Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Breeders Crown Finals, Notes & Fields
Updated Daily
October 22, 2004

Pelling Herd Hopes to Thunder Home
John Campbell and Ron Pierce can lay claim to having a drive in all eight of Saturday’s Breeders Crown Finals at Woodbine, but trainer Brett Pelling can do them one better. The Australian-born conditioner qualified a virtual herd for the big night – with nine youngsters going in six of the finals.

One stat he’d just as soon do without is the fact that in three of those six races, he drew the outside post position.

“We sure did land in a lot of 10 holes,” said Pelling. “But it doesn’t do any good to cry over it.”

In the first Crown event of the night, the C$698,625 Two-Year-Old Filly Trot, Seducer Hall is one of the unfortunate trio to draw the 10 hole. Ron Pierce will drive. In her last start, the Walnut Hall Ltd. homebred won her division of the International Stallion Stakes at Lexington in a lifetime best 1:56.2.

“One thing in her favor is that she’s very versatile,” said Pelling. “And the fact that she drew alongside Solveig, who deserves to be the red-hot favorite, will help too. I imagine they’ll head out of there together. My filly is very, very safe, which is a real plus for her. She’s not going to be one of those gapping and galloping all over the place.”

In the C$721,000 Two-Year-Old Filly Pace, Pelling qualified a pair – Fred Hertrich and Lew Arno’s Fast Ruffles [post four with Ron Pierce] and Perfect World Enterprises’ Show Time [post five, Brian Sears]. Fast Ruffles was one of three elim winners last Thursday, closing stoutly to score in 1:53.1. She took her mark of 1:52 with a 10-plus length blowout in the Bluegrass at Lexington two starts back.

“She’s been absolutely awesome her last three races,” said Pelling. “I think this is the best race of the night – it’s a really neat group of fillies. In the Bluegrass, she won impressively, but I was really sure about her the next week, when she came first up on Cabrini Hanover and won on cruise control.

“Anytime you’re in against Cabrini Hanover, you can’t underestimate her,” he said. “I’m sure she’s going to be a lot better this week. Savannah Sky is a very, very good filly, and the Andy Miller’s two [Art’s Bid and Restive Hanover] will be smoking out of there.”

Show Time, while winless thus far, was a solid third behind Savannah Sky and Art’s Bid. “She had a huge improvement in her elim compared to the race before,” Pelling said. “She was a little sickly early, and we purposely didn’t take her to Lexington. I didn’t want to take the chance of shipping there and then up here. She had almost a month off and it did her a world of good. She got a little fat, and really brightened up.

“She’s in a good spot in the five hole. She’ll be able to sit there and watch all the action, and perhaps be a little opportunistic,” he said. “If she’s able to improve again this week as much as she did last week, she’ll definitely be a factor.”

Rocky Balboa was the lone Pelling trainee to draw the rail, which he did in the C$625,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Trot. Owned by Rojan Stables and Doc & Me Inc., the son of Muscles Yankee was second and third in the Kentucky Futurity in his last out.

“He’s getting better and better all the time,” Pelling said. “When I first got him to train about six weeks before the Futurity, he wasn’t very willing. He was a bit aggressive and didn’t mind making breaks. In fact, I think he preferred making breaks to trying to do what I wanted him to do. We never found a lot wrong with him – he just didn’t seem happy. But once he got on a schedule, he came around. I trained him Saturday, and he was awesome.

“This is a pretty hard race to handicap,” he said. “Cantab Hall is going to have to pass four or five horses from the 11 hole, and who knows how he’s going to like that. Inconchnito is obviously a factor. My colt isn’t one that can go to the front and ‘say catch me if you can,’ but if he gets out at the right time, he can win this. I know he’ll get over this track fine.”

Pelling has another son of Muscles Yankee, Musclesextrodinair, in the C$657,375 Two-Year-Old Colt Trot. Owned by David McDuffee, Enzed Racing, Irv Liverman and John Fielding, the colt drew post six with Brian Sears. Pelling will also send out Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz’s Southfork, who has post two and Ron Pierce.

“I had real high hopes for Musclesextrodinair,” he said. “But he flipped his palate his last out and wasn’t coming into this 100 percent healthy. The good thing is there weren’t eliminations so we had more time to work on it. He’s a solid horse – all he does is trot.

“Ken Warkentin deserves to be 1-5. He’s going to have to two-move to win, but it looks like they’re just going to give him the racetrack. Beyond him, it’s pretty wide open.”

While his $36,113 in earnings are modest, Southfork has a slate of two wins, two seconds and two thirds in six outings. The son of Donerail was second-placed-third for a late break in his most recent start – a division of the International Stallion at Lexington.
“Everything went wrong with him in Lexington,” said trainer Brett Pelling. “He got loose in the barn area one night and really got banged up. He had a hole in his shoulder you could put four fingers in. We had to put him on antibiotics, and the whole incident really got him shook up and bug-eyed. He wouldn’t settle after that, and you sure don’t need that with a two-year-old trotter.

“He’s healed up and settled down now though,” he said. “I really like this horse. He’s very, very special.”
He also has a pair in the C$829,000 Two-Year-Old Colt Pace – Perfect World Enterprises’ Speed Demon [David Miller, post eight] and Metro Pace winner and world record holder Rocknroll Hanover [Brian Sears], who had the misfortune of the drawing the outside.

“You feel bad when you know a two-year-old is going to have to blast out of there,” Pelling said of Rocknroll Hanover. “He can ping off the gate, but unlike the Metro, it’s not going to be a surprise. You really don’t have any options. He has so much speed, but it’s taxing on them.

“Speed Demon is a serious horse, but he’s a horrendous drawing horse. He also has high speed, and he’s just a nice, clean horse,” he said. “He’s one of the ones you really look forward to bringing back at three.”

Pelling’s night wraps up with his third 10-hole horse – deadheat Cane winner Western Terror, who was also third in the Messenger and second in the Jug. The Perfect World Enterprises-owned Western Hanover colt won both his Bluegrass and International divisions at Lexington, and posted a lifetime best 1:48.3 while at the Red Mile. He was second to Quik Pulse Mindale in Saturday’s elim.

“I think Western Terror is the best horse in the race,” said Pelling. “He can come from off the pace all day long, so the 10-hole is less of a problem for him. Last week, he was on the lead for the first time in his life. He’s little, and that wind was blowing 20 or 30 mph into their faces coming home. I think that comprised him and I wasn’t at all disappointed in his race.

“He didn’t lose anything by me,” he said. “He’s a dead closer. If there’s pace in the race Saturday, he’ll be fine. If there isn’t, he’ll be a victim of that.”

With Pelling trainees earning $4,976,900 already this year, he’s well on pace to post his sixth $5 million-plus season. His nearly $3 million in Crown earnings rank him seventh on the all-time money-earners list among trainers.

He’s already taken home eight Breeders Crown trophies. His first Crown win came as a pair as he swept both 1996 sophomore pacing events, with Armbro Operative and Mystical Maddy at Yonkers Raceway. Armbro Operative repeated for Pelling in 1997, and Juliet's Fate won the freshman filly pace in 1998. Pelling pulled an upset in the 1999 Crown with Grinfromeartoear, defeating Triple Crown winner and hometown favorite Blissfull Hall, in the sophomore colt pace, and the 2000 triumph in the Open Pace by Western Ideal brought his Crown record to six trophies. Last year, he notched another double, as I Am A Fool captured the freshman pacing colt Crown, and Forever Starlet beat the fillies in the freshman trotting ranks. Both won divisional honors.

Delaware Full of Breeders Crown Contenders
The state of Delaware might be small in size, but it’s large in stature when it comes to Saturday’s eight Breeders Crown finals at Woodbine Racetrack.

A total of 14 horses with Delaware connections of some type were entered in Breeders Crown races. In fact, there is at least one horse from Delaware in seven of the night’s eight events, which are for 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters.

"I think Delaware is coming up in the world," said trainer Chuck Crissman, who has trained horses in the state for eight years and whose wife, Wendy, and Dr. Jack Wilkes of Camden are co-owners of Rocky Balboa, a Breeders Crown finalist in the 3-year-old trot for colts and geldings. Buddy and Bob Aerenson of Wilmington also own shares in the colt.

"The slots have helped a lot," Crissman continued. "I think now people are spending a little more money and are getting better horses. You’ve got to be a little bit lucky to get a horse that’s good enough to make it to the Breeders Crown, but they’re turning the corner here."
Delaware approved video slot machines at the state’s racetracks in 1994. At harness racing tracks like Dover Downs, the move helped boost average daily purses from $10,000 a night to $150,000.

The 2-year-old filly pace has four horses with Delaware connections --- Allamerican Coed, Art’s Bid, Fast Ruffles and Show Time to lead the way. Fred Hertrich of Seaford, whose Allamerican Harnessbreds is responsible for breeding some of harness racing’s top talent, co-owns Fast Ruffles with business partner Lew Arno and was the breeder on Allamerican Coed and Show Time (with Alan Warrington of Hockessin). Hertrich also was the breeder, with Arno, of Allamerican Inca in the 2-year-old colt pace and Apple Krisp in the 3-year-old filly pace.

