Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

2004 Breeders Crown: Facts & Information
Updated July 31, 2004

Odds On Racing conditioner Robin Schadt is the ONLY female trainer in (Odds On Charmaine) Linda Toscano and Molly Can Do It won the 2002 Mare Pace Crown-the only female trainer to do so in the Crown.

38 entered, Trond Smedshammer with four, the most of any trainer.

Most represented sires-3 each-Muscles Yankee, Malabar Man and Western Hanover (Note-10 DIFFERENT sires in the Open Pace)

It's been 45 months since Legendary Lover K raced in the USA (October 2000)

Eternal Camnation is looking for her 4th Crown-to tie Peace Corps-and her 4th Older Pacing Mare title-that would BREAK a tie with Shady Daisy (1992-1993-1994)

13 of the 38 competitors are millionaires. The composite earnings of the Mare Crown race is the most: $12,484,885

Most starts 2004? 21-Camcracker. Fewest Starts 2004? 1 Bebop

Burning Point is the ONLY returning 3 YO Breeders Crown champ back for more.

Most Career $$-Trotter-Fools Goal-$2,877,980 Pacer? Eternal Camnation $3,593,498.

Least Career $$ Trotter-Bebop $108,285 Pacer? Odds On Charmaine $213,797.

Stand Strong is a brother to the last filly to win the Hambletonian-Continentalvictory.

Windylane Hanover debuts against the boys this year-the last 7 Trotting Mares who were named Horse Of The Year ALL beat the boys at some point of their award winning seasons.

Eternal Camnation was runnerup in 2003 in both Pacer Of The Year and Horse Of The Year to No Pan Intended.

Fools Goal is the only one of four who got votes in 2003 as Older Trotter of the year who is in this years final.

Noel Daley, trainer of Animated Art:
"She has benefitted from the addition of lasix, but she has had only one run so far when she was bad-the first start back.She didn't get a chance in her second start, and Mike Lachance told me after the race that if he knew she was that good, he would have put her in the race (June 18-Lady Liberty-9th). She just needed some starts. She's gotten good at the right time. It's a very wide open race-any one of eight mares I feel can win this."

Ron Pierce, driving Windylane Hanover:
Windylane Hanover-"I have to find a way to work her into the race. There seems to be enough speed in here where she can get into good position. If she can, she'll be right there.
Boulder Creek-"The better ones drew inside of me which doesn't make it any easier. he can get off the gate in a hurry though."

Ron Pierce, driving Burning Point: "I left with her and was sitting a two hole last week. Then when Loyal Oppostion cleared to the front at the half, I was sitting third and wound up getting jammed in pretty bad. She finished well, and she's fine coming into this race."

Ron Pierce, driving Armbro Affair: "She's a nice filly for Bob McIntosh. I qualified her and she went well. I don't know if she can step with Stroke Play, but she has some go."

8-8-9-8-10-9 What is that?? The last 6 post positions-in order-for Eternal Camnation.
Eternal Camnation-at $208,060 for the year-less than 300 g from yet another 500G season. Curently-ONLY she and Moni Maker have had five CONSECUTIVE Half Million $$ seasons. She can stand alone if she does it this year.

All of the following apply to Four Starzzz Shark, the overwhelming favorite in the Breeders Crown Pace and the #1 horse so far this year in anyone's Horse Of The Year balloting.

1) NO 6 Year Old Pacer has been named Horse Of The Year in 52 YEARS!! 1952 Good Time.

2) He will surpass Nihilator-$1,777,481-on the all-time Meadowlands PACING list with a win in this Breeders Crown final. Four Starzzz Shark moves to $1,834,976-Remember-Meadowlands ONLY.

3) Mike Lachance has won 4 of the last 6 BIGGEST $$ Races held at the Meadowlands-especially significant because he was NOT in one of them.
2003 Haughton-$650,000 McArdle WINNER
2003 Meadowlands Pace-All American Theory-$1,000,000 WINNER
2003 Hambletonian-$1,000,000 Amigo Hall WINNER
2003 Filly Breeders Crown-$670,000 6th with Animated Art (Winner Burning Point)
2004-Haughton $700,000 Four Starzzz Shark WINNER
2004-Meadowlands Pace $1,000,000 NOT IN IT (Winner-Holborn Hanover)

4) These are the 6 richest horses-Meadowlands ONLY-starting the Saturday Breeders Crown card:
1) Magician-$1,864,100
2) Fools Goal-$1,828,115
3) Nihilator-$1,777,481
4) Red Bow Tie $1,569,645
5) Four Starzzz Shark $1,558,726
6) Moni Maker-$1,481,200

5) Four Starzzz Shark is from the third crop of Cams Card Shark, the 1994 HOY-and he set a single season earnings record that year at $2,264,714.

