2021 Breeders Crown Elim Friday Recap
All photos Lisa Photos
Six Feet Apart scores tight upset in Crown elimination
by Ray Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Fast fractions perpetuated by 1-5 favorite Beach Glass laid the groundwork for Six Feet Apart to steadily reel in the heated pacesetter, with the Brian Brown trainee nailing the Canadian invader in the final strides of the second of three $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace on Friday (Oct. 22) at The Meadowlands.
Birthday bolted to the point as True Blue Lindy scooted up the pylons to secure the pocket moving to a :26.4 first quarter. Beach Glass raced third to the backstretch, but soon came off the pegs to brush for the lead. Birthday begrudgingly yielded control to Beach Glass while still managing to string the new pacesetter out to a :54.4 half.
Six Feet Apart raced fourth to the final turn, where driver David Miller angled the Sweet Lou colt first-over and made gradual gains into three-quarters in 1:22.3. Beach Glass turned for home holding a one-length lead that diminished past the eighth pole as Six Feet Apart loomed closer to the leg-weary leader. Six Feet Apart powered to the front late to cross the beam a half length better than Beach Glass in a 1:50.2 mile. I Did It Myway finished third, another five lengths behind, and True Blue Lindy took fourth.
“I was real happy with his effort,” David Miller said after the race. “I thought Tim Tetrick might come right there at the half. We were first-over and I didn’t know how he would hold up. Halfway through the stretch, he kept coming. He’s the type of horse that just goes what he has to. He can go a bit more, I believe.”
Winning his fifth race from eight starts, Six Feet Apart has earned $93,225 for owners Michael Robinson, Robert Mondillo, David Meola and Rich Lombardo Racing LLC. The S R F Stable-bred son of Sweet Lou and Ideal Love paid $25.20 to win.
Metro Pace champ Monte Miki seized the lead midway up the backside and withstood first-over pressure from 3-5 favorite Hammering Hank to take the first Breeders Crown elimination in 1:50.4.
Gentle Giant dashed for the top and cleared to the cones before a :27 first quarter with Market Based sitting in the pocket. Monte Miki landed in third to the backstretch and stayed briefly in that spot until driver Scott Zeron swept the Mark Evers trainee to the point approaching a :55.3 half.
Hammering Hank got underway to the final turn and marched uncovered towards the pacesetter to three-quarters, where he nabbed a narrow lead while clicking by the beam in 1:24.1. Monte Miki battled back to the inside at the bottom of the turn and surged back to the top through the straightaway to put away Hammering Hank by a half length. The pair scooted clear of Gentle Giant in third, with Market Based taking fourth.
“When you stand beside him, he’s a gorgeous horse, beautiful stature,” Zeron said after the race. “If anything, he’s a little immature. Mark [Evers] did a great job changing up his bridle to a can't-see-back from a closed [bridle]. And that was the issue I had last week going first-up. I cleared by the leader and just waited that little bit and came that :26 quarter in Lexington. I couldn’t have him stall like that.”
A homebred for Velocity Standardbreds, Monte Miki has banked $365,276 in winning five races from six starts. The Always B Miki-Montenegro colt paid $11.80 to win.
The last elimination went to the late-footed Pebble Beach, who stormed off cover to win by a nose in 1:51.3.
Gulf Shores failed to find a spot at the pegs to settle, so he instead ventured forward for the front and overtook early leader Loukes Perry past a :27.2 first quarter. Early Action tracked Gulf Shores’ move and soon grabbed the top into the backstretch before Fulfullnmydestiny pulled first-over to press the pacesetter into a :55.3 half.
Meanwhile, Pebble Beach raced sixth and tipped off the cones to roll and grab cover from Fulfullnmydestiny to the final turn. With the first-over challenger one-paced through the final turn, driver Todd McCarthy motored Pebble Beach three-wide after three-quarters in 1:24. The Downbytheseaside-Santa Rosa colt barreled home with Gulf Shores shaking loose late but settling for second. Early Action finished third; Loukes Perry rallied for fourth.
“I’ve had him on the front a few times and he has won there, but he can be a bit cheeky late,” McCarthy said after the race. “But when he has a target, he loves chasing it down. I got away a little further back than what I would have liked. I might have cleared a little too early with him; he started looking around, looking for a battle. He was good, he dug deep at the wire and did what he had to do. I’m very pleased going into next week with him.”
Noel Daley conditions Pebble Beach for owners Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres and LA Express and JAF Racing. Brittany Farms bred the winner of seven races from 10 starts, good for $286,450 in earnings. Off the even-money favorite, he paid $4.20 to win.
In addition to the top three finishers from each elimination, True Blue Lindy will also advance to the $600,000 final for having the highest earnings of the three fourth-place finishers.