Art’s Bid is owned by Hartly’s Lloyd Arnold, who also owns Quik Pulse Mindale in the 3-year-old colt pace. Robert Messick of Milford owns the homebred Roddy’s Bag Again in the 2-year-old colt
pace.

Ralph and Rosalind Paul, along with their son, Doug, own Mantacular in the 3-year-old colt pace and Ladymatic in the 2-year-old filly trot. Richard Malone of Millsboro was among the breeders of Metropolitan in the 3-year-old colt pace and Harrington’s Marjorie Richards was among the breeders of Blossom Seelster in the 3-year-old filly trot.

Of course, the state’s biggest star might be Rainbow Blue, who is the favorite in the 3-year-old filly pace. She has won 16 of 17 starts this year for trainer and co-owner George Teague Jr., his sister Brenda, and Kevin and Ron Fry, all of Houston. Teague has been stabled at Harrington for more than two decades.

The 14 Delaware-connected horses have won $3.99 million so far this year. Mantacular won the $1.2 million North America Cup at Woodbine in June. Metropolitan won the $340,950 Messenger Stakes, one of the jewels in the Pacing Triple Crown, at Harrington Raceway in September.

"I think this indicates the level of quality of racing in Delaware," said Sal DiMario, executive director of the state's Standardbred owners association. "Thanks to the revitalization through the Horsemen's Revitalization Act, this is the result. It’s very positive. I think the breeding program here is a first-rate program. All of this makes it attractive to buy in Delaware, breed in Delaware and race in Delaware."

Rainbow Blue, who was purchased for $10,500, has been among the top-ranked Standardbreds all year. She is the first filly in harness racing history to win two races in less than 1:50 and has earned $776,867 this year. She and Trotting Triple Crown winner Windsong’s Legacy are among the top contenders for Horse of the Year honors.

"We’re very proud to have Rainbow Blue, who is as great a horse as there is in the country," DiMario said. "Obviously to have a Triple Crown winner is a great accomplishment, but we’re a little partial to Rainbow Blue. George Teague is as dedicated a horseman who will find. It’s nice to see someone who is so nice and who works so hard be rewarded."

Hertrich, who formerly was president of Harrington Raceway, agreed. "The Teague family came to work early every morning and left late every night," he said. "That’s the way they still operate. Everyone dreams of having a Rainbow Blue. You have to understand how hard they work and always have. To see them have great fortune is what this business is all about."

Hertrich, who with Arno bred harness racing’s richest female pacer of all time, Eternal Camnation, said the state’s Breeders Crown lineup was "great news for the people of our area and slot machines have certainly fueled it."

"There’s no doubt that the No. 1 result has been people investing in horses," Hertrich said. "Lloyd Arnold is one of the patron saints of harness racing. He came to Delaware and invested in a farm and bought a lot of livestock. He’s got a big rattle in the 3-year-old colt pace [with Quik Pulse Mindale] and another in the 2-year-old filly pace. He’s a gentleman who has become a friend of mine over the years, and it’s great to see him do well with the money he’s invested. This is great for him; it will keep Lloyd young.

"I hope we have a big night for the Delawareans."

HOT ROD HOPES TO BAG CROWN: Roddy’s Bags Again, the swift colt with the unusual name, came home with the fastest last quarter-mile of any of the colts in the eliminations for the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male pacers. He zoomed home from eighth to third with a 27-second final panel, finishing behind Shanghai Phil and Rocknroll Hanover. Allamerican Inca, who won the other elim, is the 8-5 morning line favorite.

Roddy’s Bags Again will leave from post five with driver Chris Christoforou for Messick and trainer Joe Stutzman. The colt is from the first crop by Dragon Again and out of Messick’s mare Get The Bags, who raced in the 1995 Breeders Crown elimination races.

"My son’s name is Robert and we call him Roddy," Messick said. "It’s a combination of that, the colt’s mother’s name, and you can figure out where the Again came from."

Delaware-based trainer Ernie Torbert, who sent the youngster to Stutzman’s care in Canada, said they call the colt "Roddy" around the barn. Roddy’s Bags Again has just two wins in nine starts and earnings of $23,541, but has shown plenty of potential, he said.

"He’s the fastest colt I’ve ever trained," he said. "Joe has had him up there about a month. He had to scratch him out of a race two weeks ago with a fever, but he doesn’t take a lot of training. He’s pretty quick, and he has a lot of ability."

Torbert said the colt wold ship back to Delaware on Sunday after the Crown and next race in the Matron at Dover Downs.

Messick and his wife, Norma, have bred numerous horses in Delaware over the years.

"To win would mean a lot to us," he said. "We have about 35 horses altogether, but only about a dozen are racehorses. It’s not like we’re Peter Pan [Stables] or someone like that. There are a lot of good colts in this race. We’re hoping for the best. He’s known to be a good finisher. He’s just got to be in the right position to have a shot at it."

LOOKING FOR A KNOCKOUT: Rocky Balboa is the 5-2 second choice in the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters, right behind Cantab Hall at 2-1. The Brett Pelling-trainee has just one win in 16 starts this year, but has hit the board in his last five races. He started the year with a win, then went off stride in five of his next seven outings. He drew the rail for the Breeders Crown final.

"Brett is pretty high on him right now," Crissman said. "I hope he’s as good as Brett expects him to be. If he gets a trip, he thinks he has a good chance. We’re just hoping for the best."

GOODBYE GIRL: In addition to owning Fast Ruffles and having a breeding interest in Allamerican Coed, Allamerican Inca, Apple Krisp, and Show Time, Hertrich will see Eternal Camnation (original name Allamerican Coin) depart from racing’s stage during a special retirement ceremony at Woodbine. She leaves as history’s top earning female pacer with $3.7 million.

"That’s not bad for a night," Hertrich said with a laugh. "Seeing Cammie retired also is exciting for us. You talk about being able to follow a legend, she’s been great. She may have been a step or two slower, but you still needed to have your game face on to beat her. It’s great to see her going out on top."

Sophomore Trotters Catch A Break
The 11 sophomore colt and gelding trotters entered in Saturday night’s C$625,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot got the weekend off last week while four of the other seven divisions were forced into elimination races. According to the connections of many of those trotters, the week layoff was more of a blessing than a burden for the horses to overcome.

“The layoff definitely will help my horse,” Coventry’s trainer, Hall of Famer Doug Ackerman said at Tuesday afternoon’s Breeders Crown Draw and Press Conference at Woodbine.

“It has been a long season,” Ackerman continued. “And with the level of competition this year, when these colts have gone, they have had to go very hard. I am going to train him tomorrow (Wednesday.) But I’ll really have a better handle when I go to warm him up Saturday night.”

One unique situation with the Breeders Crown being held at Woodbine is the fact that the track is only open on racing nights. No Standardbred horses are stabled on the grounds at Woodbine. Horses must ship in to race from either the grounds at Mohawk or from farms of training centers in rural Ontario.

There are not even qualifying races at Woodbine, as all qualifiers are held at Mohawk, 30 miles away. It makes the job of a trainer more difficult. Not having the opportunity to jog or train over the Woodbine surface can leave doubts in a trainer’s preparation.

“At least the situation is the same for everybody,” Ackerman said. “The mile will still be a mile. If you’ve got the horse, you still have the horse. The fact we can’t train here really won’t make a big difference at this point.”

Another trainer who felt the layoff was a blessing was trainer Ron Gurfein, whose Cantab Hall has been installed the 2-1 morning line favorite for Saturday night’s final.

“The layoff certainly does not hurt at this point of the season,” Gurfein said from Florida Monday afternoon, where it was 89 degrees while it was a blustery 48 degrees and damp in Toronto.

“He trained great the other day and I have to be optimistic,” Gurfein continued. “What concerns me most is I have no idea why he raced poorly in the Kentucky Futurity. It is the first clunker that he ever threw in his entire career. It may have been track bias that day. With the exception of Revenue, who is a remarkable horse, nothing won on the front end that day and 3/5 shots were getting beat.”

Gurfein said that the encouraging thing was that Cantab Hall has raced well over Canadian surfaces, winning his Canadian Trotting Classic elimination and finishing second to Windsong’s Legacy in the final at Mohawk.

“He has been fine there,” Gurfein said. “I’m not thrilled with post 11 but I am sure he will be able to get over the race track.”

There is no denying that the Woodbine surface favors front-end speed, which appears to be right up Cincinnati Kid’s alley. “There is no doubt that this track is front-end friendly,” said Cincinnati Kid’s driver Trevor Ritchie. “I have not had that much experience with this colt, but I was able to race him on the front end and he won in 1:54.4 at Mohawk. If you look at the program, it appears he needs to be on the front.

“But what is most difficult about the track are the turns,” he said. “You are hard pressed to make up any ground on the outside through the turns. What that does is that everybody sort of walks through the turns and gets freshened up for the sprint to the wire.”

