Eternal Camnation - 2FP
Bay filly, 2, Cam Fella -- Cool World, by Nihilator
Owner
James Hardesty
The freshman pacing fillies roared into Mohawk with more than $1 million between them and divisional honors on the line. In the near corner was Arts Virtue, an undefeated daughter of Artsplace from the Jim Campbell - Arlene and Jules Siegel partnership that gave the racing world 1998 divisional and Breeders Crown champ Galleria. She was driven by Jim's brother John Campbell, the series leading driver, who was still looking for his first Crown trophy in the 1999 series. A later starter, Arts Virtue carrried just four starts into the Breeders Crown, but those four starts were wins in the Three Diamonds elim and final and in her Breeders Crown elim where she barely turned a hair, jogging over a wet track in 1:55.2
In the far corner was the mighty Eternal Camnation, a $35,000 yearling from the last crop of the great race horse and prolific sire Cam Fella. In her first start of the year she finished second -- and driver Eric Ledford took the rap for driver error - in grossly underestimating the readiness and speed in the filly so soon in her racing career.
Eternal Camnation did not lose again in 11 tries, annexing divisions of the Simpson and Kentucky Standardbred Sales along with a Champlain, Bluegrass and International Stallion Stake victory. Her Crown elim was an eight-length 1:54.3 track record romp.
Trainer | Driver
Jeff Miller | Eric Ledford
Despite being a New Jersey bred, Eternal Camnation had never started in the harness racing capitol of the world, and lacked the recognition of many fillies who had been showcased at the Meadowlands. Her owner, Jim Hardesty, and trainer Jeff Miller, were comfortable keeping her back home in Ohio, and the Breeders Crown was their chance to serve notice that there was indeed life outside New Jersey.
The overwhelming ability of the two fillies caused perfectly respectable contestants like Sweetheart winner Panything Goes and $200,000+ earner Michelle's Revenge to go off at 30-1 and 20-1 respectively.
Eternal Camnation was driven by newcomer Eric Ledford, also a Midwest protégé. Just 28, Ledford had taken the harness racing world by a storm, winning a heat of the Little Brown Jug, the Hoosier Cup and the Windy City. A win in the Crown would vault him into rarefied air for good.
Arterra, a daughter of two Breeders Crown champions (Artsplace and Delinquent Account) and therefore a full sister to double Crown champ Artiscape, must have felt overlooked in the light shed by Arts Virtue and Eternal Camnation. One of four Artsplace fillies in the field, and from the stable of Bob McIntosh who shelves are crowded with Crown trophies, Arterra was nonetheless 20-1.
Trainer Ben Wallace was having a bang-up year with Triple Crown winner Blissfull Hall, and his charge in the filly ranks, Armbro Terrace was no slouch either, making short work of the fall stakes at her home track of Mohawk. Armbro Terrace seized her moment in the spotlight, shooting out of the gate first for driver Ron Pierce, and slicing out a wicked 26.1 first quarter. Though Pierce then tried to back down the fractions in hope of having life left later in the mile, Arts Virtue and John Campbell already had her in their sights. And behind that pair floated Eternal Camnation, like a barracuda eyeing up a school of flounder.
Ledford had Eternal Camnation moving up steadily in the outer tier, but was still stacked sixth at the three-quarter pole in 1:24. Ledford then tipped the filly wide and asked for pace and Eternal Camnation surged past the accelerating Arts Virtue, collared Living With Art and drew off like an older horse in 1:52.3, lowering her own track record. Arts Virtue was second for the Campbell brothers, and Livng With Art held for third. But Eternal Camnation authored the performance of the evening. She set a new stakes and track record, won the richest freshman pacing filly Crown event ever, and paced the fastest last half (54.2) and last quarter (27.3) ever seen in her Crown division A busload of fans and friends who had traveled from the Midwest in support of 'Cammie" flooded the winners circle, and Ledford continued the parade of first-time Crown winning drivers on the evening. Eternal Camnation ended her season with a flourish. She earned more than $650,000 and more importantly the respect of all who witnessed the incredible mile. At year-end Eternal Camnation swept all divisional honors and even received several votes for Horse of the Year.
Purse $637,833
Mohawk Racetrack, Campbellville, ON - October 29, 1999
Extras
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