Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Breeders Crown Two & Three-Year-Old Elims

Friday & Saturday, October 20 & 21, 2006
Woodbine Raceway, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

By Kimberly Rinker

Dave Panlone & Mister Big Take 3YO Pace BC Elims
Dave Panlone and Mister Big won elimination races for the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack, but the finale was marred by an accident involving horses driven by John Campbell and Brian Sears. The incident occurred just past the finish line in the elim won by Mister Big when Shark Gesture, driven by Sears, went down and came to a complete stop. Campbell, driving Scootin Delight, was unable to avoid the fallen horse and was catapulted from the sulky upon impact.

Medical staff attended to Campbell on the track before taking him on a stretcher to the ambulance. No word was available on the extent of his possible injuries.

Campbell had driven three Breeders Crown elim winners earlier in the night -- Glidemaster, Olay Olay and Artzina.

Sears walked under his own power back to the drivers' room.

Scootin Delight was humanely destroyed because of injuries suffered in the accident. Shark Gesture returned to the paddock.

Total Truth was second-placed-third for interference with Shark Gesture, who was third-placed-second. Jereme’s Jet and Artistic Fella were fourth and fifth, respectively, and also advanced to next week’s $610,000 final.

Mister Big, driven by Jody Jamieson, has won three of 15 starts this year. He is trained by Tim Pinske for the Pinske Stables, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Tom Crouch.

In the first elim, Dave Panlone, coming off a win in the Tattersalls, raced first over the final half mile and held off Western Ace for the victory. Dave Panlone was driven by Sears.
Dave Panlone has won five of 16 races this season for trainer Jim Arledge Jr. and owners Jim Stambaugh and Milt Leeman. Also advancing to the final were Sandro Hanover, Carr’s Character and Western Guy.

Olay Olay & Artzina Win 2YO BC Pace Elims
Favorites Olay Olay and Artzina, both driven by John Campbell, plus longshot Sutter Hanover won the Breeders Crown elimination races for two-year-old male pacers Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

Olay Olay, who lost for the first time last week in the Lou Babic Memorial at Freehold Raceway, took the lead on the first turn of his elim and held it until Allamerican Bomber brushed to the front on the backstretch. Olay Olay eventually was shuffled back to third on the rail, but got free in the stretch and won in 1:51.4.

Laughing Art was second while Spin Rate was third.

“He was great,” said John Campbell, who drove Olay Olay. “He got around the half-mile track so well, I didn’t think he would have any trouble with the turns here. He stepped out of the gate good and did what he was supposed to do.”

Olay Olay, who has won eight of nine races, is trained by Scott Bell for owner Wayne Whebby.

Artzina used the first-over cover of Running Book to slingshot to the lead down the stretch, winning in 1:51.1. Running Book was second and Southwind Lynx finished third. Watta Hotshot and Pandoras Sox battled through a first quarter of 25.4 seconds and half of 55 seconds before Running Book attacked first over, followed by Artzina.

“I kind of liked seeing him covered up, it’s been a long time since he’s had that,” trainer Dylan Davis said. “I know he usually fires good off cover.”

Artzina, who last raced Sept. 2 in the Metro Pace, has won five of eight starts. He is owned by Kalman Saul Liebowitz and Marc Rubach.

Sutter Hanover, sent off at 22-1 odds, won the second elim in a personal-best 1:50.4, chasing down leader, and favorite, Kenneth J from mid-pack in the stretch. Kenneth J held on for second and early leader Charley Barley was third. Driven by Rick Zeron, Sutter Hanover is trained by Mark Harder for owners Deena Frost, Sampson Street Stables, and Fox Hollow Farm. He has won four of nine starts this year.

Yankee Skyscaper, who won the Metro in September and was no worse than second in his last six starts, challenged for the lead at the half-mile point, but ended up fifth. Island Delight made the Breeders Crown final field on the basis of being the fourth-place finisher with the highest earnings.

Glidemaster & Majestic Son Take 3YO Trotting Elims
Local favorites Glidemaster and Majestic Son won the elimination races for the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

Glidemaster, the Hambletonian champion, won his elim by open lengths in 1:53.

