The fields for the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot, Three-Year-Old Colt Trot, Three-Year-Old Colt Pace and the Mare Pace were drawn Tuesday, October 5 at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
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All of the 2010 Breeders Crown finals will be taking place Saturday, October 9 over Pocono's five-eighths-mile oval.
$500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot
Elimination winners Behindclosedoors, Ultimate Cameron and Fashion Feline will start 1-2-3 in Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot. The connections of the elim winners selected their posts.
Ultimate Cameron, who finished second to Poof Shes Gone last year in the Breeders Crown, won her elim last weekend in 1:54. Fashion Feline won in 1:55.2 and Behindclosedoors won in 1:54.3. Poof Shes Gone was not entered in this year’s event.
Ultimate Cameron won the $557,000 Elegantimage Stakes in June at Mohawk Racetrack and was second in the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks in August at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
“The filly went a big mile,” trainer Bob Stewart said about Ultimate Cameron’s elim. “She was pestered the whole way with a filly on the outside, so she really didn't get a breather. Usually that doesn't bode well for a horse on the front end. She had enough to hold them off at the end.”
Fashion Feline was last year’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champ. Behindclosedoors has a three-race win streak.
“I was very pleased at the way she got over the racetrack,” driver Dave Palone said about Behindclosedoors. “She was sharp. They’re not going to give any money away here next week so it’s going to be tough.”
Also among the fillies advancing to the final were Spicy Wings, who won the $299,050 Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers Raceway in July, Zweig Memorial division winner Impressive Kemp, plus Simcoe Stakes runner-up Bramalea Hanover and Simcoe third-place finisher Wilsonator.
The field for the $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot appears below.
Post. Horse, Driver, Trainer
1. Behindclosedoors, Tim Tetrick, Chuck Sylvester
2. Ultimate Cameron, George Brennan, Bob Stewart
3. Fashion Feline, Jim Morrill, Jr., Jim Campbell
4. Spicy Wings, John Campbell, Jeff Webster
5. Impressive Kemp, Jim Morrill, Jr., Noel Daley
6. Bramalea Hanover, David Miller, Robert McIntosh
7. Merger Blue Chip, David Miller, Bjorn 'Bernie' Noren
8. Up Front Juansteen, John Campbell, Kelly O’Donnell
9. Wilsonator, Scott Zeron, Robert Fellows
$500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace
Last weekend, Put On A Show and Cannae Cammie won their respective eliminations for the $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace. The connections of Put On A Show selected Post 3 for the final, while the connections of Cannae Cammie selected Post 1.
Put On A Show, the leading money-winner among three-year-old pacing fillies with $849,793, won the $171,000 Nadia Lobell on September 13 at The Red Mile. Other victories include the $235,786 Simcoe Stakes on September 5 at Mohawk, the $350,000 Valley Forge at Chester Racetrack in August and the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship in May at the Meadowlands. She was second in the $666,000 Fan Hanover Stakes, beaten a neck by Breeders Crown finalist Western Silk.
“The mare has been doing super; she's had a great year, of course,” trainer Chris Ryder said. “The (elim) went well, obviously. She gets around this track super. Timmy (driver Tim Tetrick) was really happy with her. We are happy to be able to pick our post, happy to get into the final and have our horse in good shape. She did it like a great filly.”
Cannae Cammie has won five races in a row, including her $75,000 division of the Valley Forge.
“I was impressed with her,” trainer Paul Reid said. “When I saw the other mare coming at her I thought we were in trouble but she just kept pacing. He (driver Jim Morrill, Jr.) gets along with her great; they both handled the track real well. The surface is awesome. The other mare (Put On A Show) raced well, so it’s going to be an interesting race.”
Western Silk, who was fifth in her elim and reached the final as the highest money-earner of the two fifth-place finishers, was coming off a $353,400 Jugette win at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio. Western Silk, who raced only in Ontario prior to the Jugette, and Put On A Show have not met since the Fan Hanover.
Also among the fillies advancing to the Breeders Crown final was Mistletoe Shalee runner-up Rock N Soul and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship runner-up Panagler.
The field for the $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace appears below.
