Breeders Crown paths set for sophomores & up
MILTON, October 15, 2019 – Divisional supremacy and international glory will be on the line in the eight Breeders Crown events for three-year-olds and up at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
All four sophomore divisions will require eliminations this Saturday (October 19), while only the Mare Trot from the older ranks will need eliminations.
The three-year-old colt pace (15 entrants) and three-year-old filly trot (16 entrants) will have two eliminations each on Saturday’s card, while the sophomore trotting colts (12 entrants) and pacing fillies (12 entrants) will each feature just a single elimination after two byes were issued in each event.
The Mare Trot attracted 15 ladies and will need two eliminations to determine its final field. The Open Trot (11 entrants), Open Pace (10 entrants) and Mare Pace (7 entrants) will all headline directly to a final on October 26.
A total of eight elimination races will take place on this Saturday’s (October 19) card at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Saturday battles for Crown spots
Trainer Marcus Melander will send his three-headed monster of sophomore trotting colts Greenshoe, Green Manalishi S and Gimpanzee to Woodbine Mohawk Park for the Breeders Crown.
Only a single ten-horse elimination is needed in the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot division, as 12 horses were entered. The top-two earners in 2019 received byes, while the other ten entered will compete to eliminate two ahead of the $500,000 (USD) final.
Melander opted to take the bye with the division-leader Greenshoe, who has banked over $1.1 million this season. Hambletonian champion Forbidden Trade received the second bye, which was accepted by trainer Luc Blais. The Ontario Sires Stakes champion is eight for 13 with $1 million earned.
Green Manalishi S headlines Saturday’s elimination from post-two. The son of Muscle Hill is undefeated in four starts at Woodbine Mohawk Park, capturing this year’s Canadian Trotting Classic and last year’s William Wellwood Memorial.
Gimpanzee has drawn post-four for the elimination, as the son of Chapter Seven attempts to become a two-time Breeders Crown champion. The New York Sires Stakes champion won last year’s 2-Year-Old Colt Trot final in convincing fashion and enters this year’s event having won 15 of 19 career starts.
The elimination field for the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot Breeders Crown also includes Dont Letem (post-five), Marseille (post-nine) and Pilot Discretion (post-ten). All three trotters have posted strong results in marquee events this season.
The single-elimination for sophomore trotting colts and geldings has been carded as Race 5 on Saturday’s card.
The 3-Year-Old-Colt Pace division is a wide-open affair with a group of 15 separated into a pair of eliminations.
Pepsi North America Cup winner Captain Crunch has won just two of seven starts since his classic victory in June at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The Nancy Johansson trained son of Captaintreacherous has been knocking on the door in his last two starts, posting runner-up finishes in each. The defending Breeders Crown champion has drawn post-two in the first elimination.
Captain Crunch will tackle the likes of Meadowlands Pace winner Best In Show (post-eight), Tattersalls winner Dancin Lou (post-three) and multiple Grand Circuit stakes winner Century Farroh (post-one), who was supplemented Monday by his connections for $62,500 (USD).
The ultra-consistent Bettors Wish (post-one) will square-off with Little Brown Jug champion Southwind Ozzi (post-three) in the second elimination.
Chris Ryder trainee Bettors Wish has won 11 of 15 starts this season, including the Art Rooney, Milstein Memorial, Kentucky Sires Stakes championship and Tattersalls. The son of Bettors Delight has finished in the runner-up spot in all four of his defeats this season.
Southwind Ozzi rose to stardom this summer for trainer Bill MacKenzie by posting victories in marquee events such as the Adios and Little Brown Jug. The son of Somebeachsomewhere has won nine of 12 starts and earned the confidence from his connections to put up $62,500 (USD) to supplement to the Breeders Crown.
The top-five finishers from each 3-Year-Old Pacing Colt elimination will advance to the $600,000 (USD) final.
