Trainer Richard Moreau has more than 6,000 career victories, but none has come in a Breeders Crown final.
He'll have two excellent chances to change that this weekend on his home turf at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
On Friday, he'll send out Cantab Hall gelding Gaines Hanover in the $810,000 Breeders Crown final for two-year-old trotting colts.
On Saturday — Moreau's 58th birthday — four-year-old Fashion Frenzie will start in the $810,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot.
Both got inside positions and respect from the oddsmakers. Gaines Hanover is second choice to Oh Well in the morning line, Fashion Frenzie is ranked behind Ecurie D, Jujubee and Maple Leaf Trot winner Back Of The Neck.
Both horses have been pleasant surprises to the trainer.
"I didn't expect that at all...well above expectations," Moreau said of Gaines Hanover's impressive 1:53 victory in his Breeders Crown elimination, more than a second faster than he went winning the Champlain Stakes at Mohawk in September.
"I'm happy for the owner (Gestion J Y Blais) to have such a great prospect because he's been investing in the game a long time."
Fashion Frenzie has dominated the open trot ranks at Mohawk in 2022, winning six times. His only defeat was in the Maple Leaf Trot, where he led briefly at the top of the stretch before finally finishing fourth.
"He'll be racing against men on Saturday, but you never know. He always gives 100 per cent. He cost $7,000 (as a yearling) so there's no pressure," said Moreau.
Both horses probably will be making their final starts of the year, Moreau said.
Canada's Trainer of the Year for nine consecutive years, Moreau has put up excellent numbers yet again in 2022. His stable has more than 250 wins and surpassed $4 million in earnings. His career high of $4.6 million is in reach and he's poised to top $70 million for his career. He's also 10 wins ahead of Carmen Auciello in the trainer standings at Mohawk, a stat he monitors.
"It's been a pretty good year," Moreau said with typical understatement, adding that he's once again pondering scaling back his operation to focus on quality rather than quantity.
"I did what I had to do," he said. "I can slow down now."
All four Breeders Crown finals for two-year-olds will be contested Friday at Mohawk. Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) with the Crown fields going behind the gate in races six through nine. The finals for horses three and up are Saturday, also starting at 7 p.m.
To view the complete entries for this weekend's Breeders Crown finals, click one of the following links:
- Friday, Oct. 28 — Entries / Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT)
- Saturday, Oct. 29 — Entries / Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT)
(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean)