Venerate obliterates foes in Breeders Crown 2-year-old colt trot; In Range scores late
October 23, 2020, by Frank Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown
Anderson, IN — Venerate produced a wire-to-wire domination of the field in the second $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Friday (Oct. 23) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, leading all the way with ease to win in 1:52.2 — a track record for freshman trotters.
Driver Andy Miller wasted no time taking the lead with Venerate off the gate in the sloppy going, seating favorite Captain Corey in the pocket. Outsider Capstone dropped into third with Dancinginthedark M following in fourth through the :27.1 first quarter.
Nothing changed as Venerate glided on the lead effortlessly to cut the half in :56 and three-quarters in 1:25.1. Meanwhile, Captain Corey went to the outside in an attempt to catch the leader. Venerate pounded onward with no concern for the following favorite, as those two drew many lengths ahead of the others.
Dancinginthedark M, looking to pick up third, broke stride and backed up, leaving a path for Take All Comers to get the show spot and Muscles Dynasty to finish fourth. Zenith Stride finished fifth.
Venerate’s divisional track record mile was only one-fifth of a second off the all-age trotting record at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Venerate is by the French sire Love You and out of the Muscle Hill mare Peaceful Kemp. The Julie Miller trainee was bred by Steve Stewart and Kemppi Stable and is owned by the Pinske Stable and Andy Miller Stable. He paid $7.00 to win.
In the heat of the stretch, In Range flew on the outside past a breaking leader to finish a hair ahead of a fast-closing Brookview Bolt in the first elimination.
The two favorites, Delayed Hanover and Cuatro De Julio, left quickly to take the first two spots off the gate and reach the quarter in :26.3. Moonstone S, who dropped into third early, broke stride going to the half, allowing Brookview Bolt to inherit third and In Range to roll along in fourth.
While Cuatro De Julio led the field to three-quarters in 1:26.4, Tim Tetrick steered In Range to the outside for a charge into the stretch. Losing some ground but still ahead, Cuatro De Julio began to gallop and back up. From mid-stretch, Brookview Bolt got going, only to meet In Range at the wire and miss by a neck.
The 1:54.1 win was a career best for In Range, a son of Bar Hopping and Ilia bred by the Windsong Stable. In Range is trained by Marcus Melander for owners AMG Stable, Kenneth Kjellgren, Tomas Hans Asell and Rick Wahlstedt. In Range paid $14.00 to win.
“The track was playing fair,” Tetrick said after the race.
Delayed Hanover finished third, and On A Streak was fourth. Cuatro De Julio, who finished fifth, was disqualified and demoted to seventh, elevating Cricket Fashion to the official fifth place.