Driver Steve Condren hopes that his colt in the Breeders Crown, the Bob McIntosh-trained In Conchnito, will revert to the form that included a 1:54 victory over the Woodbine surface in the Canadian Breeders final on July 31.

“He wasn’t really himself the last time I raced him,” Condren said of the colt’s fourth-place effort in the Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Sept. 25. “All I was trying to do was follow Windsong’s Legacy and he could not keep up.

“He’s a nice enough colt,” Condren continued. “He’s been able to make a million dollars and not one cent of that was earned outside Ontario. He’s capable enough to play with these if things go his way.”

During a television interview at Woodbine last Thursday, trainer Brett Pelling was absolutely enthusiastic about his chances with Rocky Balboa, who turned in his best showing of the year in the Kentucky Futurity.

Trainer Chuck Crissman, whose wife Wendy is a co-owner of Rocky Balboa, was pleased to hear about Pelling’s remarks.

“Brett has done a great job with Rocky Balboa,” Crissman said from his Delaware farm. “If Brett is optimistic than I am absolutely ecstatic.”

Ryder Has Four in Breeders Crown
Trainer Chris Ryder, in the midst of career-best year, will send out a quartet of Breeders Crown hopefuls on Saturday night at Woodbine. A Breeders Crown victory, which has eluded him in seven previous starts in Crown finals, would cap off the year nicely.

Of his four entrants, Ryder says three-year-old filly trotter Mystical Sunshine may be his best shot because co-owner “Alvin [Jacobson] is a lucky guy.”

That daughter of Yankee Glide, listed at 15-1 from post two with Paul MacDonell to drive, has banked $509,319 this season. She was second to Peaceful Way in her Crown elim on Saturday.
“I certainly don’t understand how she can be 15-1,” said Ryder. “She won the Elegantimage Stakes there this summer – by nine. It seems people have forgotten that. In her elim last week, she had the nine hole, and didn’t clear in time to win. I’m not saying she would have beaten Peaceful Way, but they better watch out for her. She’s sharp right now.”

Ryder purchased Mystical Sunshine as a two year old at last November’s Harrisburg sale for $45,000 for Jacobson, of Crompond, New York, and Sidney Korn of Monmouth Beach, NJ. “She didn’t win a race at two, but her lines were respectable,” he said. “I liked her a lot, so I bought her.” From 17 starts this season, she has nine wins, five seconds and a third.

Ryder’s other starters are all pacers. Metropolitan drew post five and is listed at 7-1 with the Crown’s leading driver John Campbell to drive. A son of The Panderosa, Metropolitan won the Messenger, the second leg of pacing’s Triple Crown, and also has wins in divisions of the Burlington and Holmes. He has earnings of $900,348 for the season. Brothers Norman Smiley of Boca Raton, Florida and Gerald Smiley of Cote Saint-Luc, PQ share ownership with Jeffrey Langfelder of Atlanta and the TLP Stable of Kearny, NJ.

In his Crown elim, he closed from fourth to finish second, beaten two and a half lengths, behind Geartogear. “Our horse is coming into it just fine,” Ryder said. “I think this is toughest race of the night to figure out. The big question is whether the two winners are going to be as good as they were last week.

“My colt has drawn the outside in every big race this season – the Jug, the Meadowlands Pace, and in Lexington, where he was used twice going to the half in :53. He’s had to leave, and leave hard, every week, and that catches up to you. You can only do that so much. This week, he drew the five-hole, and that looks pretty good. He’ll probably come back and race at four.”

Ryder’s hopeful in the freshman colt pace is Dawn Ofa New Day, a son of leading first crop sire Western Ideal. That youngster drew post seven with John Campbell, and is third choice at 5-1. He led until deep stretch in his elim, then was passed by Allamerican Inca and Village Jolt and finished third.

“He wasn’t really supposed to be on the front end,” said Ryder. “He’s extremely good from off the pace – he can absolutely fly home. He did win his first start on the front end, and has tremendous gate speed, but he’s much better from off the pace. That gate speed will help him in here, because he can get good position.”

Dawn Ofa New Day, owned by Norman and Gerald Smiley and Ted Gewertz, is out of the stakes mare Dawn Q. A $50,000 yearling purchase, the youngster has five wins from seven starts and took his mark of 1:52.2 at Woodbine in winning the Metro consolation.

Ryder said his two-year-old filly pace elim winner Savannah Sky had been “a bit of a surprise.” The daughter of two-time Breeders Crown victor Artiscape battled gamely with Art’s Bid in her Crown elim, and prevailed by three-quarters of a length to win in a lifetime best 1:52.1 last Thursday. She races as a homebred for Mathias Meinzinger of Central Islip, New York.

“She raced in the Green Acres at Freehold, and after a few starts, we knew she needed a bigger track,” Ryder said. “We didn’t really know if she was the caliber for the Breeders Crown. Then she came from the back of the pack to finish fourth in the Harvest, so we figured we’d leave her in Canada.

“She raced in two overnights after that, and won them, so we put her in the Crown,” he said. “I was pretty happy with her the way she won her Crown elim. I don’t if the colts would have gone that big a mile.” Paul MacDonell has the return drive, and will leave from post three, the post selected by Ryder.

Rainbow Blue Draws The Rail in Breeders Crown Pace
Rainbow Blue, one of the leading contenders for Horse of the Year honors in the U.S., drew the rail for Saturday's $762,500 [Cdn]/$610,000 [US] Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace at Woodbine and has been installed the 3-5 favorite. Regular pilot Ron Pierce, enjoying a career season, will drive.

Invitro, a candidate for the same honor in Canada, drew post seven with Paul MacDonell to drive and is second choice at 5-1 in the eight-horse field.

The Three-Year-Old Filly Pace, going as race three, is one of eight finals for two- and three-year-olds on the $5.6 million [Cdn] $4.7 million [US] Breeders Crown championship card Saturday night at Woodbine, with a special first race post time of 7:15 p.m.

Hockey great Doug Gilmour, recently retired after 20 seasons in the NHL, was the guest drawmaster at the press conference held at Woodbine Tuesday afternoon.

Rainbow Blue, owned by trainer George Teague Jr. and his sister Brenda along with K&R Racing [brothers Kevin and Ron Fry] of Houston, Delaware, has been spectacular in her sophomore season, with her lone loss in 17 starts coming in the Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands. A mere $10,500 US yearling purchase, the daughter of Artiscape is closing in on $1 million in lifetime earnings.

"This is what everybody shoots for," said Teague of his dream year. "That's why I like going to yearling sales. You dream of a horse like this, but I never thought I'd have one of the best pacing fillies I've ever seen race. You just hope you have something that can race in the stakes and be competitive. I certainly don't take her for granted - I appreciate it every day. I've truly been blessed."

Invitro, owned by trainer Gordon Irwin of Cobourg, Ontario and Murray Ross of Norwood, Ontario, has won 11 of 16 of her sophomore starts and is likewise poised to become a millionaire. A homebred by Camluck, the aptly-named Invitro was conceived by in vitro fertilization and had a surrogate mare to carry the resulting embryo while her dam, Keystone Trinidad, continued to race.

Gordon Irwin said he and partner Murray Ross, who will return from vacation in Europe Friday night, are thoroughly enjoying their season with Invitro. "This is our first time, and it's all thanks to her," he said. "When I had her in Florida as a yearling, every time I called Murray I told him she was showing a lot of ability and I thought she was going to be the best we'd ever had."

The $693,750 [Cdn] $555,000 [US] Three-Year-Old Colt Pace, carded as race nine on Saturday, was also drawn at the press conference. Geartogear, who captured his Breeders Crown elimination in 1:51.4 last Saturday, is the slight 8-5 choice. Quik Pulse Mindale, who won the other elim in 1:51 after being supplemented to the race at a cost of $62,500 [US], is second choice at 2-1.

The elimination winners earned the right to pick their post positions, then the remainder were drawn. Jill Arnold, wife of trainer Mike Arnold and caretaker of Quik Pulse Mindale, selected post three for the Jenna's Beach Boy colt. Tony Morgan will drive.

Nat Varty, who trains Geartogear for Perfect World Enterprises of Old Wesbury, NY, picked post two for his elimination winner. "I'm glad the other colt drew first, because I wanted to be inside of him," he said. "If you could select a way to win your elimination, we got it Saturday. He had an easy first quarter, and easy first half, and was wrapped up at the wire. He came out of it well. A Breeders Crown would cap off what's been an unbelievable year for me." Pierce drives Geartogear as well as Rainbow Blue.

In a night when a new pacing queen will be crowned, the six-year reign of the division’s diva will come to an end. Racing fans will bid farewell to Eternal Camnation, who won 47 races and $4,129,390 [Cdn] $3,748,570 [US] during six seasons on the track. She will lead the fourth race post parade before having her shoes pulled in a special retirement ceremony. The Cam Fella mare, who retires as the richest pacing mare of all time with a mark of 1:49.2, will embark on a new career as a broodmare next year.

Freshman Breeders Crown Pace Notes & Field
The lightly raced but red hot Allamerican Inca scored his fourth win in his last five starts as he paced to a 1:52 victory in the first of two elimination races for the C$829,000 (U.S. $663,200) freshman pace final on Saturday, Oct. 23. at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ont., Canada.