RC Royalty opened a sizeable early lead, but John Campbell guided Glidemaster from fourth into second place heading into the final turn.

“He felt strong the whole time,” Campbell said. “I just wanted to get a little closer to the leader down the backstretch and I was fortunate enough to get behind him. He came out and was very comfortable and trotted right through the wire strong.”

Here Comes Herbie was second, followed by Global Glide, Swan Image and RC Royalty. All five advanced to next week’s $500,000 final.

Glidemaster is trained by Blair Burgess and owned by Bob Burgess, Karin Olsson-Burgess, Marsha Cohen, and Brittany Farms. He has won seven of 13 races this season, and was second in the other six. In addition to winning the Hambletonian, Glidemaster added the second jewel of the Trotting Triple Crown, the Kentucky Futurity, on Oct. 7. The final leg, the Yonkers Trot, is scheduled for Nov. 25 at Yonkers Raceway.

In the second elim, Majestic Son took the lead on the first turn and never relinquished it. He won in 1:55.4 over Berto Primo, Algiers Hall, Make You Mine and Blue Mac Lad. Majestic Son, driven by Trevor Ritchie, has won 13 of 18 starts this year. He is trained by Mark Steacy for owner Majestic Son Stable of Ontario.

Passionate Glide & Pure Ivory Win Filly Trot Elims
Passionate Glide and Pure Ivory won the elimination races for the $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot on Saturday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

Passionate Glide won for the 13th time in 14 starts this year, covering the mile in 1:54.4. She took the lead from Merles Pearl at the half-mile point and pulled away for victory. The early fractions were leisurely – 29.1 seconds to the first quarter and 59.4 seconds to the half – but Passionate Glide closed with a 27-second final panel.

Birminghim was second, followed by Bee Line, Merles Pearl and Four Starz Lindy. Workout Doll went off stride and finished last in the six-horse field, from which the top five advanced to next week’s final. Passionate Glide is trained by Jimmy Takter and owned by Brittany Farms of Kentucky.

In the first elim, Pure Ivory, driven by Steve Condren, won in 1:53.4, missing the track record for three-year-old fillies by one-fifth of a second. World record-holder Queen Serene, the 4-5 favorite, went off stride coming off the final turn and finished last.

Susie’s Magic led through opening fractions of 25.4 and 54.3 seconds, opening an eight-length advantage in the process. The 25.4-second opening quarter mile equaled the track record. Pure Ivory, who has 11 victories in 17 races this season, took the lead in the stretch and won by 1¼ lengths. Susie’s Magic held on for second while Bye Bye Kerry, Winning Sister and Quick Credit completed the top five.

“I knew we were busting out of there pretty good,” Condren said. “I didn’t want to take a chance on getting into road trouble. I was just more concerned about being somewhere in the hunt, not too far out of it.”

Pure Ivory is trained by Brad Maxwell and owned by Jerry Van Boekel, Harry Rutherford, Christina Maxwell and Condren.

Favorites Prevail in Breeders Crown Elims
Donato Hanover, Mythical Lindy, and local favorite Laddie won the Breeders Crown elimination races for 2-year-old male trotters Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

Laddie, who went off stride in his most recent start, the Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final, won for the sixth time in his last seven races. He equalled his lifetime mark of 1:56.4 with his Breeders Crown elim victory by 1½ lengths over Xactly Hanover. Stunt Man Hall was third.

“He never really gets tired,” said driver Paul MacDonell, who put Laddie on the lead with a 28-second move in the third quarter of a mile. “Even down the stretch he wasn’t really paying attention and still trotted home [strong]. He’s just a quality animal. He had a little misfortune last week but he’s overcome that quickly.”

Laddie is trained by Paula Wellwood and is owned by Wellwood Stables.

Donato Hanover, sent off at 1-5 odds, picked up his seventh win in eight races by going the mile in 1:56.2, just two-fifths of a second of the track record for 2-year-old trotters. Ron Pierce moved Donato Hanover to the lead down the backstretch and held off Adrian Chip by a length in a hand drive. Edgestone Hanover was third.

Trained by Steve Elliott, Donato Hanover is owned by David Scharf, Golden Touch Stable, and Steven Arnold.