Post. Horse, Driver, Trainer
1. Cannae Cammie, Jim Morrill, Jr., Paul Reid
2. Higher And Higher, Jim Morrill, Jr., Paul Reid
3. Put On A Show, Tim Tetrick, Chris Ryder
4. Northwest Hanover, Brett Miller, Tim Pinske
5. Hulas Z Tam, Patrick Lachance, Patrick Lachance
6. Rock N Soul, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
7. Naughtytiltheend, Andy Miller, Erv Miller
8. Western Silk, Mark MacDonald, Casie Coleman
9. Panagler, Dave Palone, Robert McIntosh
$300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace
Last weekend, Not Enough won the single Breeders Crown Mare Pace elimination in 1:50.2 to lead eight horses in advancing to the $300,000 final, which is now set for this Saturday. The eight mares join Milton Stakes winner Dreamfair Eternal, who accepted a bye to the final based on seasonal earnings.
Courtesy of the elim win, the connections of Not Enough selected Post 1 for the final.
“She went a huge mile,” said Toni Rose, assistant trainer for Steve Elliott. “I didn't even think she was going to get a cheque the way she was going. She hung in there tough and (driver) Jimmy (Morrill, Jr.) kept her going. She is good around the barn, easy to jog. She has her quirks, just like all good mares do. She is just a great big, huge mare that someday will make a great broodmare.”
In addition to winning the Milton, Dreamfair Eternal won the $160,000 Artiscape at Tioga Downs (in a then-track record 1:49.4) and was second in the $376,000 Roses Are Red. Tug River Princess, who will also be in the Breeders Crown final, won the Roses Are Red.
“She’s doing real good,” trainer Patrick Fletcher said about Dreamfair Eternal. “She had a nice week off. I was happy to have the time off. She raced three weeks in a row and at this time of year the mares are getting tired when they’ve got this many starts into them. It was the right thing to do last week.”
Tug River Princess also won the $257,000 Golden Girls in August at the Meadowlands and was second in the $248,000 Lady Liberty, which was won by Breeders Crown Mare Pace finalist On The Glass. Another finalist, Ginger And Fred, won the $237,000 Blue Chip Matchmaker in May at Yonkers Raceway and was second in the Golden Girls.
Also among the advancing mares was Southwind Tempo, who was last year’s Dan Patch Award winner for best pacing mare.
A horse has never won back-to-back Breeders Crown Mare Pace trophies, a fact that will not change this year. Last season’s winner, Hana Hanover, is retired.
The field for the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace appears below.
Post. Horse, Driver, Trainer
1. Not Enough, Jim Morrill, Jr., Steve Elliott
2. Voelz Hanover, Daniel Dube, Benoit Baillargeon
3. Chancey Lady, Andy Miller, Mark Kesmodel
4. Dreamfair Eternal, Randy Waples, Patrick Fletcher
5. Showherthemoney, Eric Goodell, Steve Elliott
6. Ginger And Fred, Brian Sears, Ron Burke
7. Southwind Tempo, Tim Tetrick, Jeff Webster
8. On The Glass, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
9. Tug River Princess, John Campbell, Jeff Webster
$500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot
Lucky Chucky will start from Post 4 and rival Muscle Massive from Post 7 in Saturday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot at Pocono Downs. Post positions were drawn Tuesday, October 5 during a press conference at the racetrack.
Eliminations were unnecessary last week for the trotting race because only nine horses entered the event. The race for the three-year-old male trotters has been carded as Race 4.
Lucky Chucky is coming off a victory in the $1 million Canadian Trotting Classic on September 18 at Mohawk Racetrack. He has won three consecutive starts – including a division of the Harry M. Zweig Memorial and the $500,000 Colonial – since finishing second by a half length to Muscle Massive in the $1.5 million Hambletonian.
Trained by Chuck Sylvester and driven by John Campbell, Lucky Chucky has won four of seven races this year and earned $1,266,454. He has won 13 of 19 career starts and banked $1,939,088.
“It’s become quite a rivalry, there’s no question about that,” Campbell said about facing Muscle Massive. “I’m certainly glad we drew inside of him. He might be a little bit quicker at the gate. My strategy is going to be to try to keep him out before we get to that first turn, but I’m not sure I can do that.
