Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

22nd Year, 22 Numbers-The Breeders Crown 2005

By Bob "Hollywood" Heyden

November 22, 2005

1- ONE-FIRST ever Breeders Crown drive for Paul MacDonnell resulted in a $140.60 payout-1990-Pompano Park-Bays Fella. That record price still stands. ONE-FIRST ever Meadowlands win for Strong Yankee in the elimination-his new composite record at the Meadowlands: 8 1-2-1 (4th in the Hambletonian).

ONE-FIRST driver in 13 years to win a Breeders Crown AND lead North America in dash wins the same year? Cat Manzi will try and do what Jack Moiseyev did last in 1992-Expensive Scooter. FIRST-Loyal Opposition earlier this year, while winning her very FIRST Breeders Crown, became the first ever Crown winner to ALREADY have two division titles! (At 2 & 4)

ONCE-Just ONCE, has the top priced yearling of a particular year won a Breeders Crown. 1991-$210,000 for Winkys Goal, 1992 Breeders Crown winner. (Courtney Hall will try to be the second-and the richest-Cantab Hall currently holds that mark at $310,000)

ONCE-Just ONCE, has a horse won both the Breeders Crown and the Triple Crown in the same year-2003-No Pan Intended. ONE-As in Number ONE-sire in North America-Camluck-He has over $11.3 million-yet-get this-he is NOT represented by ANY 2 or 3 YO in the finals! ONE-ONLY ONE time-1999-was there a year where a Breeders Crown event was NOT won by either John Campbell or Mike Lachance. 1999. So far in 2004, neither won any of the older Crowns.

2- TWO-TWICE in the same year a 3 YO trotting colt and a 3 YO pacing colt EACH won over $1.5 million-1985-Prakas and Nihilator. If Vivid Photo wins the Breeders Crown, it'll be the SECOND time ever-and first time in two full decades-that this has happened in the SAME year (Rocknroll Hanover $1.9 million, Vivid Photo $1.3 million going into their finals).

TWO-Meadowlands wins for Restive Hanover-Think she has good timing? Her first was the 2004 Breeders Crown final, now her 2005 elimination. The other TWO fillies who have won BOTH at 2 & 3 in the Pacing Filly Breeders Crown? 1990-Miss Easy, 1992-Immortality TWO-$2,000 yearling tag for Mr Muscleman the cheapest ever for any Breeders Crown winner. IF Courtney Hall upsets in the Sophomore Filly Trot, that will be the HIGHEST ever yearling to win a Breeders Crown event-$500,000-and it will be in the SAME YEAR with the lowest!

TWO-Steve Condren was the SECOND leading driver in the 1996 Breeders Crown series. TWO-Sisters-FULL sisters, won the Breeders Crown the past three years in the TWO Year Old Filly Trot-Pick Me Up (2002) and Flirtin Miss (2004)

TWO-IF Jeremes Jet wins the Breeders Crown, that will be only the SECOND time-EVER-that a TWO Year old pacing colt has won the Governors Cup, the Metro AND the Breeders Crown. Artsplace did it in 1990. Ironically, Jeremes Jet will have to defeat a couple of SONS of Artsplace to do so-Faust Blue Chip and Artstanding. TWO-The last TWO Horses Of The Year were BOTH bred and raised at Winbak Farms by Joe Thompson-2003-No Pan Intended and 2004-Rainbow Blue. If Vivid Photo wins the Breeders Crown and the 2005 HOY title, it'll be three straight.

3- THREE-Restive Hanover is looking for her THIRD Meadowlands win, both in either the Crown or the Crown elimination, and don't forget that post THREE won four or the eight Breeders Crowns for 2 & 3 Year olds at the Meadowlands in 2003, the ONLY time that EVERY 2 & 3 YO Breeders Crown race in a single season was held in East Rutherford. THREE-The top THREE $$-winning sophomore pacers of 2005 are ALL Western Ideals-Rocknroll Hanover, Cabrini Hanover and American Ideal.

THREE-Muscles Yankee is the first trotting sire since HIS sire-Valley Victory-to have a million $ winner in EACH of his first three crops-Mr Muscleman, Housethatruthbuilt and now Strong Yankee. Mr Muscleman has also sired a Breeders Crown winner in 2003, 2004 and 2005-THREE straight years-the last trotting sire to do THAT was Balanced Image in 1993-1994-1995 (Earl-Imageofaclearday and Armbro Officer)

THREE-Ron Pierce needs one win Saturday night to have THREE straight years of double digit Breeders Crown wins.

4- FOUR-IF Strong Yankee wins the Breeders Crown, it'll mark the very first time in harness racing history that there'll be FOUR single season million-$-earning TROTTERS in the SAME season-Vivid Photo, Classic Photo and Mr Muscleman have already done it.