Trainer Ron Burke turned down a bye and will race defending Breeders Crown champion Warrawee Ubeaut in Saturday’s single-elimination for the 3-Year-Old Filly Pace event. Tony Alagna’s Treacherous Reign and Bob McIntosh’s Sunny Dee received byes from the group of 12 entered, which sets up a ten-horse division to eliminate two for the $550,000 (USD) final.
Warrawee Ubeaut (post-six) powers into her elimination on a six-race win streak, which includes scores in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes championship, Jugette and Glen Garnsey Memorial. The daughter of Sweet Lou has won 10 of 15 this season and is a 13-time winner with over $1.3 million earned.
The sophomore pacing filly elimination will also feature Ontario Sires Stakes champion Boadicea (post-nine). The Bill Budd trained daughter of Big Jim was supplemented on Monday to the event by her owners for a fee of $62,500 (USD).
Standouts Stonebridge Soul (post-two), Tall Drink Hanover (post-five) and Queen Of The Pride (post-eight) will also compete.
The elimination for three-year-old pacing fillies has been carded as Race 8.
A competitive group of 16 has been split into a pair of eliminations for the 3-Year-Old Filly Trot Crown event. The top-five finishers from each division will advance to the $500,000 (USD) final.
Elegantimage winner Evident Beauty (post-one) for trainer ‘Nifty’ Norman, Zweig Memorial winner The Ice Dutchess (post-two) for trainer Johansson and Ohio Sires Stakes champion Only Take Cash (post-three) for trainer McIntosh will all meet in the first elimination.
The second elimination will feature a matchup between Hambletonian Oaks champion When Dovescry (post-two) for trainer Rene Allard and Kentucky Filly Futurity winner Beautiful Sin (post-eight) for trainer Ake Svanstedt. Those two will also have to deal with Millies Possesion (post-three), who has won 10 of 13 starts for trainer Jim Campbell.
The sophomore trotting fillies will clash in Races 2 and 3 on Saturday’s card.
A strong turnout of 15 older trotting mares will allow fans the opportunity to see several superstars in action during this weekend’s eliminations for the $325,000 (USD) Mare Trot.
Four-year-old Manchego storms into Woodbine Mohawk Park on a three-race win streak, highlighted by a World Record 1:49 victory in the Allerage. The Nancy Johansson trainee is a 24-time winner and captured the Breeders Crown at age two in 2017. She’ll line up from post-eight in Saturday’s second elimination.
A pair of two-time Crown champions will compete in the deep Mare Trot division.
Emoticon Hanover is going for a three-peat in the event after victories last year at Pocono and in 2017 at Hoosier. The Luc Blais trained six-year-old has won 24 of 68 career starts, hitting the board in 51 of those outings. She tackles Manchego from post-three in the second split.
Former Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover returns to the Mare Trot Crown division for the first time since 2016. The Ron Burke trained seven-year-old captured the Open Trot division in 2017 and the Mare Trot division in 2016. She is a 46-time winner with over $3.2 million (CAD) in career earnings.
Hannelore Hanover lines up from post-six in the first elimination, which also features local standout Dream Together (post-one), supplement entry Custom Cantab (post-three) and the Svanstedt duo of Darling Mearas S (post-two) and Plunge Blue Chip (post-seven).
The Mare Trot Breeders Crown eliminations have been carded as Races 6 and 9.
Harness Racing Heavyweights head straight to Crown Finals
A trio of events for older competitors will not require eliminations this weekend.
Foreign classic invitee Bold Eagle will star in the $500,000 (USD) Open Trot. The eight-year-old son of Ready Cash will take on 10 rivals in his North American debut, seeking to add a Crown title to his incredible legacy. Hall of Fame driver Brian Sears will steer the winner of over $5 million for trainer Sébastien Guarato.
France’s Bold Eagle is the first foreign classic winner to accept a Breeders Crown invitation since Commander Crowe in 2014, who won the Open Trot at The Meadowlands.
