The freshman pacing . colts repreprest the embodiment of an owner’s hopes and dreams. In the brief timespan of a year, from purchase at the yearling sale to the following fall, a colt pacer can win $1 million, pace faster than any other colt has, cause their owners to dream of the three-year-old classic titles, a lucrative stallion career, untold riches,… Anything’s possible when your colt’s going good The Breeders Crown event for two-year-old pacers has been a proving ground for youngsters and a stage where owners highest hopes are finally realized.

Fifteen colts carried those hopes into the two $25,000 Crown eliminations. In the first, Digger Almahurst lowered the national season's mark by two full seconds to 1 :52.3, with Scooter's Boy, driven by Norm McKnight, Jr., in hot pursuit for second. Shannon Recruit and Air Assault also qualified for the final.

The second elimination showcased Joseph Alflen's Direct Flight, a colt who had assumed a very high profile in the weeks leadi n g up to the Breeders Crown. With eight wins and a second In nine starts and a mark of 1 :52.1 taken at Lexington, Direct Flight seemed to peaking at the right time. A flashy three-length 1 :53.1 romp In his elimination assured him .50 cents on the dollar popularity by post time of the final. Second place in that elimination went

to Woodrow Wilson winner Sportsmaster, show hon ors to Metro Pace winner Shlpp's Sai n t, and the final slot was take n by Cartsbad Cam. Surprisingly, the highly touted Western Hanover encountered enough traffic problems to just muster a fifth place finish, not good enough to advance to the final. Niatross winner Cole Muffler was a late scratch due to a high temperature on race day, and Shlpp's Saint became another casualty by the final, scratching after warming up sore.

For trainer Kelvin Harrison, Direct Flight represented access to the same heady air he'd breathed In 1989, when he sent the lightly-regarded Sam Francisco Ben to the gate Jn the $900,000 Woodrow Wilson. Sam Francisco Ben, driven by Ron Pierce, won that race despite

starting from the·1 O post, and Harrison got a taste ot just how high a special colt can take you. Right up to post time Harrison was confident his colt was a legitimate 1 ·2 shot, and once the finalists stepped on to the stone dust, only fate could affect the outcome.

The race began auspiciously. Digger Almahurst, guided by Doug Brown stepped quickest from the gate and by the middle of the first turn was settled enough to allow Scooter's Boy to take the lead from him. But by the 3/8 pole, Brown decided he wan ted to go back to the front and paced right around Scooter's Boy to reclaim it. The fractions of :27.2 and :55.2 saN Direct Flight begin his advance on the leaders uncovered, an d as they rounded the final turn, he drew within a length of Digger Almahurst.

A roar of disbelief rose from the crowd as Direct Fllght broke into a wild gallop. A slight misstep was alt It took to shelve the dreams of Alflen and Harrison for a long dreary winter. Meanwhi!e, owner Bob Grand's hopes were ballooning with every stride Digger Almahurst took that drew him closer to the wire. With Direct Right out of the race Brown urged Digger

Almahurst to call on any and all reserves. Toe son of Nih0ator and the top stakes mare Dateable, responded with another burst of pace. Scooter's Boy, forced to maintain a rail-hugging pocket for most of the mite, had cut off his air and was fading to fif.h. Air Assault found

clear room to charge up the middle of the track In a futile attempt to lessen Digger Almahurst's victorious four-length margin. The time of 1 :52.1 shaved another 2/5ths off the season's record, and Bob Grand, who had won two previous Breeders Crowns as a member of the Pro Group Stable that raced Town Pro, was deliriously happy to win another as the sole owner of Digger Almahurst. Sportsmaster finished third an d Direct Flight returned to the barn unharmed except for the vagaries of dame fate.

Prub-Almahurst, a partnership offshoot of Almahurst Farm, claimed the breeders credit for Digger Almahurst, made all the more bittersweet by the untimely demise of the great race horse and stallion Nihilator later that winter. Babic Final winner Western Hanover, who like Royal Strength, won_ the last stakes race of the season, (Governor's Cup} was named divisional champion, while Digger Almahurst nailed the Canadian version, the O'Brien divisional championshlp honors.