FOUR-FOUR-that is correct-FOUR-is the grand total of Breeders Crown wins for the 5 drivers who have 10,000 or more career victories. Combined, they are over 57,800 wins-Herve Filion-Cat Manzi-Dave Palone-Walter Case and Dave Magee. Caressable and Grades Singing (Herve), Winkys Goal (Manzi) and Anniecrombie (Magee) are the ONLY FOUR that this illustrious group has gotten home in the Crown. Plus-all FOUR winners are FEMALE!!! NONE in the last 13 years! Cat Manzi and Dave Palone-if either wins a Breeders Crown Saturday night, it'll be the first time a driver with 10,000 wins ALREADY on his bio has captured a Breeders Crown.

FOUR-Wins each for Pierce and Sears last year-NO other time have two drivers each won FOUR Breeders Crowns in the SAME year until 2004.

5- FIVE-The top FIVE drivers in earnings in 2005-for the second straight year (SAME Five guys)-NONE are Canadian born. Think this is odd? It is. Prior to 2004, this had not happened at all-NOT even once-since 1975-the year BEFORE the Meadowlands opened for business. FIVE-Triple Crown wins for Trond Smedshammer in 2004/2005. Three with Windsongs Legacy in 2004 and the Yonkers Trot and three heat world record Kentucky Futurity for Strong Yankee in 2005. NO OTHER trainer has ever done this-win 5 of 6 Trotting Triple Crown races in consecutive years-ever! The only trainer who did it with a PACER was Stanley Dancer-win 5 of 6 in back to back years. He won the 1970 Triple Crown with Most Happy Fella, and then two of three (Cane-Messenger) the following season with Albatross.

FIVE-If Jeremes Jet or Western Cyclone wins the Breeders Crown, it'll give sire Western Hanover his FIFTH win in the 2 YO Breeders Crown Colt Pace-no other sire has more than 2. Western Hanover is already the leading Breeders Crown winning sire of the new millennium with FIVE winners.

FIVE-In the first FIVE years he competed in the Breeders Crown, Paul MacDonnell won a Crown in four of those years. (Bays Fella-1990-Billyjojimbob-1992-Lifetime Dream-1993, Village Jiffy-1994)

6- SIX-There have been SIX million $ PACING events in the sport of harness racing in the past two seasons. ALL SIX have been won by Hanover Shoe Farm stallions, and five times in those SIX events, Hanover Shoe Farms sired the 1-2 finishers. In five of those SIX-Western Hanover had a direct hand in the outcome. Twice he sired the winner-Mantacular and Jeremes Jet- and three other times his son Western Ideal did-Rocknroll Hanover. The other one? Cams Card Shark-2004 Pace-Holborn Hanover.

SIX-Different trainers have led in the year end Breeders Crown $$-standings the past SIX seasons: 1999-Gary Machiz; 2000-Joe Anderson; 2001-Bob McIntosh; 2002-Jimmy Takter; 2003-Brett Pelling and 2004-Trond Smedshammer SIX-6 for 6-that is the mind-boggling record of sire Credit Winner (Sire of Chocolatier) in the SIX NYSS finals he's been in so far in his brief siring career. (2-2 in 2004 with freshman, a sweep in 2005 with both 2 & 3 YOs) SIX-times a trainer has won two Crowns in the same year and NOT led in Crown earnings for that season-Holloway, McIntosh, Nickells, Gurfein, Pelling and Takter.

SIX-Crown wins for Brian Sears in 2003-2005-he's already won with Boulder Creek this year. If he wins one Crown on November 26, he goes to 7, and no driver has won 7 Crowns his first three years of competition. John Campbell is the only one with SIX-doing so in 1984-1986. SIX-Straight years-Western Hanover is the ONLY SIRE in Breeders Crown history to sire a winner in SIX straight years (1997-2002)

SIX-Experimental horses for 2005 will appear on Crown night: #1 Village Jolt #2 Rocknroll Hanover #5 Leading Xample #13 Cabrini Hanover #15 Restive Hanover #24 Just Wait Kate

7- SEVEN-The top 7 Breeders Crown drivers of all time are ALL former Meadowlands leading drivers. SEVEN-it's been SEVEN years since Jack Moiseyev's last $5 million season-he is likely to eclipse that Saturday night for the first time since 1998. In that season-SEVEN years ago-he wound up a streak of eight STRAIGHT $5 million years beginning in 1991.

