for the lead to a :26.4 first quarter while Max Contract settled into fourth. Mikala, positioned third, launched for the front up the backstretch and swooped to the lead through a :55.3 half. To the far turn, Mikala coasted unfettered through three-quarters in 1:23.3 and spun the mostly single-file field for home. Max Contract broke rank out of fourth and barrelled to grab the lead in mid-stretch, spurting clear by 2-1/4 lengths over Mikala. Drama Act closed for third with Silver Label levelling off in fourth and Marloe Hanover rounding the top five.
“She loves the long stretch here and loves to close,” said winning driver Andy Miller. “It's just a shame we were not able to race her in Lexington on a big day. She got sick on us. She raced here in Indiana and then got sick on us for two weeks. We were fighting that and seems back to being healthy now.”
A four-year-old mare by Huntsville, Max Contract has now won 14 races from 25 starts and earned $437,405 for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc. and Jean Goehlen. Steve Jones bred the mare, who paid $6.80 to win.
Kobes Gigi circled for the lead after the quarter and slipped clear of her competition in progress to a 1:50.1 victory in the second elimination.
Valar Dohaeris fired from post five (moving in one slot after the late scratch of Prohibition Legal) for the lead through a :25.4 quarter with Kobes Gigi yielding control to sit second. As Valar Dohaeris settled on the point into the backstretch, driver Dexter Dunn swung Kobes Gigi from the pocket to retake the lead before a :55.2 half. Kobes Gigi charged through the final turn on an expanding lead that grew wider after she clicked past three-quarters in 1:23. Through the lane, Kobes Gigi kicked away to a decisive victory under wraps by 2-3/4 lengths over Valar Dohaeris. Boudoir Hanover finished third with 1-5 favourite Grace Hill, trying to close from last, in fourth. Dabarndawgswatchin completed the finalists.
“We put blinders on her and she was sharp,” Dunn said of the mare’s victory.
Missy Essig trains Kobes Gigi, a five-year-old mare by JK Endofanera bred by Harvey Fry, for owners Leander Schwartz and Black & White Stable. She won for the 14th time from 50 starts and has now earned $568,512. Off as the 7-2 second choice, Kobes Gigi paid $9.20 to win.
The field of 10 elite pacing mares for the $400,000 final from the rail out is listed below.
1. Max Contract
2. Silver Label
3. Dabarndawgswatchin
4. Marloe Hanover
5. Kobes Gigi
6. Drama Act
7. Boudoir Hanover
8. Grace Hill
9. Valar Dohaeris
10. Mikala
(Breeders Crown)