It was just the seventh lifetime start for Allamerican Inca, owned by the Adam Victor and Son Stable of New York, trained by Mike Vanderkemp and driven by Dave Palone. It was the colt’s fourth victory.

“He’s been a good colt right from the start,” Palone said after the race. “I managed to race him from off the pace and there was a little traffic out there. I just didn’t want to do anything stupid and just get him qualified for next week.”

Allamerican Inca held off Village Jolt for the win while early leader Dawn Ofa New Day was third, Speed Demon finished fourth and Pan Cartwright finished fifth for the final qualifying spot.

In the second elimination, driver Mike Lachance pushed Shanghai Phil to the front past Rocknroll Hanover at the quarter pole and was never headed as he scored a 1:53.1 victory in advancing to the final.

“He’s got everything you need in a young horse,” Lachance said after the race. “He has quick early speed and he has the endurance. He was good at Lexington and he’s been good all year. We just hope we can hang on for another week when we go in the final.”

Shanghai Phil scored his fourth win in the last five starts. Rocknroll Hanover was second, Roddys Bags Again closed well for third edging Eleven A M and Philosopher King who were fourth and fifth respectively.

The trainers of elimination’s winners drew by lot to select their post position. Mike Vanderkemp, trainer of Allamerican Inca took post three, and Shanghai Phil’s trainer Dustin Jones next chose post two. The remaining eight post positions were an open draw.

C $829,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace
PP Horse Trainer Driver ML
1 ELEVEN A M Bruce Saunders Kevin Wallis
2 SHANGHAI PHIL R. Dustin Jones Mike Lachance
3 ALLAMERICAN INCA Mike Vanderkemp Dave Palone
4 PHILOSOPHER KING Jerry Silverman George Brennan
5 RODDY’S BAGS AGAIN Joe Stutzman Chris Christoforou
6 PAN CARTWRIGHT Kevin McMaster Dan Dube
7 DAWN OFA NEW DAY Chris Ryder John Campbell
8 SPEED DEMON Brett Pelling Brian Sears
9 VILLAGE JOLT Ed Hart Ron Pierce
10 ROCKNROLL HANOVER Brett Pelling Brian Sears

AE1 BERETTA HALL Mark Harder David Miller
AE2 TOBRUK Robert Atkin Roger Mayotte

Fields Set for Breeders Crown Finals
October 16, 2004
The fields for next weekend's eight Breeders Crown finals, worth more than $5.6 million (Cdn), are now set after the last eliminations were held Saturday at Woodbine.

There were a host of impressive performances, as three-year-old trotting fillies Housethatruthbuilt and Peaceful Way, three year old colt pacers Quik Pulse Mindale and Geartogear and two-year-old colt pacers Allamerican Inca and Shanghai Phil won their elims convincingly.

Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
While the New York Yankees try to win the American League pennant next week, Housethatruthbuilt will be looking to claim her own championship in the $625,000 Crown final.

The robust Muscles Yankee offspring, perhaps ready to be crowned Ms. October, resembled a cleanup hitter in her elim, blasting to the front after a half in :58.2, then floating home to win by two and one-quarter lengths in a snappy mile time of 1:55.2.

With Brian Sears at the controls, Housethatruthbuilt settled in behind the pacesetters Zorgwijk Emani and Bramasole, before blowing by the leaders approaching the three-quarters and winning in hand, her sixth win in a row and 10th in 14 outings this year, as she pushed her career earnings to over $753,000. Bramasole came back on for second while Blossom Seelster finished third.

"There are a couple of other nice fillies in there (the division) but she's really on top of her game right now and doing everything we've asked," said Sears, of the prohibitive 2-5 favourite. "When I moved my mare back to the front, she was really handy, really good and very comfortable (finishing up)."

As one of the two elimination winners, Housethatruthbuilt, trained by Trond Smedshammer of recent Triple Crown winner Windsong's Legacy fame, will also get to select her post position for the final.

However, so will the other impressive elim winner, Peaceful Way, who certainly showed she's in the same ballpark. Sent postward a similar 2-5 choice with Chris Christoforou driving, Peaceful Way came from sixth at the top of the lane, swallowed up the leaders approaching the wire and scored by one and one-half lengths, also in 1:55.2. It was her first start in over three weeks, since taking a stakes race at Mohawk on September 24. Mystical Sunshine finished second with In The Shell third.

Trained and co-owned by Dave Tingley of Guelph, Peaceful Way was winning her eighth race in 11 starts this year, with career earnings now over $1,450,000. Last year's O'Brien Award winner as Canada's champion two-year-old filly trotter, Peaceful Way, a daughter of Angus Hall, was defeated by Housethatruthbuilt in the September 9 Simcoe. In August, she made an unfortunate break as the odds-on favourite in the Hambletonian Oaks, her only poor showing of the season.

"I think that helped her with the trip she got," said Christoforou, of the layoff and the off-the-pace win. "She's so versatile. There was a decent bunch of fillies in there. We got one or two that maybe got in the way a little bit. But she's the kind of filly that can overcome those things and she proved it again tonight. She was ready to go around the last turn but I didn't want to come too early with her. I knew she'd have to make a pretty good brush down the lane to get all the way to the front. So I waited as long as I could with her. Probably, about three-quarters of the way around the turn she said, 'it's time to go', so I let her go then."

Two-Year-Old Colt Pacers
Two-year-old colt pacer Allamerican Inca stormed up from third on the outside turning for home to best Village Jolt and Dawn ofa New Day by one and three-quarter lengths in his elim, getting the mile in 1:52 with driver Dave Palone. The Western Hanover colt has now won four of his seven starts, with a life mark of 1:50.4 taken last week at Lexington in the International Stallion Stakes.

"He's a little flat-footed early. That might be the only knock on him," said Palone, who will be looking for his first Breeders Crown win in next Saturday's $829,000 final, the richest of the Crown events. "He's actually not (like a lot of Western Hanover offspring). He's very manageable. A lot fo them tend to get a little hot, like to be raced up close. This colt doesn't mind taking his time. He gets a little steppy at times, you've got to babysit him early and then he's fine. I had a little problem at the three-eighths with him. He added a couple of steps but after that he was fine. He really was (comfortable at the wire). He was wrapped up."

Among his opponents next week will be Shanghai Phil, who took his elim easily in 1:53.1, with Mike Lachance. At the wire, the son of Blissfull Hall, who took command after the quarter, was a comfortable two and one-half lengths in front of Metro Pace winner Rocknroll Hanover, with longshot Roddys Bags Again third. It was the third win in a row (and sixth in 12 starts) for the Dustin Jones-trained colt, who is approaching the half-million dollar mark in earnings.

"Right now, he pretty much can do everything you need," said Lachance. "He's got quick speed, endurance, he's just on top of his game right now. He was good at Lexington. The colt has been good all year. I'm just hoping he's going to hold on for another week and come sharp next week."

Three-Year-Old Colt Pacers
Quik Pulse Mindale upset Western Terror in the first of two $31,250 elims for three-year-old colt pacers, powering up to the pacesetting 3-5 favourite in mid-stretch, then out-duking him to the wire to score by one and three-quarter lengths in 1:51.

It was the 12th win in 14 starts this year for the son of three-time Breeders Crown champion Jennas Beach Boy. Driven by Tony Morgan, Quik Pulse Mindale was thus able to reverse the Tattersalls Stakes result of October 9 at Lexington, when he was the one collared in the stretch by Western Terror in finishing third.

For the $693,750 final, the Mike Arnold trainee, supplemented to the Breeders Crown for $62,500 (US), will get to choose a post position, while Western Terror will have to rely on the luck of the draw.

"He hasn't been raced that hard this year," said Morgan. "He's gone a couple of really good miles. He takes really good care of himself early in the race. He doesn't take a lot of work. He's a very good colt, a very fast finisher. He was a little off at Lexington that day. Didn't race as well. He's not as good in front and he kind of got stuck in front that day. I suppose that was my fault. He'll race in front but he's a lot better horse from behind."

The other elim went to the 1-2 choice, Geartogear and driver Ron Pierce, who had an easy time of it, wiring the field from post seven in 1:51.4. Metropolitan came on for second, three and one-half lengths back, while The Preacher Pan was third. The top five in each elim made the final. It was the seventh win in 15 starts for the Nat Varty-trained son of Grinfromeartoear, who won the 1999 Breeders Crown at Mohawk.

"He's pretty dominating right now," said Varty. "He steps on the track and he can do it from any position on the racetrack. So he's in great form. What he is, is extremely quick. He can carry the speed a long way and he's very, very willing about his job."

Quik Pulse Mindale & Geartogear Win BC Elim
October 16, 2004
Supplemental entry Quik Pulse Mindale tracked down leader Western Terror in the stretch and paced home a 1:51 winner in the first of two elimination races for the C $693,750 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace at Woodbine.