SEVEN-Years since Muscles Yankee won the Breeders Crown at Colonial, and 7 years to the day (November 21-1998) that C R Commando did the same. It should be noted that there were three important pieces of history-all in the 2 YO Colt Trot that year. 1:53.2-all-time standard that still stands for a freshman trotter-C R Commando 1:54.4-that was the winning elimination time for Angus Hall, who quietly became the very FIRST sub 1:55 winning trotter-EVER! In the following season of 1999-he would become historys first ever sub 1:55 winner at BOTH 2 & 3. (THEN-he would sire Peaceful Way) Self Possessed was also in that 1:53.2 C R Commando final. The following year of 1999 he would trot the fastest race mile EVER 1:51.3-and did it in the Hambletonian. It still is the fastest of the 80 Hambletonians ever contested.(THEN-Self Possessed would become the first sire-EVER-to have Three DIFFERENT Breeders Crown winners in his first TWO crops!!)

SEVEN-Who is the ONLY driver to have SEVEN second place finishes on one Meadowlands card? Brian Sears did it this year on HAMBO DAY! He still banked 762g for the day, a touch more than Roger Hammer did at 750g.(NOTE-Four of the seven second place finishes by Sears by a half length or less-including a one inch loss with Blur to Jalopy in the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks)

8- EIGHT-Times a drivers' had a $1 million year in JUST the Breeders Crown. Two of them did it in one NIGHT-John Campbell the last in 2001, and Trevor Ritchie in 2000-it should be noted that four drivers in history have had a Million $ DAY-Del Insko (1980), Bill O'Donnell (1984). Brian Sears at 972g last year on Crown Night in Canada-just missed. He had the misfortune of TWO scratches last year-one of them Rocknroll Hanover in the 2 YO Breeders Crown final-or he likely would have added his name to this list.

EIGHT-Starters in the Breeders Crown finals last year for Brett Pelling-the second straight year he led in that category (2003-6 starters)

9- NINE-Crown wins for Brett Pelling in the past NINE years, more than any other trainer in that time. NINE is also the amount of years since Brett Pelling-on August 10-1996-became the LAST trainer to have a MILLION $$ DAY!! He won the Adios in the afternoon with Electric Yankee, and the Mistletoe Shalee that night with Mystical Maddy and the Wilson with Jeremys Gambit. Brett is the ONLY trainer ever to have a Million Dollar $ WITHOUT winning a Million $ Race!!

NINE-Career starts for Merles Pearl (2 YOFT)-she finished third in her Meadowlands debut and lost for the very first time. 63 year old Jacques Hebert looks to do 59 year old Roger Hammer one better in capturing his first Breeders Crown on November 26. NINE-starts lifetime for Chocolatier-7 wins-as Team Ackerman searches for their initial Crown score.

10- TEN-Combined Breeders Crown wins last year for North Americas top three $$-winning drivers (4-Pierce, 4-Sears-2-Miller) TEN-Post 10-Last year, post 10 won TWICE in the Breeders Crown for 2 & 3 YOs. AND-get this!-They were the two BIGGEST margins of ANY Crown race all year!-Restive Hanover 3 3/4 lengths, Western Terror 4 and 1/2 lengths. TEN-Of the last 16 BC races contested have gone the way of Brian Sears/Ron Pierce (5 each) TEN-Million-Dave Miller on Saturday night will reach $10 million for the 4th time in 5 years (2001-2003)

11- ELEVEN-Different drivers won a Breeders Crown event in 1995-the ONLY year there was not any repeat winning driver. ELEVEN-Yearlings-sold for UNDER $10,000-have won a Breeders Crown event. ELEVEN-Years ago-Cams Card Shark did not participate in the Breeders Crown, but was still Horse of The year. The only three horses to be named HOY and NOT race in the Breeders Crown the same year are Cams Card Shark 1994, Continentalvictory-1996 and Precious Bunny-1991. ALL others named HOY raced in and won the Breeders Crown the same season.

12- TWELVE-Ron Pierce-on Breeders Crown elimination weekend, became the FIRST driver to ever have TWO $12 million seasons, and he has done it back to back. TWELVE-times Cam Fella sired a winners of a Breeders Crown event. He is the ONLY SIRE EVER to have four MULTIPLE Breeders Crown winners!! Eternal Camnation (3), Camtastic (2), Village Jiffy (2) and Armbro Operative (92) . You think Cam Fella had longevity ON the track? How about OFF the track? He had a DOUBLE millionaire from his very FIRST crop-Camtastic (1987-1988)-and a TRIPLE millionaire from his LAST crop-Eternal Camnation! (1999-2001-2003) TWELVE-Years since the leading dash-winning driver in all of North America has won a Breeders Crown event in the SAME season-1993-Jack Moiseyev-Expensive Scooter.

13- THIRTEEN-Time John Campbell has led at years end in the Breeders Crown earnings department.

14- FOURTEEN-STRAIGHT-as in consecutive 500 win seasons for Dave Palone!! Not impressed by that? The SECOND longest streak in history is 6-by Tony Morgan!! FOURTEEN-Brittany Farms and American Ideal can add to their all-time Breeders Crown best total for wins by any owner. Their next win is their 14th, and they are the ONLY ownership in double digits in Crown scores. FOURTEEN-Breeders Crown wins sired by Speedy Crown-the last being Moni Maker. That is the all-time best.

