Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Breeders Crown Notes & News

By Bob "Hollywood" Heyden

For Wednesday, November 23, 2005

If Vivid Photo Wins The Breeders Crown
It'll mark the first time in 20 years and only the second time in history that a 3 YO trotter and a 3 YO pacer-in the SAME year-will each earn over $1.5 million. 1985-Nihilator-$1,864,286 and Prakas $1,610,608 2005-Rocknroll Hanover $1.9 million plus and Vivid Photo $1.3 million and .....??????? Also-If Vivid Photo pulls off the win, he'll go from the 10th single best individual trotting season to the 4th best ever.

Anyone Seen The TOP GUNS?
Bob McIntosh and Chuck Sylvester sent out only six combined starters in the weekend eliminations for the Breeders Crowns. They have formed the most potent duo in Crown history: Combined: 26 wins, $9,615,182 on 151 starters

Three Times A Lady
Eric Ledford has won three Breeders Crowns, all three with Eternal Camnation
(1999, 2001, 2003)

Roger Hammer is not new to the Breeders Crown
In 1993, he competed TWICE in it, once as the 4-5 favorite! 1993- 2 YO Pacing Colts-90 cents on the dollar-8th with Keystone Luther. Expensive Scooter was the winner-and a horse by the name of Cams Card Shark was third. 1993- 3 YO Trotters-25-1 with Keystone Corky 4th. There was some pretty fancy company in there-Pine Chip won and Hambo winner American Winner was third. (SO-He was beaten by a Hambo winner and a runnerup-now he tries to beat THEM with a Hambo winner)

A GRAND LADY
How about that Grand Lady? Broodmare Grand Lady has got a son AND a daughter into the Breeders Crown finals November 26. West End (3YOF) was a fast closing second to Chotat Milk and Perfect Union (2 YOC) made it into the freshman colt final. This comes AFTER their sister Glowing Report won the Jugette in 2004 and became the 7th daughter of Artsplace to hit $1 million-of which she had two fourth place Breeders Crown finishes along the way, and AFTER their older sister Must See won the Shes A Great Lady!!!!! Or Is that the She's a GRAND LADY!!!

History Making Race This Saturday?
For the first time ever-Saturday night, November 26-we may have ALL SIX members of the $100 win club in the same race-with $100 million ALREADY on their bio: Campbell-Lachance-Manzi-Ouellette-Moiseyev and Pierce.

Steve Condren Deja Vu?
Steve Condrens' Pure Ivory is the one to beat in the 2 Year old Trotting Filly final. BUT-did you know Steve was the man who developed Peaceful Way early on for trainer David Tingley? "When she got down to 2:01, I told him to stake to her everything. She wasn't the easiest to get along with, but she had a world of ablility."

Odd But True
The leading sire in all of North America Camluck ($11.3 million), is NOT represented in this years Breeders Crown for 2 & 3 Year olds!!

Three-Peating....
Trond Smedshammer is in the midst of another strong season. In the past few seasons he has: Won the THREE Triple Crown events in 2004 with Windsongs Legacy
Won two of the THREE Triple Crown events this year, NO OTHER trotting trainer in history has won 5 of the 6 Triple Crown events in back to back years!!
Won THREE divisional titles in 2004-Housethatruthbuilt, Stroke Play and Windsongs Legacy
THREE straight years has gotten money in the Hambletonian-Power To Charm-5th-2003, Windsongs Legacy winner-2004, Strong Yankee-4th 2005.
THREE Horses Of The Month in 2004 with THREE different trotters-unprecedented. June Stroke Play, August Windsongs Legacy and October Housethatruthbuilt.
And last and far from least-he is the ONLY trainer-ever-to win THREE trotting events in the same year worth 800g or more-2004!

Casies' Crowning Moment?
25 Year Old Casie Coleman looks to add her name to the ladies of Breeders Crown distinction:
1) Linda Toscano-2002 MOLLY CAN DO IT did it!! Got Linda to the winners circle as the first ever female trainer in Breeders Crown history
2) Linda Wallis-2003-The second' 'Linda' did it too. Linda Wallis and Burning Point sealed divisonal honors.
3) TEN COMBINED wins in the Breeders Crown between these three ladies of distinction: Peace Corps, Grades Singing and Eternal Camnation

The Top Seven Drivers-$$-In 2005 (ALL IN ACTION CROWN NIGHT)
1) Brian Sears $13.4 million BEST individual season (2nd best ever)
2) Ron Pierce $12.1 million Second straight $12 million year, unprecedented.
3) Dave Miller $9.8 million-poised to top $10 million on Breeders Crown night, the 4th time he will have accomplished this-(2nd all time)
4) Cat Manzi $7.9 million-BEST individual season EVER
5) George Brennan $7.0 million Best season ever was in 1998-$7,556,984
6) Mark MacDonald $6.3 million Best individual season
7) Paul MacDonnell-Best season ever, highest finish ever, first Million $ win ever-Jeremes Jet in the Metro.

Million Dollar Gaps
The following are the three biggest year end gaps involving division winners and Horses Of The Year. It is pertinent because the biggest gap of them all may be this year, between the top two pacing colts in the sport.
2005: Rocknroll Hanover $1,945,507 American Ideal $747,579 GAP-$1,197,928 (The top TWO money winning sophomore colts of 2005)
2000: Gallo Blue Chip $2,428,876 led the way-but he was over $1 MILLION better than the NEXT richest horse-$1,361,421 for Hambletonian winner Yankee Paco. GAP-$1,067,395
1988: Matts Scooter $1,783,558 led all horses, but the Horse Of The Year for the second straight season was Mack Lobell at $769,378. GAP-$1,014,180.

Penny Wise-Dollar Foolish?
If Courtney Hall upsets in the 3 YO filly Breeders Crown Trot, it'll set up an interesting scenario. It'll mean the CHEAPEST ever yearling and the MOST EXPENSIVE ever yearling to capture a Breeders Crown race will have happened in the SAME SEASON!
$2,000 Mr Muscleman-$500,000 Courtney Hall. She-Courtney Hall-is THE most expensive yearling of the new millennium. ONLY ONCE has the single highest yearling for ANY year won a Breeders Crown prior. 1992-Winkys Goal did it, and she went for $210,000 the year before. Winkys Goal is also the ONLY highest ticket yearling-EVER-to earn more than $1 million-$1,063,936.