“They’re both great horses, there’s no doubt about that. They’ve stamped themselves as the best two in the division, but that doesn’t rule out the other seven horses in there by any stretch of the imagination.”
Muscle Massive has won five of 10 races this year and earned $1,153,638. He was third in the Canadian Trotting Classic after winning a division of the Simcoe Stakes two weeks earlier. His victories also include the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship.
The colt is trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Ron Pierce.
Pilgrims Taj won last season’s Breeders Crown for two-year-old male trotters, where he beat Lucky Chucky by one length at Woodbine Racetrack. The only horses to win the event at two and come back to capture the race as three-year-olds are Muscle Hill (2009), Malabar Man (1997) and Mack Lobell (1987).
The field for the >$500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot appears below.
Post. Horse, Driver, Trainer
1. Pilgrims Taj, Mike Lachance, Monte Gelrod
2. Take My Picture, Andy Miller, Nikolas Drennan
3. Flex The Muscle, Tim Tetrick, Ray Schnittker
4. Lucky Chucky, John Campbell, Chuck Sylvester
5. Break The Bank K, Brian Sears, Trond Smedshammer
6. Hard Livin, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter
7. Muscle Massive, Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter
8. Temple Of Doom, David Miller, Jonas Czernyson
9. Wishing Stone, George Brennan, Dewayne Minor
$500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace
Division leaders Rock N Roll Heaven and One More Laugh each won their respective elimination races last Saturday to advance to the $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace. Rock N Roll Heaven leads all three-year-old pacers in earnings with $1,227,877 this season while One More Laugh is second, with $1,097,029.
Rock N Roll Heaven, fresh off his World Record performance in the $604,100 Little Brown Jug, won his elim in 1:49.1. He has won 10 of 15 races this year for trainer Bruce Saunders and primary driver Daniel Dube. He is the No. 1-ranked horse in the sport’s most recent top 10 poll.
“He’s been on a terrific run,” Saunders said. “He came out of the Jug great. He’s really enthusiastic about racing. He makes our job very easy. He’s the full package.”
In addition to winning the Little Brown Jug with two 1:49.2 World Record-equalling heats, Rock N Roll Heaven won the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine in August at Chester Racetrack and the $220,000 Berry's Creek at the Meadowlands in May. He also won the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship at the Meadowlands and was second to One More Laugh in the Meadowlands Pace.
One More Laugh, who won the $1 million Meadowlands Pace in July, won his elim in 1:50. One More Laugh went off stride in three previous races at Pocono Downs, but was flawless last weekend. Trained by Ray Schnittker and driven by Tim Tetrick, the gelding has won six of 13 races this season.
“I was a little nervous based on his past exploits here at Pocono,” said Gareth Dowse, assistant trainer for Ray Schnittker, after the elimination. “It was early last year when he seemed to make his breaks, but as the season progressed he started to come out of it, so-to-speak. I was confident, but a little on the weary side just knowing what happened here before.”
One More Laugh’s triumphs include the $300,000 Cane Pace on September 6 at Freehold Raceway and the $294,965 Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway in June.
Among those also advancing to the final were Oliver Wendell Holmes division winner Rockin Image, $500,000 New Jersey Classic winner BGs Folly, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champ We Will See, $300,000 Max Hempt Memorial winner (at Pocono Downs) Fred And Ginger, and New York Sire Stakes champ Hes Gorgeous.
The field for the >$500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace appears below.
Post. Horse, Driver, Trainer
1. Shoobees Place, David Miller, Richard 'Nifty' Norman
2. One More Laugh, Tim Tetrick, Ray Schnittker
3. Rock N Roll Heaven, Daniel Dube, Bruce Saunders
4. Hes Gorgeous, Jim Morrill, Jr., Linda Toscano
5. We Will See, Brett Miller, Sam DePinto
6. Art N Charm, John Campbell, Kathe Troy
7. Fred And Ginger, Brian Sears, Ron Burke
8. BGs Folly, David Miller, Sam DePinto
9. Rockin Image, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter
(Breeders Crown)
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