Owned by Lloyd Arnold of Hartley, Delaware, Quik Pulse Mindale, scored impressively for trainer Mike Arnold and driver Tony Morgan. Though not eligible to many of the big money events this summer, Arnold took every opportunity to supplement his son of Jenna’s Beach Boy, including the $62,000 fee for the Breeders Crown.

Morgan was content to sit third through the first half mile with Quik Pulse Mindale, as North America Cup winner Mantacular took the early lead but yielded just before the half mile mark to Cane Pace winner Western Terror and Brian Sears.

Moving into the final turn, Morgan moved Quik Pulse Mindale off the rail and swooped up into contention at the top of the stretch. In the lane, Quik Pulse Mindale wore down Western Terror to win going away by a length and a half. It was the 12th win in 14 starts for Quik Pulse Mindale.

“He really is such a nice horse,” driver Tony Morgan said after the race. “He has raced so well this year that he really earned the chance to be here and the Arnolds agreed and put up the money.”

Western Terror was second, Meadowlands Pace winner Holborn Hanover finished third with Mantacular fourth while Panlubber edged Allamerican Colbalt for the fifth and final qualifying spot.

Ontario-bred superstar Geartogear scored his fourth consecutive win Saturday night as he rolled out of the gate and was never headed in a 1:51.4 victory in the second of two elimination races for the C $693,750 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace at Woodbine.

Coming off victories at Lexington’s Red Mile and a pair of Ontario Sire Stakes wins at Mohawk, Geartogear responded to the urging of driver Ron Pierce and exploded away from the gate from post seven.

After securing the lead, Geartogear paced to a half in a comfortable :57 seconds and paced home confidently from there.

“He can do it from anywhere on the race track,” trainer Nat Varty said after the race. “He’s extremely quick but he can carry his speed a very long way. He’s actually a little better from off the pace than on the front end but he had things all his own way on the front tonight.”

Messenger Stake winner Metropolitan finished second while The Preacher Pan finished third. Armbro Baylor and Up Front Brad finished fourth and fifth respectively.

The 10 qualifiers return next Saturday night for the C$829,000 final part of the C $5.6 million Breeders Crown eight-race extravaganza.
-30-

C$31,250 3CP Breeders Crown Elimination
2-Quik Pulse Mindale 6.50 3.00 2.20
1-Western Terror 2.10 2.10
6-Holborn Hanover 2.30

Complete Order of Finish
2 Quik Pulse Mindale A Morgan
1 Western Terror B Sears
6 Holborn Hanover G Brennan
3 Mantacular M Lachance
5 Panlubber L Ouellette
4 Allamerican Cobalt E Ledford

Time: 27.4, 56.1, 1:24.2, 1:51 (Temperature: 7, Condition: FT, Variant: 0)

1st Quik Pulse Mindale (Jennas Beach Boy-Midnight Stage-No Nukes)
Owner: Lloyd F Arnold,Hartly-Nancy Arnold,Hartley,DE
2nd Western Terror (Western Hanover-Arterra-Artsplace)
Owner: Perfect World Enterprises,Old Westbury,NY
3rd Holborn Hanover (Cams Card Shark-Hattie-Abercrombie)
Owner: John D Fielding,Toronto-Canamerica Capital Corp,Milton,ON

Victory Photo's Connections Never Gave Up on Him
October 15, 2004
Victory Photo picked up the first win of his career Oct. 7 in a $130,100 division of the International Stallion at The Red Mile, sent off at odds of 130-1. He now enters Saturday’s $525,900 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male trotters as the field’s second-highest earner ($70,902) and his 1:57.2 triumph is second quickest among the nine contenders.

“He seems to be finding himself,” trainer Don Swick said. “We’ve been playing musical drivers with him. He’s a horse that you have to make do everything. He’s a wee little guy and he gives you the impression he’s going all he can for you. But you have to constantly make him do things, he’s not going to volunteer.”

Swick, Bill Fahy and Dave Palone all drove Victory Photo as he began his career by failing to hit the board in his first five starts. Yannick Gingras took over on Sept. 11 and Victory Photo has a win and two third-place finishes in four races. His only off-the-board effort came in a division of the Bluegrass when he made a break after clipping the wheel of a foe.

“Yannick said he thought he would have won that race,” Swick said. “I’m pretty confident he’s going to go a good trip. He does not want to make breaks; he’s a good horse that way. Right now, Yannick has faith in him and I think the little guy will go for him.”

Swick has a history of upsets in the Breeders Crown. In 2000 he sent out Fast Photo, a trotter who was winless on the year against a field that included Yankee Paco (knocked out in the eliminations) and heavy race favorite Credit Winner. The next year Swick’s two-year-old filly pacer Cam Swifty knocked off the undefeated Worldly Beauty in the Crown.

Ken Warkentin, who has won seven of eight starts and earned $450,571, is the 3-5 the likely favorite in the Breeders Crown, where he will start from post eight. His 1:55.3 win in his Bluegrass division Sept. 30 is the fastest mark of the season. He is trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by David Miller.

Driven Sakra, who drew the rail in the Breeders Crown, participated in a qualifier Friday at Mohawk, finishing in 1:59.1 for driver Daniel Dube and trainer Brian Magie. Driven Sakra is one of two winless entries in the Breeders Crown, along with Gettindownanddirty, and last raced Sept. 18 at Pocono Downs in the Pennsylvania Championship Final, where he was third.

“He hasn’t gotten much work lately, so I wanted to make sure he got something in before the final,” Magie said. “He’s been hampered on the smaller tracks. Most of his races have been in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, and those are on five-eighths tracks. He doesn’t accelerate around the turns, but he just flies on the straight-aways. The bigger track should help him a lot. I think this race is wide-open from second on.”

Swick agreed that Ken Warkentin is the top choice in the field, even though he was buoyed somewhat by Victory Photo’s 27.4-second final quarter-mile in his last start.

“He’s got a good finish, but Ken Warkentin has got a good start, middle and finish,” Swick said with a laugh. “But a good race here would put a lot of money on his card.”

The field in post-position order follows:
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer Morning Line
1-Driven Sakra-Y. Gingras-B. Magie 15-1
2-Southfork-R. Pierce-B. Pelling 7-1
3-Victory Photo-Y. Gingras-D. Swick 10-1
4-Gettindownanddirty-P. MacDonell-P. Wellwood 25-1
5-Travelin Lite-J. Campbell-R. Stewart 8-1
6-Musclesextrodinair-B. Sears-B. Pelling 8-1
7-Celebrity Master-D. Daley-D. Daley 25-1
8-Ken Warkentin-D. Miller-J.Takter 3-5
9-Vino Camielle-S. Condren-H. Iversen 9-1

Rainbow Blue Puts Winning Streak on the Line
Rainbow Blue will attempt to continue her winning ways in the U.S.$610,000 (C$762,500) Breeders Crown Final for 3-year-old filly pacers on Oct. 23 at Woodbine Racetrack, but she is not alone in streaking into the final.

Four of the eight finalists, including Rainbow Blue, will bring win streaks of at least four races into the event. L Dees Val has won five in a row while Rainbow Blue, Glowing Report and Invitro have won four straight races. The connections of L Dees Val and Invitro both paid US$62,500 to supplement their horses into the Breeders Crown. Supplementing has been the road to success in this Crown division with four of the last five titlists going the supplemental route.

Rainbow Blue has won 16 of 17 starts and $776,867 this year. She is coming off a victory in a division of the Glen Garnsey on Oct. 8 at the Red Mile. Her only setback came in the Mistletoe Shalee Final at the Meadowlands on Aug. 7 (Hambletonian Day) when she went off stride in the first turn. The winner of 22 of 24 lifetime races, her only other loss was by a neck in her third-career start. A $10,500 yearling purchase, Rainbow Blue is trained by George Teague Jr. and driven by Ron Pierce. K&R Racing and Teague Inc., both of Delaware, own her.

L Dees Val was third in the Fan Hanover Final on Aug. 28 at Woodbine and hasn’t lost since, racing primarily on the New Jersey Sire Stakes circuit. Trained by Mark Capone and driven by John Campbell, she is coming off a victory in the NJSS final for 3-year-old filly pacers on Oct. 9 at Freehold Raceway and has won seven of nine starts in 2004 and earned $212,500. Campbell is the winningest driver in Breeders Crown history with 40 lifetime triumphs.

Glowing Report started her win streak by claiming the Jugette in straight heats on Sept. 22 at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio. Her most recent victory came in her division of the Glen Garnsey, giving her five wins in 18 starts and $362,797 this year. Her only finish worse than second in her last eight starts was a ninth in the Fan Hanover Final on Aug. 28 at Woodbine after being parked outside the majority of the mile. She is trained by Jerry Silverman and driven by George Brennan.

Invitro is coming off a track-record 1:51.4 win on Oct. 10 at Windsor Raceway in an Ontario Sire Stakes event. She has won 11 of her last 13, primarily on the sire stakes circuit; overall, she has won 11 of 16 starts this year and $526,746. She was fourth in the Fan Hanover, finishing behind Rainbow Blue, Kikikatie and L Dees Val, although she started from post 10. She is trained by co-owner Gord Irwin and driven by Paul MacDonell.

