Rookie Breeders Crown Elims
Dean Gillette/Chris Tully Photos
Better Is Nice, Storm Shadow, Captain Albano Take Breeders Crown Elims
By Frank Cotolo for Breeders Crown
Anderson, Ind. – In the first of three $25,000 freshman colt pacer elims, Better Is Nice flew five wide from behind in the stretch to catch fading favorite Newsroom and brush off a late close by Gem Quality to win by a neck in 1:50.3 with Andrew McCarthy in the bike.
Newsroom pushed a scorching first quarter passing Dancin Champion’s fast start and took the top in :25.4. The pace continued with a :54.4 half as Newsroom led and Gem Quality went first over with Total Stranger picking up cover. The field got to three-quarters in 1:23.2.
The uneven fractions got to Newsroom and he began to fade while challenged. Getting the best of the pace was Better Is Nice, who came flying late to get a neck up over Gem Quality. Newsroom hung grittily for third and Huntingforchrome fourth.
McCarthy mentioned the race’s first quarter, saying “I was pretty happy with that and was going to have to push off for the first eighth. Then I thought it might be wrong to do that. We ended up getting way back but it turned out that was not a bad place to be. [My colt] came from seventh. He has crazy amounts of speed.”
Tony Alagna trains Better Is Nice, a Bettors Wish—Thatsoveryverynice colt. Alagna Racing LLC, Pryde Stables Inc. and Birnam Wood Farms own the colt that was bred by Alagna Racing LLC and Marvin Katz. Better Is Nice has now earned $503,120. He paid $13.40 to win.
In the second division, Storm Shadow won his third straight stakes event (at three different tracks) for trainer Ian Moore. Bob McClure steered the colt for the last two, winning this one in 1:52.
Though Storm Shadow left alertly, Boston Rocks rushed to take the lead in a :27 first quarter with no sign of slowing down. At the half Boston Rocks was 2 lengths ahead of Storm Shadow with Captain Luke pushing the third spot in a 1:25.1 third quarter. That was all Boston Rocks had to offer as he began to struggle in the stretch while Storm Shadow ate real estate to get to the wire first by a head with Captain Luke finishing second and Boston Rocks left a tired third. Nijinsky was fourth.
Bob McClure said, “From what I know about him I have nothing but good things to say. He's nice to drive, he's good-gaited and he's handy. Last week [in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Gold Final] he kind of fell into a nice trip but tonight he was great.”
RG McGroup LTD, Serge Savard, Bolton Stables and Mac Nichol own Storm Shadow, a Bettor’s Delight—Fade colt bred by Tara Hills Stud. Storm Shadow has now earned $223,560 in his first season. He paid $7.40 to win.
In the last of the freshman colt-pacing elims the stretch was a playground for Captain Albano. The Captaintreacherous—Angelou colt was all out for driver Todd McCarthy once he put away early leader Magnifico Hanover, who tried to take total control in a blazing :26.2 first quarter. Before the :55.4 half, Captain Albano dismissed the lot of them, soaring to the lead by 2 lengths and increasing the lead until he crossed the wire in 1:50.4, 3-1/2 lengths ahead of the late arriving Legendary Hanover with Nuclear and Noblesville well out of sight.
Noblesville finished fourth and by the nature of his earnings makes the final.
Trainer Noel Daley said he “just asked Todd if he had something left and he said [Captain Albano] did it with his ears pricked. He's a very nice horse and he's gotten lucky with a bunch of nice trips lately.”
Captain Albano’s bankroll is now $288,180.
Patricia Stable, LA Express & Sjoblom Inc, and M.E. Dolan own Captain Albano, who won his sixth race in a row and paid $2.80 to win.
Frederick W. Hertrich bred the colt.
Geocentric Racks Up Nine Straight in Crown Freshman Filly Pace Elim
by Kimberly Rinker, for the Breeders Crown
In the second $25,000 elimination for freshman pacing females, 1-5 favorite Geocentric with Tim Tetrick aboard nailed down her ninth consecutive win for trainer Brian Brown in 1:51 for owners Leeman, Keith, Stambaugh and Sbrocco. Geocentric pushed her career earnings to $549,251 with the win.
Ronnie Wrenn Jr. sent 43-1 shot Canigetalouploup to the lead in a :27.2 first quarter before being overtaken by the eventual winner, who paced through quarters of :56.3 and 1:25, before cruising under the wire well within herself. My Girl EJ (Dexter Dunn) was second at 2-1, with Canigetalouploup third, Caviart Bell fourth, and Peace Talks fifth.
“She had picked a shoe half off in the post parade and we had to get it fixed,” said winning trainer Brian Brown about the slight race delay. “This mare doesn’t really do anything wrong. I was a little concerned about My Girl EJ coming down the stretch, but Timmy (driver Tetrick) never pulled the ear plugs.”
