Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Top Four Prep for Breeders Crown

November 12, 2007

The top four horses in the sport’s Top 10 poll – Donato Hanover, Tell All, Always A Virgin and Southwind Tempo – were on the track for qualifiers last week in preparation for this weekend’s Breeders Crown elimination races. Hambletonian champion Donato Hanover, the No. 1-rated horse in North America, won his qualifier at Gaitway Farms in 1:54.4 with regular driver Ron Pierce in the sulky. Donato Hanover’s most recent race was Oct. 6 when he won the Kentucky Futurity in straight heats at Lexington’s Red Mile. His second heat time of 1:50.1 equaled the fastest trotting mile in history.

Donato Hanover has won all 11 of his starts this year and set a record for trotters for single season earnings with $2.2 million. He has a 19-race win streak dating to last year; his only loss came in his first career start. His final event will be the Breeders Crown, which holds elimination races on Nov. 17 and the final on Nov. 24.

“We’re ready to rock,” trainer Steve Elliott said. “He’s gained weight and gotten bigger. With a horse like this, you always feel good. I’d rather be in my position than anybody else’s.”

Another of Elliott’s stars, 3-year-old filly pacer Southwind Tempo, won her qualifier in 1:56 with co-owner/former trainer Toby Lynch at the lines. Southwind Tempo, who is ranked No. 4 in the sport’s Top 10 Poll, most recently finished third in the Jugette at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Ohio. She has won 15 of 19 races this season and never been worse than third.

“It was a good training mile,” Elliott said. “We like to go around (1:)55 or (1:)56 with her. We’re just trying to tighten these things up and make sure they’re ready to go. She got real sick after Delaware; she nearly got pneumonia. I wasn’t going to do anything unless she was ready, and if we missed the Breeders Crown, we missed it. We took our time and she seems to be over it.”

Always A Virgin, who is ranked No. 3 in North America, is coming off a win in the Messenger Stakes on Oct. 27 at Yonkers Raceway. He won two-thirds of the Pacing Triple Crown, capturing the Cane Pace in addition to the Messenger. He was third in the Little Brown Jug. The colt has won 12 of 18 races this year and earned $1 million.

“It was fine,” trainer Joe Holloway said. “I was going to train him, but since they had the qualifiers I figured it’s easier to be in there with horses than training him by yourself. That was his first training trip since the Messenger. I’ll train him again next week. He’ll be ready to go; he’s feeling real good.”

Tell All, who is ranked No. 2 in the poll and has won the North America Cup and Little Brown Jug, won his qualifier in 1:55.2 at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario. His most recent race was a third-place finish against older horses in the Gold Cup at Woodbine.