Both Invitro and Rainbow Blue need a Crown victory if they are to make a serious run at Horse of the Year honors in Canada and the U.S. respectively. Rainbow Blue faces tough competition in year-end voting from Windsong’s Legacy, the first trotter to win the Triple Crown in 32 years, while Invitro could follow the path of Odie’s Fame, who used her Crown triumph as a launch to divisional honors.

Completing the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace field are Apple Krisp, Jugette runner-up Armbro Bombay, Jugette heat winner Pantidepressant, and Simcoe division winner Ted’s Girl. The draw for the race will be held Tuesday at Woodbine Racetrack.

Cabrini Hanover, Fast Ruffles, Savannah Sky win Breeders Crown Filly Pace Elims
October 14, 2004
Bob Anderson & David Wilmot’s Cabrini Hanover, unbeaten in three previous Woodbine appearances, lived up to her advance billing Thursday night in the third of three elimination races for the $721,000 Can. Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace at Woodbine. The freshman filly division is one of eight Crown Finals that will be contested on Saturday, Oct. 23.

The first pacer ever trained by elite conditioner Jimmy Takter, Cabrini Hanover waltzed out to an eight-length lead at the head of the stretch and coasted home to a 1:52.4 victory over a late charging Restive Hanover. Secret Deal finished third and Panne Ala Vodka was fourth.

Cabrini Hanover, who set the world record for freshman fillies with her 1:51 win in the She’s A Great Lady final at Woodbine on Sept. 4, left like a rocket and grabbed the top for driver Mike Lachance and cruised to the lead in 27 seconds from post seven.

The two-year-old daughter of Western Ideal maintained the lead through a smooth 56.4 half-mile time and cruised to the three-quarters in 1:25.1. Lachance pushed the filly slightly in the final turn and paced away from all of her foes. Restive Hanover mounted a furious late charge but Cabrini Hanover was well in hand.

“This was a tremendous effort for her to come back like that after what happened in Lexington,” said Takter, who has conditioned six Breeders Crown winners – all trotters, including two-time Horse of the Year Moni Maker.

“She suffered a heart fibrillation at Lexington and could have been in very serious condition,” he continued. “But this is no ordinary filly and her effort tonight proved that. Most horses would have been on the shelf for a while but she is very special.”

Frederick Hertrich & Lewis Arno’s Fast Ruffles, the 2/5 post time favorite, was also impressive Thursday night. Fast Ruffles got a cautious drive from newly elected Hall of Famer Ron Pierce and then brushed home smartly in the lane to score a 1:53.1 victory in the second of three elimination races Fast Ruffles, a daughter of Western Hanover is trained by Brett Pelling and driven to victory by Pierce, North America’s leading driver in 2004.

“She raced well enough to win tonight,” Pelling said after the race. “You are always concerned when they ship up here from Lexington because the weather’s quite a bit different. She might have been a little dull tonight. But she travels so easy and Ron took his time with her. Everything worked out well and she didn’t have to extend herself tonight.”

Catching live cover around the last turn, Fast Ruffles rode the wake as Crystal Slipper and Brian Sears tracked down the front-end tandem of Thereal Ideal and Odds On Laina, which had taken the field to the three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Turning for home, Fast Ruffles continued to follow Crystal Slipper until the final eighth of the mile before Pierce tipped her wide and paced home a winner by an easy length and a quarter. Crystal Slipper finished second while Allamerican Coed was third and Thereal Ideal finished fourth.

In the first elimination, Mathias Meinzinger’s Savannah Sky mounted a first-over charge in the final quarter mile and tracked down a tiring but game Arts Bid to score a 1:52.1 victory.
Trained by Chris Ryder and driven to victory by Paul MacDonell, Savannah Sky ranged up to take on Arts Bid prior to the three-quarter pole. The pair raced as a team down the long Woodbine stretch before Savannah Sky pushed ahead in the final strides to win by three-quarters of a length.

A freshman daughter of two-time Breeders Crown champion Artiscape, Savannah Sky scored her third win in eight lifetime starts.

Arts Bid, driven by Andy Miller, had to survive an early speed duel with Righteous Renee to grab the front in a blistering 25.4 seconds in the seven-horse field. It was the fastest first quarter by any filly or mare in a Breeders Crown race. Arts Bid continued to lead for the next half mile before Savannah Sky mounted her late bid.

“She’s a great big filly, great gaited and just floats out there,” Macdonell said after the race. “With all the speed in the early fractions, I was able to get away easy and wait until later to make the move.”

Show Time, driven by Brian Sears, closed from off the pace to finish third while Western Cruise with Steve Condren came on to finish fourth. With nearly $200,000 on her card, Western Cruise qualified as the 10th horse in the field while Thereal Ideal will be first also eligible and Panne Ala Vodka the second also eligible.

The top three finishers in each of three elimination events plus the richest fourth place finisher qualify for next Saturday’s final. In a draw by lot, the connections of Cabrini Hanover got to select first, Savannah Sky second and Fast Ruffles will choose third. The connections of the three elimination winner’s may pick their post positions for the final in an order decided by lot.

Cantab Hall Bounces Back For Breeders Crown
October 14, 2004
Cantab Hall will look to join Mack Lobell and Malabar Man as the only Breeders Crown two-year-old male trotting champions to repeat at age 3 when he faces 10 challengers Oct. 23 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Eleven horses were entered in the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot, so elimination races will not be required. Cantab Hall, the defending Trotter of the Year, will start from the second tier’s post 11 in the U.S. $500,000 (C$625,000) final. Mike Lachance, who is second in Breeders Crown history with 23 wins, will drive for trainer Ron Gurfein and owners Brittany Farms, Lindy Racing Stable, Jerry Silva and Sampson Street Stables.

Cantab Hall has won three of 11 starts this year and earned $867,968. He was fifth in the first heat of the Kentucky Futurity on Oct. 9 at the Red Mile and was scratched sick in the second heat. He was second in the Canadian Trotting Classic, Yonkers Trot, World Trotting Derby and Hambletonian.

In Conchnito has won seven of 16 races this year and $495,946. He is coming off a victory in the Ontario Sire Stakes Gold Final on Oct. 9 at Georgian Downs and won a Simcoe division on Sept. 11 at Mohawk. He is trained by Bob McIntosh and driven by Stephen Condren.

Coventry, driven by D.R. Ackerman and trained by his father, Doug, has won four of 19 starts and $360,564 in 2004. He is coming off a fourth-place effort in the Kentucky Futurity. His top win came in the Connors Final at Hazel Park on June 5. He was third in the World Trotting Derby, behind world-record-setting Tom Ridge and Cantab Hall, and fourth in the Hambletonian.

Al Dente Hanover won an elimination of the Canadian Trotting Classic on Sept. 18 but went off stride in the final, and won a division of the Bluegrass on Oct. 2 at the Red Mile. Rocky Balboa has won just once in 16 starts this year, but has finished no worse than third in his last five races. He was second in the Kentucky Futurity. Cincinnati Kid set a track record Oct. 2 at Georgian Downs in winning a sire stakes elim.

The field for the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters follows:
PP-Horse-Sire-Driver
1. Rocky Balboa (Muscles Yankee), Ron Pierce
2. Coventry (Mr Lavec), D.R. Ackerman
3. Bertos Dream (Garland Lobell), Trevor Ritchie
4. Grand Sovereign (Royal Strength), Bill O?Donnell
5. Photo Color (SJ?s Photo), John Campbell
6. Al Dente Hanover (Donerail), Luc Ouellette
7. Yankee Slide (Self Possessed), Brian Sears
8. In Conchnito (King Conch), Stephen Condren
9. B Cor Kenny (King Conch), Dan Daley
10. Cincinnati Kid (Angus Hall), Trevor Ritchie
Cantab Hall (Self Possessed), Mike Lachance

Takter Ready For Crown Action
October 13, 2004
After storming through Lexington with Grand Circuit wins galore, trainer Jimmy Takter heads into this year's Breeders Crown at Woodbine with an all star lineup. Closing in on $3 million in stable earnings this year, Takter will send out favorites in three of the four freshman events during the Breeders Crown extravaganza on Saturday night, Oct. 23.

Takter, tied for fourth among all trainers with six Breeders Crown championships, will send out favorites in both the $698,625 Cdn. Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot and the $657,375 Cdn. Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot.

What is unusual is that Takter will send out one of the favorites in the eliminations for the $721,000 Cdn. Two-Year-Old Two-Year Old Filly Pace, She's A Great Lady winner Cabrini Hanover, the first pacer Takter will have ever entered in a Breeders Crown Pace.

"If you are going to start racing pacing fillies, you might as well start with one of the best ones in the country," Takter said from Mohawk Raceway Tuesday morning. "The owners were looking to buy a trotting filly, but it was my idea when I saw this one. I said why don't we try with a pacing filly. She's an amazing horse and I think we may have drawn the easier division."
In the $698,625 Cdn. Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot, Takter will send out Solveig whose five wins in seven starts have garnered $320,092, drew post nine and will be driven by David Miller.