The daughter of Sweet Lou is out of the unraced Somebeachsomewhere mare Geometry, bred by Diamond Creek Farm and has half-siblings in Horizontal (Always B Miki) p, 3, 1:48.4 ($99,182) and Divide (A Rocknroll Dance) p, 3, 1:54.1s ($46,733).
Pass Line made it look easy in the first Breeders Crown elimination for 2-year-old filly pacers on Friday evening, Oct.20th, at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The daughter of All Bets Off was the 3-5 choice among the bettors, securing the victory for trainer Ronnie Burke and driver Yannick Gingras.
The homebred bay filly is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, and Frank Baldachino and procured her sixth straight triumph with this win, the tenth of her career in 12 starts, and she now has $390,948 in career earnings for these connections.
“There was a lot of movement in the race and when I came up, they were going pretty slow up front,” said winning driver Gingras. “She can go pretty fast and this filly is Burke all the way in terms of breeding. They have more and more mares and the quality of them have gotten better over the past five years.”
When the gate opened in front of the field of six, 67-1 longshot Genie Hanover (Todd McCarthy) took the early lead to a :27 first quarter, before being overtaken by 52-1 Behest (Scott Zeron). Going to the half the leader was challenged by It’s A Love Thing (James MacDonald), the 4-1 choice, before Pass Line stormed quickly to the outside to the 1:26 three-quarters, pacing home to win easily in 1:53. Blue Pacific got up for second, Camerican was third, with Behest and It’s A Love Thing rounding out the elim.
Pass Line is one of five horses trained by Burke in these two eliminations, while conditioner Brian Brown has two as well.
Warrawee Michelle speeds to Crown frosh filly trot elim win
by Kimberly Rinker, for the Hambletonian Society
ANDERSON, Ind. — Warrawee Michelle took top honors across three $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old trotting fillies, held Thursday (Oct. 19) at Harrah's Hoosier Park, with a 1:53.4 win in the third split. Buy A Round and Drawn Impression captured the other eliminations over a sloppy racing surface.
Even-money favorite Warrawee Michelle (Walner) took advantage of a garden trip to best five rivals in the final of three elims. Chaparmbro (Dexter Dunn), the 3-1 choice, led the field to the :28.3 first quarter, with Warrawee Michelle in close pursuit and 4-1 Date Night Hanover (Brian Sears) right on her heels to the :57.4 half and 1:26.2 three-quarter marker. From there, it was an easy stroll home for Warrawee Michelle, who barely needed any urging from her trainer-driver to take down her five rivals.
Driven by her trainer, Åke Svanstedt, Warrawee Michelle is co-owned by Svanstedt, Santandrea Inc. and Young Guns. The win was her third of the season in eight starts and pushed her career earnings to $128,125. She also has a pair of second-place finishes and one third to her credit this year.
Warrawee Michelle was a $200,000 purchase at the 2022 Lexington Select Yearling Sale and is the third foal out of her Yankee Glide broodmare Sound Check, 2, 1:58.2f ($23,832), making her a full sister to both Testing Testing 3, 1:52 ($128,115) and Warrawee Yes 3, 1:54.4s ($128,110).
Buy A Round, a daughter of Walner, got up in the late going to take the first elimination, stopping the clock in 1:55.2 by a whisker over 19-1 long shot Chapalonia and driver David Miller.
R Melina, the eventual fifth-place finisher, took the lead for driver Tim Tetrick, taking the field through fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27 before tiring as her six rivals surrounded her in late stretch. Buy A Round used a strong late kick to prevail, with Chapalonia a whisker behind, and Sierra Girl third at 5-1 for Åke Svanstedt.
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Buy A Round is trained by Noel Daley for owner-breeder Frederick W. Hertrich III, of Seaford, Del., and was driven by Andrew McCarthy to her sixth win of the season in eight tries. The victory pushed her career earnings to $280,000. Buy A Round is the first foal out of the unraced Cantab Hall mare On Your Tab.
“The footing is good enough, just a little sloppy, so with the long, slow steady rain, it’s hard to keep it up, but it’s not bad,” said McCarthy. “Worst case scenario, my filly had to come first-up, but I knew she could handle it. This was actually a pretty regular trip for her, I took her off the gate and wanted a second or third-over trip. Going into the first turn I figured Åke (with Sierra Girl) would drop in there, but I wasn’t concerned as this filly is fast enough to go with them.”
“Noel is an unbelievable trainer — this filly is not easy — she’s a Walner and he’s done an amazing job keeping her calm and getting her to finish the way she does.”
As expected, Drawn Impression, a Muscle Hill lass and 4-5 choice, easily bested her rivals in 1:57 in the second elimination. Louis Roy piloted the filly to her fourth career win in five starts for trainer Luc Blais and owner-breeder Determination, of Montreal, Que.