6) Four Starzzz Shark is currently tied with Goliath Bayama as the ONLY two horses with three straight sub 1:49 winning race miles. He can stand alone with a sub 1:49 Breeders Crown mile.

7) Mike Lachance currently owns the fastest ever Breeders Crown mile at 1:48, set in this very Crown event in 2000.

8) Here are the Meadowlands-ONLY-year by year $$$$-for Four Starzzz Shark
2 YO-2000-$800
3 YO-2001-$222,375
4 YO-2002-$401,625
5 YO-2003-$273,925
6 YO-2004-$660,000

9) Four Starzzz Shark is the ONLY horse to ever win the Haughton final-TWICE!! (2002, 2004).

10) Sire Cams Card Shark has two other double-million $$ winning sons-Bettors Delight ($2,581,461) and Royalflush Hanover ($2,153,893). He also sired the very tough Riverboat King-$1,234,576.

11) Four Starzzz Shark is the ONLY pacer in history with FOUR sub 1:49 race miles career-He just broke the tie at 3 with Goliath Bayama, Real Desire and Jennas Beach Boy.

12) Four Starzzz Shark started the year as #44 on the all-time pacing list in earnings-with a win in the Breeders Crown, he'll move to #9.

13) A win in the Breeders Crown vaults him past such notables on the all-time money list as:
Western Hanover-$2,541,647
Beach Towel-$2,570,357
Bettors Delight-$2,581,461-making him the richest son of Cams Card Shark)
Red Bow Tie-$2,673,920
Art Major-$2,727,224
Riyadh-$2,763,527

Four Starzzz Sharks' new career money total-with a Crown win-will be $2,788,517.
(NOTE: Next up on the $$ list??? On The Road Again-$2,819,102)

14) A win in the Breeders Crown will make Four Starzzz Shark the 8th pacer to record a million $$ season AFTER AGE THREE:
1) Western Ideal-$1,220,000-2000
2) Staying Together-$1,169,155-1993
3) Cam Fella -$1,144,056 -1983
4) Matts Scooter-$1,140,194-1989
5) Gallo Blue Chip-$1,123,940-2001
6) Art Major-$1,082,930-2003
7) On The Road Again-$1,082,046
$1,043,195 is the new total for 2004-complete-for Four Starzzz Shark with a Breeders Crown win.

15) NINE miles in harness racing history have gone in 1:48 or faster-Four Starzzz Shark has a chance to make that TEN:
1) 1:47.3 Jennas Beach Boy 6/22/96 (Haughton final)
2) 1:47.4 Space Shuttle 2000 (U.S. Pacing Championship-over Western Ideal)
3) 1:47.4 Ultimate Falcon April, 1998 Colonial Ross Croghan drove (Colonial)
4) 1:47.4 Four Starzzz Shark July 3, 2004 Haughton elim. Mike Lachance drove
5) 1:48 flat Color Me Best-1999 Medowlands Mike Lachance drove
6) 1:48 flat Western Ideal 2000 Breeders Crown Mike Lachance drove
7) 1:48 flat P B Bullville 9/30/2000 Fastest 3 Year old in history John Campbell drove (Lexington-only 2 of the 9 on this list did NOT take place at the Meadowlands)
8) 1:48 flat Life Source July 3, 2004 Cat Manzi drove-Record for a 7 YEAR OLD
9) 1:48 flat Eaton Road Kill July 3, 2004 Dan Dube drove
Note-Mike Lachance is the ONLY driver to handle more than one 1:48 winner-he has THREE-Western Ideal-Color Me Best and Four Starzzz Shark.

Fools Goal-with his third win in a row-IF he wins the $800,000 Breeders Crown Trot-it'll be the first time in 14 YEARS a horse has won three straight Crowns-1988-1989-1990-Peace Corps. Mack Lobell id dit in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Currently he is second on the all-time $$ list at the Meadowlands ONLY entering the Breeders Crown day at the Meadowlands July 31, 2004:
1) Magician $1,864,100
2) Fools Goal-$1,828,115

Any of the top 4 checks vault him into the #1 spot past Magician as the #1 earner in the history of the Meadowlands.