Four-year-old mare Atlanta has earned the confidence of her connections to take another crack at the boys in a classic event. The 2018 Hambletonian champion and winner of nearly $2 million will attempt to steal the attention of the trotting world from Bold Eagle and claim the Open Trot title for a 20th career victory.
This season’s highest earner in the Open Trot is Anette Lorentzon trainee Guardian Angel As, who scored the biggest victory of his career earlier this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The five-year-old stallion captured the Maple Leaf Trot on August 31 and most recently finished fourth in the Yonkers International Trot.
The Open Trot star power also includes World champion Six Pack, 2016 Hambletonian champion Marion Marauder and 2017 Breeders Crown champion Fiftydallarbill. The event is completed by Dunbar Hall, Mission Accepted, Southwind Chrome and Will Take Charge.
Reigning Horse of the Year McWicked is back to defend his title in the $500,000 (USD) Open Pace and is seeking a third Breeders Crown victory. The Casie Coleman trained eight-year-old went four years between Crown victories after winning at age three and again last season. McWicked enters off back-to-back victories in the Allerage and Rooney Invitational.
The ten-horse Open Pace field includes two former Little Brown Jug champions in Courtly Choice and Filibuster Hanover. Blake MacIntosh trained four-year-old Courtly Choice scored an upset win earlier this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park in the Canadian Pacing Derby.
Hometown favourite Jimmy Freight will make his Breeders Crown debut in the Open Pace. The five-year-old is a 21-time winner and has finished outside the top-five only once in 50 career starts.
The field for the pacing heavyweight clash is completed by Always a Prince, American History, Dorsoduro Hanover, Easy Lover Hanover, Geez Joe and This Is The Plan.
Shartin N returns to the $300,000 (USD) Mare Pace with eyes on a second-consecutive Breeders Crown victory. The six-year-old New Zealand bred has won 14 of 16 starts this season, frequently crushing her foes and earning much buzz as potential Horse of the Year. The Jim King Jr. trainee is undefeated in four starts at Woodbine Mohawk Park, sweeping the last two editions of the Roses Are Red.
While nearly flawless, Shartin N did taste defeat in her most recent start, finishing second to rival Caviart Ally in the Allerage at The Red Mile. The superstar mares finished in the opposite order in last year’s Crown event.
A five-year-old, Caviart Ally has seven wins and top-three finishes in all 16 starts this season. The Brett Pelling trainee captured her second-consecutive Milton Stakes last month at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Mare Pace field also includes 2017 Breeders Crown champion Youaremycandygirl, and Dan Patch Award winner Kissin In The Sand. Bettors Up, Kaitlyn N and Kendall Seelster will also compete.
Elimination and Draw details set
Breeders Crown 2-year-old eliminations will be held Friday (October 18) and the sophomore and open divisions requiring eliminations will race Saturday (October 19). Elimination winners draw for inside post positions 1-5. Post positions will be drawn on Friday and Saturday after the elimination races, except for the 2-year-old Colt Pace, Crown Pace and Crown Trot. Those three events will be drawn at a Press Conference next Tuesday (October 22).
Post time for Friday’s (October 18) card is 7:50 p.m., while Saturday’s (October 19) post time is set for 7:10 p.m.