Sugar Instead was hustled out of the gate early, taking the field to a :27 first quarter and leisurely :58.1 half, before 3-1 Pizzelle (David Miller) came first up to challenge to the 1:28.3 three-quarter marker. Drawn Impression, who had been stalking the leaders behind Pizzelle, came charging at the wire to secure the triumph for her connections. Getting up for second was 7-1 Senorita Palema for Tim Tetrick, with Sugar Instead holding on at 3-1 for Ronnie Gillespie.
“I was a little more off the gate than I wanted to be, but she’s a pretty smart filly and tonight she was more on the bit than she has been. She kind of made a break on me going into the first turn for no reason and I thought her being a bit hot might be the reason, but I am so confident in this filly,” said winning driver Roy. “Luc (trainer Blais) knows how to manage a horse and even if they’re off for a little while you know he’ll have them sharp.”
The victory pushed Drawn Impression’s career earnings to $194,625.
Drawn Impression is the first foal out of the top mare Emoticon Hanover (by Kadabra), who earned $1,778,033 and recorded a 4-year-old record of 1:50.2f.
The winners from each of the eliminations and Soiree Hanover — who won the $400,000 Jim Doherty Memorial at Hoosier Park on Sept. 15 — will draw for post positions one through five, and all others will go into an open draw, which will take place at a later time to be determined. Below are the contestants for the $700,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot final:
Karl, Private Access win Crown elims for 2-year-old male trotters
October 19, 2023, by Jay Bergman, for the Hambletonian Society
Anderson, IN — Karl and Yannick Gingras regained winning form in a powerhouse performance, capturing the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for juvenile trotting colts and geldings, on Thursday night (Oct. 19) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, in 1:54 over a track labeled sloppy.
Karl started from post one and Gingras was not concerned with early speed, allowing Wild Ticket and Brian Sears to take control as the gates unfolded. Mr Bluebird and Åke Svanstedt also left and found a spot in the pocket with Dashing Danny spotted third into the first turn.
With an opening quarter cut in :28.1 for Wild Ticket, Karl and Gingras made an extended move to the lead and arrived there halfway home in :57.2. As the 1-10 betting choice, Karl rolled through three-quarters in 1:26 and then took off from the field as expected, rolling home in :28 to win for the sixth time in seven career starts for trainer and co-owner Nancy Takter. Mr Bluebird rallied to be a clear second with Greenspan unleashing a powerful stretch kick and closing in for third. Dashing Danny nailed the fourth spot right on the wire with early pacesetter Wild Ticket fading to fifth.
Bred by Crawford Farms, Karl, a son of Tactical Landing from the R C Royalty-sired dam Avalicious, is owned by Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms and Bender Sweden Inc.
“He was super today,” said Nancy Takter in the winner’s circle. “I’m looking forward to next week.”
As the prohibitive public choice, Karl returned $2.20 to win.
The second $25,000 Crown elimination saw the tables turn on the heavy favorite with the second longest shot in the field, Private Access and Louis-Philippe Roy, scoring a 19-1 upset for just his second win of the year in a 1:54.4 clocking.
Trained by Luc Blais for Determination, Private Access, a son of Muscle Hill, had not raced competitively since Sept. 14 in the Champlain Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where he made a break.
Roy had Private Access out quickly moving to the front as the gate opened and putting Situationship in the pocket behind him. Following an opening fraction of :27.2, Scott Zeron moved Dame Good Time to the lead shortly before the half with Roy willing to sit the pocket. The complexion changed following the :57.3 opening half when Dame Good Time made a miscue, putting Private Access back in control.
Tim Tetrick, with 1-5 favorite Security Protected, moved midway on the final turn but struggled to reach the leader as the pace accelerated through a :29 third quarter. Roy looked confident in mid-stretch as Private Access pulled clear of the outside challengers, but Situationship and driver Åke Svanstedt had room to the inside and appeared to be threatening in mid-stretch. Private Access recognized his rival and fought on bravely to the wire to keep him at bay through a :28.1 final quarter. Situationship settled for second with Security Protected and Musclefantastic third and fourth across the wire and into the final. Fifth-place finisher Magic Hill lacked the funds necessary to advance, beaten by Wild Ticket, who finished fifth in the first elimination.
Bred by Fair Winds Farms Inc., Private Access was a $250,000 yearling purchased from last year’s Harrisburg Sale.
“We knew he had a lot of talent,” said Roy in the winner’s circle. “He was making stupid breaks.”
As to the challenge in the homestretch, “He still had plenty of trot, but I didn’t want to pull the plugs.”
Both Private Access and Karl will draw for the inside five positions for the final with T C I, already in the final by way of his victory in the Peter Haughton, also granted top-five placement. Completing the field for the Breeders Crown final are: Mr Bluebird, Greenspan, Dashing Danny, Wild Ticket, Situationship, Security Protected and Musclefantastic.