Note-If Fools Goal finishes as low as 4th, he goes to $1,894,115-and if Four Starzzz Shark wins-he goes to $1,834,976-here. So-for the time being anyway, Fools Goal will be the winningest horse to ever compete at the Meadowlands.

Here's a look at Fools Goal-YEAR BY YEAR-at the Meadowlands ONLY:
1997-2YO DID NOT RACE HERE
1998-3YO-$124,390
1999-4YO-$16,000
2000-5YO-$60,500
2001-6YO-$402,500
2002-7YO-$912,125
2003-8YO-$118,400
2004-9YO-$194,200

Four Starzzz Shark-History Heading His Way
If Four Starzzz Shark wins the 2004 Older Pace Breeders Crown, he'll become the 8th pacer to surpass $1 million AFTER age 3. And the FIRST six-year-old to ever do it.

Here are the previous seven:
1) $1,220,000 Western Ideal-2000
2) $1,169,155 Staying Together-1993
3) $1,144,056 Cam Fella-1983
4) $1,140,194 Matts Scooter-1989
5) $1,123,940 Gallo Blue Chip-2001
6) $1,082,930 Art Major-2003
7) $1,054,046 On The Road Again-1985

NOTE: Three of the seven were voted Horse of the Year, in 1983, 1989 and 1993. It's been 52 YEARS since a six-year-old pacer has been named Horse of The Year; that was in 1952 when Good Time won that honor with 33 starts and a 23-4-2 record.

Here's What They Say...
Yannick Gingras, driving Quality Western in the Breeders Crown. Note-Yannicks $2.2 million Meadowlands season is an all-time best for any driver prior to his 25th birthday.

"He's a big strong horse and only had 4 starts. Blair Burgess-when he sends you a horse to drive-they are ready to go. That's what I was told by the other horsemen and it is true. Brittany is going to be giving me some horses to drive at Lexington when I go there after the meet. I was kind of nervous going into the Meadowlands Pace (w/Timesareachanging-2nd) and I think I made some of the people around me nervous. But I feel better now-more comfortable now. More relaxed."

Notes from the Eliminations:
Elegant Man, driven by Cat Manzi, split horses in the stretch and rallied for a neck victory over Stand Strong in the second race, the $50,000 Breeders Crown Trot elimination on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Elegant Man and the other top-six finishers join four whose earnings guaranteed them byes - the lone mare, Windylane Hanover; two-time Breeders Crown winner Fool's Goal; Cosington, Lotteria winner Legendary Lover K - in the $800,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot, one of a quartet of Breeders Crown Finals on July 31 at the Meadowlands.

Advancing from the elimination race were Elegant Man, Stand Strong, HP Paque, War Paint, Center Field and Bebop. HP Paque [$2.60], coupled with Center Field and Bebop, was third
by a length and a quarter.

"I was last where I expected to be," said winning driver Cat Manzi. "His best races are when he's used late. I was still last in the final turn. I knew I had to finish in the top six, and I didn't want to take him wide. I took a short cut and everything opened up, and he showed a lot of trot."

Elegant Man trotted the mile in a lifetime best of 1:53.2, improving his record to two wins, two seconds and two thirds in eight starts this year for the Mindee B LLC Stables of New York, New York and Alistair Stables of Morganville, New Jersey. He carries a career bankroll of $388,649.
"This was a horse they thought would be nice last year, but he had some problems," Manzi noted. "They gave him to [trainer] Trond Smedshammer, and he took him to a new level. Then they gave him to Bob Bencal [his current trainer], and he took him to another new level."

As the winner of the elimination, Elegant Man will have the choice of post position for the final when the draw is conducted on Tuesday afternoon.

"If they know what they're doing, they'll leave the choice to me," said Manzi, who indicated that they would look for a post no further outside than four.

A pair of $50,000 elimination races determined the field of 10 for the $552,500 Breeders Crown Open Pace. In the first division, the third race, 1-5 Four Starzzz Shark drew off to a two-length victory in 1:48.2, recording his ninth win in 10 starts this year. The winner of both the Graduate and Haughton Finals and the world record holder for older pacers with a time of 1:47.4 extended his winning streak to seven.

Quality Western finished second and Peruvian Hanover got up for third by five and a quarter lengths. There was no show wagering. Rounding out the top five were Boulder Creek and Camcracker.

"It was no different than usual," said Mike Lachance, the driver of Four Starzzz Shark. "He was sensational as usual. The way it is right now, there is always someone ready to take a shot at you. It [post] always means something. The less I have to use him the better he is. He's strong and has his confidence. We always need luck on our side, including the post position."