The complete fields, with post positions, nominated drivers, and trainers, are as follows:
$600,000 Breeders Crown — 2-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings
1. Gentle Giant (David Miller, Brian Brown)
2. Monte Miki (Scott Zeron, Mark Evers)
3. Pebble Beach (Todd McCarthy, Noel Daley)
4. Six Feet Apart (David Miller, Brian Brown)
5. I Did It Myway (Todd McCarthy, Tony Alagna)
6. Gulf Shores (David Miller, Brian Brown)
7. Beach Glass (Paul MacDonell, Brent MacGrath)
8. Hammering Hank (Dexter Dunn, Brett Pelling)
9. True Blue Lindy (Tim Tetrick, Jeff Cullipher)
10. Early Action (Brian Sears, Joe Holloway)
Branded By Lindy best in Crown freshman trot elims
by Frank Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Domenico Cecere trainee Branded By Lindy bolted clear of his competition to post the quickest victory of the three $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot on Friday (Oct. 22) at The Meadowlands, stopping the clock in 1:53.
Yannick Gingras guided the 3-5 favorite with a sweeping move to lead, cutting a :57.2 half and three-quarters in 1:25.1 en route to a 2-3/4-length score over fast-charging Double Deceiver. Fast As The Wind took third.
King Of The North followed Periculum on the outside in pursuit, but to no avail. Global Pandemic was quick off the gate, but broke before the first quarter and did not recover while the others could not make any ground once Branded By Lindy got going.
Branded By Lindy, a son of Chapter Seven and The Lindy Label bred and owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut, paid $3.00 to win. The colt raised his 2021 earnings to $165,550.
Gingras said, “He’s gotten better and better every week. This race was as easy as it looked. I just wanted to make sure we won the elimination. I thought he was the best, and he showed it.”
David Miller used Testing Testing twice in the mile to win the first $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for 2-year-old male trotters in a lifetime mark of 1:53.4.
Testing Testing made an early move to get the top, but settled behind S I P and a charging Temporal Hanover, who took the top over S I P in a :27.2 first panel. Temporal Hanover commanded a :56 half with S I P behind him until Miller took Testing Testing first-over and gained ground with Letsdoit S getting live cover. Testing Testing won the challenge for the lead in a 1:24.3 three-quarter split. From there, Testing Testing rolled easily to a 1-1/4-length win. The late-closing Majestic J trotted by Letsdoit S to nab second with Temporal Hanover third.
George Ducharme trains Testing Testing, and the colt’s fourth win brings his earnings to $43,025 for owners William Donovan, Purnel & Libby, Joseph Rocco and Jim Winske. Warrawee Farm bred the son of Walner and Sound Check, who paid $7.00.
”He was a nice colt all winter,” Ducharme said, “I was high on him. The owners were gracious enough to let me do right by the horse.” Ducharme said drawing for posts one through five in the $600,000 final “certainly helps.”
In the second $25,000 elimination, 2-1 favorite Rebuff and Tim Tetrick held off late closers to win in 1:53.4. Rebuff relaxed in fourth off the gate with World At War Deo giving up the lead to Duly Resolved at the :28.2 first quarter. The field went in single file to the :57.1 half when Slay aimed at the leader, forcing a duel at 1:26 three-quarters.
Duly Resolved held sway until mid-stretch before Gigondas took advantage of the duel and swept forward off cover. Rebuff, however, was fastest of all, coasting by the trio to win by 2-1/4 lengths. On the far outside Cool Papa Bell soared, taking the show spot from Duly Resolved late.
Rebuff paid $6.00 to win.
Trainer Lucas Wallin co-owns Rebuff, a Muscle Hill-Meucci Madness colt who has now earned $144,095, with Kjell Magne Andersen and Pieter Delis. Steve Stewart and Michael Andrew bred the colt.
Wallin said Rebuff was talented — but green — from the beginning:
“The other owners let me take the time and race him from behind, and it started to pay off.”
In addition to the top three finishers from each elimination, Duly Resolved also advances to the final field as the highest earner on the year among the fourth-place finishers.
The complete fields, with post positions, nominated drivers, and trainers, are as follows:
$600,000 Breeders Crown — 2-Year-Old Trotting Colts and Geldings
1. Cool Papa Bell (Brian Sears, Jim Campbell)
2. Testing Testing (David Miller, George Ducharme)
3. Branded By Lindy (Yannick Gingras, Domenico Cecere)
4. Rebuff (Tim Tetrick, Lucas Wallin)
5. Gigondas (Todd McCarthy, Tony Alagna)
6. Double Deceiver (David Miller, Carter Pinske)
7. Temporal Hanover (Tim Tetrick, Marcus Melander)
8. Duly Resolved (Paul MacDonell, John Bax)
9. Majestic J (Todd McCarthy, Tony Alagna)
10. Fast As The Wind (Dexter Dunn, Tony Alagna)
Queen Of Success upends unbeaten fillies in Crown elimination
by Jay Bergman, for the Breeders Crown
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The single $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for juvenile pacing fillies started with two undefeated fillies as favorites, but it was 23-1 shot Queen Of Success, who literally split those two in the late stages, to surprise at the finish line for Andy McCarthy in a 1:50.3 mile.