15- FIFTEEN-John Campbell won at least one Breeders Crown race in EACH of the first 15 Years!!!!! FIFTEEN-There was a 15 year gap between Beach Towel and Loyal Opposition. 1990 and this year. They are the last two pacers to win their FIRST Breeders Crown with $2 million ALREADY on their bio!!

16- SIXTEEN-Years from 1988 to 2004-that is the current longest streak BETWEEN Crown wins for a trainer. Steve Elliott did it last year with Yankee Slide, 16 years after he doubled up in the Crown with Sweet Reflection and Valley Victory. Tom Harmer and Jeremes Jet could extend that to 18 years with a win this year. Tom won the 1987 Breeders Crown with Pacific.

SIXTEEN-Times a $100,000 or better yearling has won a Breeders Crown. The current high water mark is $310,000-2003 Cantab Hall-who not only won the Crown, but completed a 10-10 season and is the ONLY 2 Year Old EVER voted Trotter Of The Year. SIXTEEN-for SEVENTEEN was the combined record (16/17) of Jeremes Jet and Western Ace entering the Crown eliminations-and they BOTH got beat!

17- SEVENTEEN-Year ago, Steve Elliott had three division titleists, something Bob McIntosh did in 1998 and Trond Smedshammer did in 2004. NO OTHER trainers in the past quarter century have had THREE division title winners in the SAME YEAR!!

18- EIGHTEEN-Years since Tom Harmers' only Breeders Crown. In 1987-he was also campaigning his last million $ winner-Incredible Finale for George Steinbrenner. IF Jeremes Jet wins the Breeders Crown, it'll be the first million $ winner for Harmer since then, (He had Falcon Seelster-$1.1 million earner-also the year before in 1986)-and-it'll be just the second time in the past 15 seasons a 2 Year old has banked over $1 million. I Am A Fool captured the 2003 Breeders Crown and did the same. EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO-1987-July 30. John Campbell edged past Herve Filion in mid-summer at $57.9 million, and assumed the all-time earnings lead at age 32. Now-18 years later, John has never relinquished that title and is far out in front of the pack at better than $230 million.

19- NINETEEN-Different years, John Campbell has won a Breeders Crown event. In only 1999 and 2000 did John not reach the winners circle. His current streak of 4 straight years with at least one Crown win is current-and the longest of any driver. NINETEEN-Breeders Crown champions have SIRED a Breeders Crown champion themselves. NINETEEN years ago-the richest ever Meadowlands card-the first of four Million Dollar Babies Nights. $5,093,750 was up for grabs on July 26, 1986. John Campbell, Mike Lachance and Cat Manzi all appeared on both that nights card and this Saturdays.

20- TWENTY-TWENTY of the TWENTY-two years of Breeders Crown action, the leading money-winning driver in North America has won a Breeders Crown race-at least one-the SAME year. Brian Sears has already scored this year with Boulder Creek. TWENTY Years ago-Doug Ackerman and son were in the freshman Breeders Crown for the first time with Happy Chatter.(11/8/85) He went off at 97-1 finished 5th in the classic Robust Hanover-Barberry Spur matchup. TWENTY YEARS since Billy Haughtons' one season record for trainers earnings in a single Breeders Crown season was set-It STILL HOLDS TODAY!! 1985-$921,967.

21- TWENTY-ONE-Years since Workaholic kicked off the Breeders Crown Series on October 5, 1984. He paid $12.80-Remember who was favored in the very first Breeders Crown event? 9-5-Another Miracle-5th

22- TWENTY-TWO-That is how old Tim Tetrick was in 2003-the LAST time a driver under 30 got a check in the Breeders Crown-5th with Odds On Charmaine. This year, FOUR drivers under 30 all qualified for the final-Pat Berry-29, Jonathan Roberts-24-Mark MacDonald-26 and Yannick Gingras-26. In the history of the Breeders Crown, ONLY SIX TIMES has a driver under the age of 30 won a Breeders Crown event-and two of them did it twice: John Campbell, Richard Silverman, Chris Christoforou (Twice), Paul MacDonnell (Twice), Ryan Anderson (Youngest at age 20-Popcorn Penny-2000) and Eric Ledford.

TWENTY-TWO is also the number of drives in the Crown it took for Steve Condren to hit paydirt-1995-Garden State Park-Armbro Officer. THAT is the ONLY trotter that Bob McIntosh ever won with in the Breeders Crown-his other 13 wins with pacers. Ironically-the SAME night-Chuck Sylvester won with his only PACER ever in the Breeders Crown-Paige Nicole Q-all his other 11 wins with trotters.