The post position draws for the pair of Breeders Crown finals for three-year-old colts took place Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 26) in Cream Ridge, New Jersey.
The post position draws for the $650,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot and $600,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace were held at Hogan Equine at Pheasant Hill Farm in Dr. Patty Hogan’s veterinary clinic.
Three-year-old pacing colts Perfect Sting and Charlie May captured their respective eliminations last Saturday afternoon at The Meadowlands while Ambassador Hanover and Cuatro De Julio were elimination winners in the trotting colt division. Their connections had the opportunity to draw from the inside posts one through five for the finals. The fields appear below.
$650,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Inaminute Hanover - Bob McClure - Luc Blais - 15-1
2. Ambassador Hanover - Åke Svanstedt - Åke Svanstedt - 4-1
3. Ritson - David Miller - Mark Steacy - 15-1
4. Cuatro De Julio - Lucas Wallin - Marie Ortolan Bar - 9-2
5. Delayed Hanover - Åke Svanstedt - Åke Svanstedt - 10-1
6. Jujubee - Andy McCarthy - Greg Wright Jr. - 2-1
7. Fly Light - Dexter Dunn - Åke Svanstedt - 6-1
8. In Range - Tim Tetrick - Marcus Melander - 12-1
9. Dancinginthedark M - Brian Sears - Marcus Melander - 10-1
10. Logan Park - James MacDonald - Rob Fellows - 15-1
AE1. Johan Palema - Yannick Gingras - Åke Svanstedt
AE2. Locatelli - Yannick Gingras - Nancy Takter
$600,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Southwind Gendry - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke - 5-1
2. Charlie May - Brett Miller - Steve Carter - 3-1
3. Heart Of Chewbacca - Dan Noble - Christi Noble - 15-1
4. Abuckabett Hanover - Andy McCarthy - Tony Alagna - 6-1
5. Perfect Sting - David Miller - Joe Holloway - 5-2
6. Chase H Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Scott Cox - 10-1
7. Rockyroad Hanover - Dexter Dunn - Tony Alagna - 8-1
8. I’ll Drink To That - Todd McCarthy - Chris Ryder - 15-1
9. Southwind Petyr - Jason Bartlett - Mark Harder - 15-1
10. Water Sports Teen - Joe Bongiorno - Jennifer Bongiorno - 15-1
AE1. Lous Pearlman - Tim Tetrick - Ron Burke
AE2. Summa Cum Laude - Brian Sears - Ron Burke
Joe Holloway, trainer of defending Breeders Crown champion Perfect Sting, was on hand at the post draw and commented on the field for the $600,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace.
"Well, good thing we won or we'd probably have 10," laughed Holloway after Perfect Sting drew the outside of posts one through five. "We knew where we were going to draw, we knew Charlie May would drew well so it was kind of a little bit anti-climactic. Five is fine."
Perfect Sting was strong through the wire in his elimination last Saturday, winning in 1:49.2 by three lengths over Chase H Hanover. Holloway was pleased with his performance and hopes the Always B Miki-Shebestingin colt can end his string of close runner-up finishes when the big money is on the line.
"That's the best he's been since his first qualifier this year. It was the only time I breathed easy since he's raced all year," said Holloway of the millionaire sophomore, who was second in the Meadowlands Pace, Cane Pace, Hempt, North America Cup, Little Brown Jug, Bluegrass Stakes and Tattersalls Pace. "He came out [of the elimination] fine, but he's come out of every race fine, just things haven't turned out the way we would have liked. We've had a lot of noses. Like I tell David [Miller], he's six feet from greatness. There could be another million dollars on his card if you could just give us six feet."
Post positions for the remaining 10 championships were drawn during the elimination rounds. Morning line odds and driver changes will be finalized on Wednesday, Oct. 27 after scratch time. With 11 entrants, the $650,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot did not require eliminations. The field with posts, which were drawn last Saturday, appears below.
$650,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot
1. Warrawee Roo - Bob McClure - Luc Blais
2. Forbidden Trade - Bob McClure - Luc Blais
3. Ecurie D DK - Åke Svanstedt - Åke Svanstedt
4. Its Academic - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
5. Beads - David Miller - Per Engblom
6. Sermon - Kasper Foget - Per Engblom
7. Majestic Player A - Brett Miller - Walter Haynes Jr.
8. Ready For Moni - Andy McCarthy - Nancy Takter
9. Amigo Volo - Dexter Dunn - Nifty Norman
10. Back Of The Neck - Scott Zeron - Åke Svanstedt
11. Chin Chin Hall - Todd McCarthy - Nifty Norman
For full coverage of the eliminations and fields, visit SC's Breeders Crown Elimination News Centre.
The $6.6 million Breeders Crown series, which includes 12 championships, will be hosted by The Meadowlands with two-year-olds competing in their four finals on Friday, Oct. 29 and the eight three-year-old and open divisions scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30.
If Perfect Sting or Charlie
If Perfect Sting or Charlie May win their Breeders Crown race, that horse will be named 3yopcoty. If another horse wins it, then the award is still very much up for grabs.