McCarthy used Queen Of Success’ gate speed to full advantage, putting the daughter of Captaintreacherous on the front in the early going before yielding to the previously unbeaten Sea Silk and driver Chris Page past the :27.3 opening quarter. Page and Sea Silk were able to back down the pace significantly, hitting the half in :56 flat while waiting for competition. Dexter Dunn, driving the other previously unbeaten filly, Niki Hill, waited until past the half to get on the move. Niki Hill advanced towards the leader, but Sea Silk cruised a third quarter in :27.3, making it difficult for the entire outer tier to gain contention.
In the homestretch, Sea Silk held firmly, but McCarthy was able to angle off the pylons with Queen Of Success as Niki Hill bore out slightly, allowing clearance. Queen Of Success quickly asserted herself to drive by Sea Silk and held Niki Hill three-quarters of a length at bay in a :27 flat final quarter.
Queen Of Success, a daughter of Captaintreacherous and Cashaway, won for the fifth time in eight starts this year for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Alagna Racing LLC, Caviart Farms and Robert LeBlanc.
Niki Hill finished second with Sea Silk third. Gotthegreenlight, Treacherous Dragon, Boudoir Hanover, Captain Cowgirl and Galleria Hanover finished fourth through eighth, respectively, and also advance to next Friday's (Oct. 29) $600,000 Breeders Crown final, along with Don’t Fence Me In and Lyons Serenity, who were awarded byes.
Queen of Success returned $48.60 to win.
“She was super,” said Alagna following the race.
Lilbitalexis, Raised By Lindy win Crown rookie filly trot elims; Venerable breaks stride
by Jay Bergman, for the Breeders Crown
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Lilbitalexis and Dexter Dunn made the most of a pocket trip on their way to capturing the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly trot at The Meadowlands on Friday night (Oct. 22). The victory saved the day for trainer Richard "Nifty" Norman, whose previously undefeated Venerable broke stride in the contest and finished last.
Selfie Queen and driver Scott Zeron marched out sharply to the front into the first turn, forcing Dunn to take the two-hole behind the leader with Lilbitalexis well before the :27.4 first quarter. Venerable, the Mohawk Million winner, had taken a tuck early, but was in no hurry to move as Selfie Queen cut the half in :56.2 unchallenged.
David Miller put Venerable in gear past the half and the filly made up ground quickly, eventually flushing Lilbitalexis from the pocket as the field neared the three-quarters. Lilbitalexis engaged Selfie Queen on even terms past three-quarters in 1:25.1, but Venerable faltered and took herself out of the race turning into the homestretch. Dunn had no issues with Lilbitalexis, and the Walner-sired lass trotted smoothly past Selfie Queen for a 1-3/4-length victory in 1:53.3. Selfie Queen held second easily with Jaya Bae closing solidly between horses late to hit the board in third. Brickhouse Babe and Ebbies Lady, fourth and fifth respectively, completed the qualifiers for next week's $600,000 final from this elimination.
Pinske Stables and David Hoese own Lilbitalexis, who won for the seventh time in her freshman season.
“When you ask her to go, she’s got high speed,” said Dunn of Lilbitalexis, who paid $5.60 as the second choice.
Form held up better in the second $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination, when Raised By Lindy got the job done as the even-money favorite for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Domenico Cecere.
Joviality S, the 6-5 second choice, left hard for command with Brian Sears in the bike and parked Raised By Lindy through a soft :29 opening quarter before allowing her to pass. Once in control, Raised By Lindy and Gingras strolled around the track, cutting middle half fractions of :58.3 and 1:27.4. The third quarter got the attention of Todd McCarthy, as he sped Delilah Hanover from the back with high velocity before then having to edge wider when Joviality S pulled the pocket to challenge the winner on even terms late on the final bend. Gingras called on Raised By Lindy under pressure, and the daughter of Walner, bred and owned by Lindy Farms of Connecticut, finished her mile impressively, sprinting home in :27 flat to win by 1-1/2 lengths and complete the mile in 1:54.4 for her third consecutive victory. Joviality S held firmly late for second ahead of Jiggy Jog S. Delilah Hanover and Valentina Blu completed the finalists from this division.
Raised By Lindy paid $4.20 in winning for the fifth time in nine career starts.
The complete field, with post positions, nominated drivers, and trainers, is as follows:
$600,000 Breeders Crown — 2-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
1. Valentina Blu (Andrew McCarthy, Tony Alagna)
2. Selfie Queen (Scott Zeron, Nancy Takter)
3. Lilbitalexis (Dexter Dunn, Nifty Norman)
4. Delilah Hanover (Todd McCarthy, Nifty Norman)
5. Raised By Lindy (Yannick Gingras, Domenico Cecere)
6. Jiggy Jog S (Åke Svanstedt, Åke Svanstedt)
7. Ebbies Lady (Åke Svanstedt, Åke Svanstedt)
8. Brickhouse Babe (Mark MacDonald, Ray Schnittker)
9. Jaya Bae (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander)
10. Joviality S (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander)