Solveig, also a daughter of Yankee Glide, brings her own five-race win streak to the Crown, including divisions of the Oakville and International Stallion stakes as well as the elim and final of the Oakville.

"She raced very well in her last start at Lexington and I think she will be coming in very strong," Takter continued. "I am happy we don't have eliminations in the young trots and I will train each of them a good mile on Friday."

In the $657,375 Cdn. Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot, Takter will put the harness on the equine Ken Warkentin.

Ken Warkentin will look to clinch a Crown title and subsequent year-end honors from post eight. The son of Yankee Glide, named for Canadian native and current Meadowlands track announcer Ken Warkentin, brings a six-race win streak to the Crown final. The colt towers over the field in earnings with $380,290.

"This colt has been awesome," Takter said. "He has put in some major miles but he still like a horse that has not been raced that many starts. I know that even at this time of the year, he still has some big miles in his tank."

There will be no eliminations in the freshman trot divisions while there will be three elimination races Thursday in the freshman filly pace.

Takter's world champion Tom Ridge, winner of the World Trotting Derby, is not entered in the three-year-old colt pace. But the two-time winner of the Glen Garnsey Award as the sport's top trainer will send out Invincible Dream in the eliminations for the $625,000 Cdn Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot.

Three-Year-Old Colt Pace Wide Open
October 12, 2004
Harness racing's glamour division, the three-year-old colt pacers, is sorely in need of a leader. The sports year-end divisional championship series, the Breeders Crown, hopes to provide the staging ground for one in the U.S. $555,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Pace on Saturday, Oct. 23, at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ont., Canada.

An entry box packed with 13 pacers yet missing Jug and Cane Pace winner Timesareachanging means the divisional title has yet to be conceded to any one contestant.

The first elimination features Mantacular, winner of the $ 1,189,535 North America Cup, and Holborn Hanover, victorious in the other $1 million event in this class, the Meadowlands Pace. Western Terror, who finished in a dead-heat with stablemate Timesareachanging in the first leg of the pacing Triple Crown, the Cane pace, just beat both Holborn Hanover and $62,500 supplement Quik Pulse Mindale in a 1:48.3 effort at Lexington in the Tattersalls.

Quik Pulse Mindale remains the fastest of the group due to a 1:48 mile the son of three-time Breeders Crown champ Jenna's Beach Boy authored at Balmoral in late September. The Mike Arnold-trained speedster has a sparkling record of 11 wins in 13 starts, and though ineligible to many of the big stakes events this year could arguably take control of the division with a Crown victory.

In the second elimination Messenger winner Metropolitan starts from post two for leading Breeders Crown driver John Campbell. Competition includes Tattersalls division winner Yankee Lariat and Ontario Gold Final winner Geartogear.

Breeders Crown U.S. $555,000 (Cdn $693,750 Est.) 3-Year-Old Colt Pace
Eliminations on Saturday, October 16

Race 2 U.S. $25,000 Cdn $31,250
1. WESTERN TERROR (Western Hanover - Arterra) B. Sears
2. QUIK PULSE MINDALE * (Jenna's Beach Boy - Midnight Stage) T. Morgan
3. MANTACULAR (Western Hanover - Between Two Fires) M. Lachance
4. ALLAMERICAN COBALT (Western Hanover - Cool World) L. Ouellette
5. PANLUBBER (The Panderosa - All Pans On Deck) L. Ouellette
6. HOLBORN HANOVER (Cam's Card Shark - Hattie) G. Brennan
* Supplement

Race 9 U.S. $25,000 Cdn $31,250
1. ROGUE HALL (Cambest - Roofin Ruth) P. MacDonell .
2. METROPOLITAN (The Panderosa - Tallulah Belle) J. Campbell
3. THE PREACHER PAN (The Panderosa - Cathedra) D. Dube
4. ARMBRO BAYLOR (Matt's Scooter - Down Time) L. Ouellette
5. UP FRONT BRAD (Western Hanover - Tricky Tooshie) D. Palone
6. YANKEE LARIAT (Western Hanover - Lush Limbaugh) J. Moiseyev
7. GEARTOGEAR (Grinfromeartoear - Pole Sitter) R. Pierce

The first five finishers from each elim will return for the final on Saturday, Oct. 23. Eliminations winners may pick their post positions.

20 Sophomore Trotting Fillies Enter Breeders Crown Eliminations
October 12, 2004

Housethatruthbuilt, named for Yankee Stadium and the baseball dynasty it houses, has not frightened the connections of 19 other trotting fillies in the U.S. $500,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot, causing two eliminations on Saturday, Oct. 16, at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ont., Canada.

Housethatruthbuilt was the first part of a historical double last week for trainer Trond Smedshammer, who won both the Kentucky Filly Futurity with the daughter of Muscles Yankee and then the Kentucky Futurity with Windsong's Legacy, the latter the first trotter in 32 years to sweep the Triple Crown. Housethatruthbuilt brings a five-race win streak to her Crown elim for owners Patricia Spinelli, and Ted Gewertz.

Zorgwik Emani, a winner of 8 of her 11 starts, has yet to test the competition outside of Ontario, but her connections, owner Cuzzins Stable and the husband and wife driver-trainer team of Kevin and Linda Wallis, thought enough of her to supplement her into the Crown program in February for a $10,000 fee. She has since earned close to $130,000.

In the second elimination, Silver Springs, who won the Hambletonian Oaks and World Trotting Derby Filly Division will test O'Brien award winner Peaceful Way, the fastest filly of the year, who reeled off a 1:52.3 mark in winning the Del Miller Memorial.

The first five finishers from each elim will return for the final o Saturday, Oct. 23. eliminations winners may pick their post positions.

Breeders Crown U.S. $500,000 (Cdn $625,000 Est.) 3-Year-Old Filly Trot
Eliminations on Saturday, October 16

Race 3 U.S. $25,000 Cdn $31,250
1. BLOSSOM SEELSTER (Tagliabue - Bambino Rose) D. Brown
2. MCCALL MAGIC (Angus Hall - Maddie Maye) S. Condren
3. HAVE YOU EVER (Yankee Glide - Missys Goal) R. Pierce
4. DUXELLE HANOVER ( Lindy Lane - Caitrin) M. Baillargeon
5. HOUSETHATRUTHBUILT (Muscles Yankee - Super Shann) B. Sears
6. ICY PLEASURE (Super Pleasure - Ice Caper) C. Christoforou
7. BRAMASOLE (Muscles Yankee - Dream Of Power) E. Ledford
8. ZORGWIJK EMANI (Valleymeister - Super Charming) K. Wallis
9. OLYMPICS (Muscles Yankee - Olympic Cheers) J. Campbell
10. IVY SWINGER (Malabar Man - Jungle Queen) S. Bouchard

Race 4 U.S. $25,000 Cdn $31,250
1. GODESS OF CHAOS (S J's Photo - Gironde Hanover) R. Zeron
2. HABIT'S LADY (Muscles Yankee - Habit) T. Smedshammer
3. SILVER SPRINGS (Yankee Glide - Simply Hanover) B. Sears
4. BLISS (Angus Hall - Evita P) L. Ouellette
5. PEACEFUL WAY (Angus Hall - Royal Bait) C. Christoforou
6. INVINCIBLE DREAM (Conway Hall - Insideous Charm) J. Takter
7. IN THE SHELL (Muscles Yankee -Langouste) L. Ouellette
8. FUNNY MALENTINE (Malabar Man - Flirty Two) P. MacDonell
9. MYSTICAL SUNSHINE (Yankee Glide - Aura Of Glory) P. MacDonell
10. IFHALLSCOULDTALK (Angus Hall -Armbro Talk) T. Ritchie

ENTRIES CLOSE FOR FRESHMAN CROWN PACERS
October 12, 2004
Eighteen of the sport's swiftest and richest freshman colt pacers entered the Breeders Crown, forcing two eliminations on Saturday Oct. 16, at Woodbine Racetrack, Ont., Canada.

The first elimination, carded as race 6, features Jeff Snyder and Arlene & Jules Siegel's Woodrow Wilson winner Village Jolt, whose bankroll of $580,727 tops the divisional money standings. Village Jolt's primary competition comes in the form of Allamerican Inca, a recent winner of both the Bluegrass and International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile. Allamerican Inca is owned by Adam Victor and Son stable, whose first foray into stakes colt ownership was a successful one -- their Mr. Muscleman earned more than $1 million on his way to 2003 divisional and Breeders Crown honors.

In the second elimination, Rocknroll Hanover, the fastest two-year-old of all time due to a record of 1:49.4 in the Metro final at Woodbine, will seek a berth in the final from post four. Shanghai Phil, a son of Triple Crown winner Blissfull Hall, boasts a record of 11-5-3-1and earnings of $384,823 and is also seeking a shot at divisional honors for trainer Dustin Jones.