Mythical Lindy, driven by David Miller, overcame Quite Easy in the final strides to win the other Crown elim in 1:57.2. Relentless Duke was third.

Jim Arledge Jr. trains Mythical Lindy, the winner of seven of 10 races this year, for owners Tom York Jr. and Joe Sbrocco.

The connections of the elimination winners got to select post positions for the final. Libra Vita got the final spot in the final based on earnings.elimination races for 2-year-old male trotters Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

Little Miss Dragon and Cabana Fever won the Breeders Crown elimination races for 2-year-old filly pacers Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack. In the first elimination, John Campbell guided Little Miss Dragon to the lead as the fillies hit the half-mile point in 56.2 seconds.

Western Montana closed strongly to finish second while favorite Hana Hanover was third. Jayne’s Character and Trim Hanover also advanced to the $600,000 October 28 final.

Little Miss Dragon, who won for the third time in five starts, is trained by Noel Daley for the Adam Victor and Son Stable.

Cabana Fever came from well off the pace in the stretch to win her elim in 1:53.1 over Calgary Hanover and Southwind Rio. Calgary Hanover was placed third for going inside the pylons in the stretch.

“I got back a little further than I wanted, but when I tipped her, she just exploded,” said Ryan Anderson, who drove Cabana Fever. The filly is trained by Joe Seekman for L&L DeVisser, Sawgrass Farms and Helping Hands Stable.

Native Hanover and Speed Date were fourth and fifth, respectively, to also reach next week’s final.

Pampered Princess remained undefeated and joined Adelaide Hall in winning Breeders Crown elimination races for 2-year-old filly trotters Friday night at Woodbine Racetrack.

Driven by John Campbell and trained by Jimmy Takter, Pampered Princess was third for most of the mile before taking the lead from Possess The Magic in the stretch and winning by a length in 1:56.3.

Possess The Magic was second, followed by Falls For You, Sheer Soul and Constance Hall – all of whom advanced to the October 28 Breeders Crown final.

“I was just waiting to see how it unfolded,” Campbell said. “I was content to lay third; I was close enough to leaders and the fractions weren’t that slow. I had confidence once I moved her. My filly has shown a real good brush all along and I had confidence she could do it again tonight.”

Pampered Princess has won all nine of her starts, including the Oakville. She is owned by Bob Anderson and David Anderson, both of Ontario.

In the other elim, Jack Moiseyev guided 18-1 longshot Adelaide Hall to the lead on the first turn and was followed by Celebrity Speedie the entire mile, which was timed in 1:57.4.

It was the first win of the year in eight starts for Adelaide Hall, who is trained by Anette Lorentzon and owned by ACL Stuteri Inc. of Kentucky. Matriarch was third, followed by Wishful Me and CC’s Casey’s Dream.

The connections of elimination winners Pampered Princess and Adelaide Hall got to pick post positions for the final based on their horses’ victories.

Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers Set to Vie
With just ten sophomore pacing fillies entered in the $500,000 Breeders Crown, no eliminations were required and the post positions were drawn for the Oct. 28 final at Woodbine Racetrack. Defending Breeders Crown champion My Little Dragon will start from post five and arch-rival Darlin’s Delight drew inside her with post three.

Both fillies qualified Friday morning, with Darlin’s Delight notching a three-quarters of a length victory over My Little Dragon in 1:53.2. Others in the qualifier entered in the Crown final were Grandiose Gal, Western Gallie and Eternity’s Delight.

My Little Dragon’s last pari-mutuel win was a crisp 1:51 mile in the Tattersalls at Lexington’s Red Mile. Three of the fillies entered in the final are the offspring of mares who also won a Breeders Crown. The dam of Darlin's Delight, Town Pro was the first distaff pacer to win double Crowns, capturing her two and three year-old divisions in 1989 and 1990 for trainer Stew Firlotte and driver Doug Brown.

Jugette heat winner Western Gallie is a daughter of 1998 Crown champion Galleria. She and stable mate Eternity’s Delight (who won the Jugette final) start side by side from post eight and seven respectively for trainer Travis Alexander.