Trained by Dave Sabatelli, the six-year-old son of Cam's Card Shark has a career bankroll of more than $2.5 million. He finished third in last year's Breeders Crown Open Pace Final.

Royal Mattjesty, driven by John Campbell, followed Mini Me into the stretch and paced a final quarter in 26.3 to win the second division in 1:49.3. It was three-quarters of a length back to Dr Drew in second and a length and a half to Artesian in third. Also advancing to the final will be Mini Me [fourth] and Allamerican Captor [fifth].

"He sat second and got out at the top of the stretch," said Campbell. "He's going to have to get a good trip [in the final]. Four Starzzz Shark is the best horse going in."

Trained by New Zealander Michael Langdon, Royal Mattjesty races for the Perretti Racing Stable of Cream Ridge, New Jersey and John Rizzo of River Edge, New Jersey. The five-year-old son of Matt's Scooter has five wins, three seconds and four thirds from 18 starts this year and has earned more than $300,000 toward a career total of nearly $1.1 million.

In addition to Four Starzzz Shark, Royal Mattjesty [seventh in 2003] and Mini Me [fifth] will be making repeat appearances in the Breeders Crown Open Pace Final. Eaton Road Kill, supplemented to the Breeders Crown for $62,500, finished sixth and did not qualify for the final.

There were no elimination races needed for the Mares Trot or the Mares Pace. The seven entrants in the $250,000 Mares Open Trot will be Armbro Affair, Delmartha, Gypsy Balance, Lost Lady One, Scully FBI, Stroke Play and Sunday Yankee.

The $300,000 Open Mares Pace will have 11 finalists: Always Cam, Animated Art, Bunny Lake, Burning Point, Carolina Sunshine, Eternal Camnation, Jasper Avenue, Loyal Opposition, My Fantasy, Odds On Charmaine and Sure Sign.

And Speaking of the Girls....
Three-time Breeders Crown champion Eternal Camnation headlines a field of 11 pacing mares entered in the $300,000 Mare Pace, to be raced Saturday, July 31, at The Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ. The field of elite mares has won $12,440,636 and made 257 trips the winner circle over the course of their careers, resulting in multiple divisional honors and one Horse of the Year title.

Headliner Eternal Camnation, the richest pacing mare of all time with $3,593,458 in earnings, is seeking a record fourth Crown win. The seven-year-old daughter from the last crop of Cam Fella is the oldest in the field but remains at the top of her game, recently winning the Classic final for the second straight year. Only trotting mare Peace Corps has won four crown titles.

"I sure hope it happens," said Eternal Camnation trainer and co-owner Jeff Miller about a fourth Crown. "The draw is important even though there is a lot of speed in the race. You have to have position. There are about five mares in this race who can win it -- look at Sure Sign and the kind of form she has been showing. Or Loyal Opposition. It will depend on who ends up with the trip, who has position in the stretch and who doesn't get brutalized early in the mile."

Archrival Bunny Lake, whose Breeders Crown win in 2001 propelled her to Horse of the Year honors has tabulated more than $2.5 million for owners Skip and Wendy Spring and John Stark.

Also entered is defending sophomore Crown champ Burning Point, a 2003 Dan Patch winner; Sure Sign, winner of her last two starts; Carolina Sunshine and Loyal Opposition, who share the fastest speed record in the field of 1:48.4.

Ten of the mares entered in the Crown final will compete in a prep race on Saturday, July 24 at the Meadowlands. Always Cam will race at her home track of the Meadows in a preferred handicap prior to shipping east for the Crown.

This is the 18th year edition of the Breeders Crown Mare Pace, a race that plays an important part in divisional voting. Twelve of the Mare Pace champions have gone on to be voted best of their division at year's end.

The complete field, in alphabetical order is listed below. $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace

Mare--Driver Named For Crown final--Trainer
Always Cam --TBA --Bill Zendt
Animated Art --Mike Lachance--Noel Daley
Bunny Lake --John Campbell--John Stark
Burning Point--Ron Pierce--Steve Elliott
Carolina Sunshine--Brian Sears--Ross Croghan
Eternal Camnation--Eric Ledford--Jeff Miller
Jasper Avenue-- Dave Miller--Nat Varty
Loyal Opposition--George Brennan--Erv Miller
My Fantasy--John Campbell--Mark Silva
Odds On Charmaine--Tim Tetrick--Robin Schadt
Sure Sign--Yannick Gingras--Chuck Connors Jr.

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