Breeders Crown U.S. $663,200 (Cdn $829,000 Est.) 2-Year-Old Colt Pace
Eliminations on Saturday, October 16

Race 6 U.S. $25,000 Cdn $31,250
1. Leading X Ample (The Panderosa - Lady Shania) Ra. Waples
2. Tobruk (Grinfromeartoear - Jazzy Empress) R. Mayotte
3. Village Jolt (Cam's Card Shark - Village Jingle) R. Pierce
4. McCabe Hall (Cambest -Modelaag) M. Baillargeon
5. Allamerican Inca (Western Hanover - Incredible Margie)D. Palone
6. Climb The Ladder (The Panderosa - Angel Be Great) R. Silverman
7. Dawn Ofa New Day (Western Ideal - Dawn Q) J. Campbell
8. Pan Cartwright (The Panderosa - Tinker Bell)D. Dube
9. Speed Demon (Life Sign - Silky Satin) B. Sears

Race 8 U.S. $25,000 Cdn $31,250
1. Panoramic (The Panderosa -Dominique Semalu) M. Saftic
2. Philosopher King (Artsplace - Her Mattjesty) D. Miller
3. Eleven A M (Falcon Seelster - Imustbedreamin) K. Wallis
4. Rocknroll Hanover (Western Ideal - Rich N Elegant) B. Sears
5. Beretta Hall (Blissfull Hall - Broadway Comeback) D. Miller
6. Roddys Bags Again (Dragon Again - Get The Bags) C. Christoforou
7. Shanghai Phil (Blissfull Hall - Matter Of Style) M. Lachance
8. Beach Boy Joey (Jennas Beach Boy - Prada Girl) L. Ouellette
9. Kublai Pan (The Panderosa - Mystical Maddy) J. Campbell

Elimination winners may pick their post positions.

Quik Pulse Mindale & Others Supplement to Breeders Crown Events
October 11, 2004

The fastest sophomore pacing colt of 2004 and two sire stake champion fillies were supplemented at a price of US$62,500 to the Breeders Crown three-year-old events, to be raced Saturday, Oct. 23 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ont., Canada.

Quik Pulse Mindale, the fastest three-year-old pacer of 2004 and a world record holder with a record of 1:48 was supplemented by owner Lloyd Arnold after suffering just the second defeat of the season in the Tattersalls at Lexington on Saturday. The son of three-time Breeders Crown champion Jenna's Beach Boy has 11 wins in 13 starts and $435,131 in earnings this year. Trained by Mike Arnold and driven by Tony Morgan, Quik Pulse Mindale is still in the forefront for divisional honors.

Despite Breeders Crown eligible Rainbow Blue's year-long dominance of her division, the connections of both L Dee's Val and Invitro wrote checks for US$ 62,500 to compete in the US $500,000 (est.) Three-Year-Old Filly Pace. This Crown division has been won four times by supplements, including 2001 Horse of the Year Bunny Lake and subsequent divisional champions Popcorn Penny, Odie's Fame and Burning Point.

L Dee's Val, owned by Deanna Dumain, Valerie Kutil and Frank Baldachino and trained by Mark Capone, is a winner of seven of nine starts this year and $212,500. She has not lost a race since finishing third in the Fan Hanover on August 28 behind Rainbow Blue and Kikikatie. Her last five victories include two legs of the NJSS and the $75,000 Final as well as a pair of late-closing events at Lexington's Red Mile.

Owners Gord Irwin and Mike Ross of Ontario also went to the well to supplement their regional star, Invitro. The daughter of 1991 Breeders Crown champion Camluck set a track and stakes record in winning the $130,000 Ontario Sire Stakes Gold Final last Saturday, pushing her seasonal earnings to $526,746 from 11 wins in 16 starts.

There are no supplemental entries permitted for two-year-olds. Regular entries for eligible three-year-old trotters and pacers are due by 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12 at the Woodbine race office. Eliminations, if needed, for three-year-olds will be raced on Saturday, Oct. 16, , and elimination winners may pick their post position for the finals.

The $4.2 million (est.) divisional championships for two-and three-year-old trotters and pacers has finals scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 23 at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Canada. Post time is 7:20 p.m.

Entries Close on Monday, October 11, 2004 for Breeders Crown Events
October 11, 2004

The Woodbine entry box closed Monday morning on 38 freshman trotters and filly pacers with Crown aspirations. Only the two-year-old filly pacers, with 21 entered, will race eliminations on Thursday, Oct. 14.

There are three $25,000 eliminations carded, and standout Cabrini Hanover, the leading money-winner in the divisions with $336,010, drew post seven in the same elim in which her chief rival, Restive Hanover, drew the rail. Cabrini Hanover has won four of her five 2004 starts, including the Robert Stewart stakes and She's A Great Lady elimination and final, setting a world record of 1:51 in the latter.

Harvest and Bluegrass stake winner Western Cruise also drew the seven post in her elimination and will face challenges from Art's Bid, a winner of $132,850, and Righteous Renee, who won her divisions of the Harvest and Champlain stakes.

Trainer Mark Harder, whose stables leads all those in North America with more than $6 million in purse money, will send Allamerican Coed to the eliminations in hopes of advancing to capture his first Crown championship. Fast Ruffles, recent winner of the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes in Lexington is also in that elim.

Elimination winners may pick their post position for the finals. Eliminations were not necessary for the freshman trotters which drew nine colts and 10 fillies.

US $576,800 (Cdn $721,000) 2-Year-Old Filly Pace
Saturday, October 23 at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ont., Canada
Three $25,000 elimination heats will be raced Thursday, October 14

RACE 2
1. DEBUPANTE (D. Dube)
2. SHOW TIME (B. Sears)
3. DIGGA DIGGA (Ra. Waples)
4. RIGHTEOUS RENEE (C. Christoforou)
5. SAVANNAH SKY (P. MacDonell)
6. ART'S BID (A. Miller)
7. WESTERN CRUISE (S. Condren)

RACE 4
1. CRYSTAL SLIPPER (J. Campbell)
2. THEREAL IDEAL (J. Campbell)
3. ODDS ON LAINA (J. Campbell)
4. FAST RUFFLES (R. Pierce)
5. PANGLADESH (J. Campbell)
6. PACIFIC SUPREME (C. Christoforou)
7. ALLAMERICAN COED (G. Brennan)

RACE 6
1. RESTIVE HANOVER (A. Miller)
2. SECRET DEAL (J. Campbell)
3. WEST END (G. Brennan)
4. CALAMITY PAN (L. Ouellette)
5. TOWN PRO MISS (J. Moiseyev)
6. PANNE ALA VODKA (D. Dube)
7. CABRINI HANOVER (M. Lachance)

Just 19 freshman trotters entered their respective Crown divisions. With no eliminations needed, the trotters will go straight to the finals on Saturday, Oct. 23.

In the $525,900 Two-Year-Old Colt Trot, divisional stand out Ken Warkentin will look to clinch a Crown title and subsequent year-end honors from post eight. The son of Yankee Glide, named for Canadian native and current Meadowlands track announcer Ken Warkentin, brings a six-race win streak to the Crown final. The colt towers over the field in earnings with $380,290 made to date. None of the other eight contestants has broken the $100,000 mark, though trainer Don Swick has twice pulled off major upsets in Crown competition and is hoping to repeat the feat with Victory Photo, a recent winner of the International Stallion stakes at Lexington at 130-1, returning $262.20.

US $525,900 (Cdn $657,375) 2-Year-Old Colt Trot
Saturday, October 23 at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ontario
NO ELIMINATIONS

1. DRIVEN SAKRA (Y. Gingras)
2. SOUTHFORK (R. Pierce)
3. VICTORY PHOTO (Y. Gingras)
4. GETTINDOWNANDDIRTY (P. MacDonell)
5. TRAVELIN LITE (J. Campbell)
6. MUSCLESEXTRODINAIR (B. Sears)
7. CELEBRITY MASTER (D. Dailey)
8. KEN WARKENTIN (D. Miller)
9. VINO CAMIELLE (S. Condren)

The full field of 10 trotting fillies are more evenly matched than their male counterparts, and once again, Jimmy Takter who trains both Cabrini Hanover and Ken Warkentin, has the standout in the group. Solveig whose five wins in seven starts have garnered $320,092, drew post nine and will be driven by David Miller. Solveig, also a daughter of Yankee Glide, brings her own five-race win streak to the Crown, including divisions of the Oakville and International Stallion stakes as well as the elim and final of the Oakville. She will face competition from Strong Tea, Honour Way and Twin B Senorita, among others.

US $556,900 (Cdn $698,625) 2-Year-Old Filly Trot
Saturday, October 23 at Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ontario
NO ELIMINATIONS

1. TWIN B SENORITA (J. Campbell)
2. FLIRTIN MISS (J. Campbell)
3. HONOUR WAY (C. Christoforou)
4. LADYMATIC (G. Brennan)
5. TRACI SPUR (R. Stillings)
6. PHILHALLMONIC (P. Lachance)
7. DARLING MONIQUE (D. Irvine Jr.)
8. STRONG TEA (T. Ritchie)
9. SOLVEIG (D. Miller)
10. SEDUCER HALL (R. Pierce)