Following are the fields in post-position order for Friday’s $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
3-Year-Old Filly Trot
Elimination 1 (Race 2)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Evident Beauty-David Miller-R. Nifty Norman
2-The Ice Dutchess-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson
3-Only Take Cash-Trevor Henry-Bob McIntosh
4-Seaside Bliss-James MacDonald-Paul Kelley
5-Grimmie Hanover-Corey Callahan-Jeff Cullipher
6-Golden Tricks-Andy Miller-Ake Svanstedt
7-Dark As A Pocket-Jody Jamieson-Mike Keeling
8-Winndevie-Brian Sears-Trond Smedshammer
3-Year-Old Filly Trot
Elimination 2 (Race 3)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Sweet Chapter-Tim Tetrick-Blake MacIntosh
2-When Dovescry-Simon Allard-Rene Allard
3-Millies Possesion-Dexter Dunn-Jim Campbell
4-Miss Trixton-Brian Sears-Marcus Melander
5-Go Time-Mike Saftic-Allan McCoy
6-Cambridge Kate-Jody Jamieson-Stephanie Jamieson
7-Asiago-Tim Tetrick-Per Engblom
8-Beautiful Sin-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt
3-Year-Old Colt Trot
Elimination (Race 5)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Chin Chin Hall-Peter Wrenn-R. Nifty Norman
2-Green Manalishi S-Tim Tetrick-Marcus Melander
3-Goes Down Smooth-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke
4-Gimpanzee-David Miller-Marcus Melander
5-Dont Letem-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson
6-Soul Strong-Dexter Dunn-Ake Svanstedt
7-Only For Justice-Chris Christoforou-Dany Fontaine
8-Super Schissel-Louis Philippe Roy-Per Engblom
9-Marseille-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt
10-Pilot Discretion-Andrew McCarthy-Tony Alagna
Mare Trot
Elimination 1 (Race 6)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Dream Together-Bob McClure-Luc Blais
2-Darling Mearas S-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt
3-Custom Cantab-David Miller-Chris Beaver
4-Supergirl Riley-Simon Allard-Rene Allard
5-Top Expectations-Sylvain Filion-Ben Baillargeon
6-Hannelore Hanover-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
7-Plunge Blue Chip-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt
Mare Trot
Elimination 2 (Race 9)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Ice Attraction-Andrew McCarthy-Ake Svanstedt
2-Hey Livvy-Trevor Henry-Jeff Gillis
3-Emoticon Hanover-Bob McClure-Luc Blais
4-Highland Top Hill-Doug McNair-Amanda Fine
5-Weslynn Dancer-Scott Zeron-Richard Banca
6-Royal Witch-Trevor Henry-Ben Baillargeon
7-P L Jill-Mario Baillargeon-Ben Baillargeon
8-Manchego-Dexter Dunn-Nancy Johansson
3-Year-Old Filly Pace
Elimination (Race 8)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Ideation Hanover-James MacDonald-Dave Menary
2-Stonebridge Soul-Tim Tetrick-Chris Ryder
3-Bestseller Hanover-Scott Zeron-Scott Blackler
4-Philly Hanover-Brian Sears-Ron Coyne
5-Tall Drink Hanover-Andrew McCarthy-Tony Alagna
6-Warrawee Ubeaut-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
7-Sylph Hanover-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke
8-Queen Of The Pride-Brian Sears-Kevin Lare
9-Boadicea-Jonathan Drury-Bill Budd
10-Beautyonthebeach-Doug McNair-Gregg McNair
3-Year-Old Colt Pace
Elimination 1 (Race 10)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Century Farroh-Sylvain Filion-Dr. Ian Moore
2-Captain Crunch-Scott Zeron-Nancy Johansson
3-Dancin Lou-Dexter Dunn-Tahnee Camilleri
4-Air Force Hanover-Simon Allard-Rene Allard
5-Fixed Idea-Randy Waples-Todd Clements
6-Semi Tough-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke
7-Stag Party-Doug McNair-Casie Coleman
8-Best In Show-Bob McClure-Linda Toscano
3-Year-Old Colt Pace
Elimination #2 (Race 11)
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Bettors Wish-Dexter Dunn-Chris Ryder
2-De Los Cielos Deo-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
3-Southwind Ozzi-Brian Sears-Bill MacKenzie
4-Bronx Seelster-Simon Allard-Rene Allard
5-Covered Bridge-James MacDonald-Blake MacIntosh
6-Blood Money-Yannick Gingras-Nancy Johansson
7-Cant Beach That-David Miller-Brett Pelling
For more information go to www.Hambletonian.com or https://woodbine.com/mohawk/events/breeders-crown/.
