Two-year-old female pacer JK She’salady, the No. 1-ranked horse in harness racing’s weekly poll, will try to stay undefeated and older female trotter Maven will try to take down the boys when Breeders Crown eliminations are held Friday and Saturday at Meadowlands Racetrack.
A total of 156 horses entered on Tuesday for the 12 Breeders Crown events at the Meadowlands. Eliminations are unnecessary for the 3-year-old male and female trotters, as well as the Open Pace, Mare Pace and Mare Trot, so those horses advance directly to their respective finals.
The $5.4 million Breeders Crown finals will be Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, celebrating the one-year anniversary of the new Meadowlands grandstand under the management of Jeff Gural. Post time is 7:15 p.m. both nights.
Finals for 2-year-old filly trotters, 3-year-old filly trotters, 3-year-old filly pacers and mare trotters will be held Nov. 21. The remaining eight finals will be Nov. 22.
JK She’salady, unbeaten in 10 starts for trainer Nancy Johansson and owner 3 Brothers Stables, was among 15 2-year-old filly pacers to enter the Breeders Crown. The daughter of Art Major-Presidential Lady drew post five in the first of two $25,000 eliminations to be contested Friday. The top five finishers from each elim advance to the $500,000 final on Nov. 22.
Maven, purchased Saturday for $750,000 by Herb Liverman at the Standardbred Horse Sale’s Mixed Sale, will try to become the first female to win the Open Trot since Moni Maker in 1998.
The Open Trot attracted 14 entries, so a single elimination will be contested Saturday. The top six finishers will join Commander Crowe, Creatine, Intimidate, and Market Share – whose connections accepted byes – in the $500,000 final on Nov. 22. Commander Crowe received his bye by virtue of being a foreign invitee while the remaining three horses received byes based on seasonal earnings.
Maven, a 5-year-old daughter of Glidemaster-M Stewart, is a two-time Breeders Crown champion, having won the Mare Trot last year and the division for 3-year-old filly trotters in 2012. She is coming off a win in the Muscle Hill, her third victory in 11 starts this season. She drew post 10 for the elim.
The Open Trot features a deep field that includes past Breeders Crown champions Market Share, Intimidate, Arch Madness and Wheeling N Dealin, along with Commander Crowe.
Market Share captured the Open Trot last season and will try to become the first horse to win this division in back-to-back years since Fool’s Goal in 2002 and 2003.
European star Commander Crowe is making his third Breeders Crown appearance. He finished third in his previous two Crown starts, to San Pail in 2011 and Chapter Seven in 2012. The last invited foreign horse to win the Breeders Crown Trot was Italian sensation Varenne, who captured the 2001 trophy with a then-world-record 1:51.1 at the Meadowlands.
Commander Crowe and Arch Madness, who is making a record seventh appearance in the Breeders Crown series, both have earned more than $4.25 million lifetime, placing them among the top six trotters in history for career purses.
Arch Madness and Intimidate both won Breeders Crown trophies at the age of 3, while Wheeling N Dealin was the 2-year-old champion in 2012.
Sixteen horses entered the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male pacers, with eight of the division’s top nine seasonal money-earners in the group.
They are Adios winner McWicked, North America Cup champ JK Endofanera, Meadowlands Pace winner He’s Watching, Monument Circle winner Always B Miki, Little Brown Jug winner Limelight Beach, Adios runner-up Somewhere In L A, Jug runner-up Let’s Drink On It, and Cane Pace winner Lyonssomewhere.
Also entered is Luck Be Withyou, who captured last season’s Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male pacers. The last colt pacer to win at ages 2 and 3 was Artiscape in 1997 and 1998.
The $531,250 final is Nov. 22.
Fifteen horses entered the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old female pacers, where Uffizi Hanover, a daughter of Well Said-Up Front Dragonfly owned by Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband, will try for a second trophy. She won last year’s Crown for 2-year-old fillies and will try to become the first filly pacer since My Little Dragon in 2005-06 to win at ages 2 and 3.
Uffizi Hanover will start the second of two eliminations from post three on Friday. Supplemental entries Color’s A Virgin and Weeper, who rank No. 1 and 2, respectively, in seasonal earnings in the division, also are among the hopefuls vying to reach the $593,750 final on Nov. 21.
In The Arsenal (American Ideal-Ladyotra) has won six of nine starts, including the Matron Stakes, and brings a four-race win streak to the eliminations for 2-year-old male pacers. Go Daddy Go (Ponder-Sanfrancine) won the Battle of Waterloo and was second in the Governor’s Cup. Lyons Levi Lewis (Well Said-Tongue In Cheek) was second in the Metro Pace and Matron.
Following is a look at the 12 Breeders Crown divisions, with fields, beginning with eliminations. Expanded capsules are provided for races going directly to finals.
The Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Pace, 3-Year-Old Colt Trot and Open Trot will be drawn at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at a press conference at Victory Sports Bar at the Meadowlands.
FRIDAY ELIMINATIONS
2-Year-Old Filly Trot (top five from each $25,000 elimination advance to $500,000 final on Nov. 21)
Division One (Race 2): 1. Hot Start, Brian Sears, Jonas Czernyson; 2. Scented Roses, Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt; 3. Mission Brief, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 4. Gold Cora, Tim Tetrick, Rich Gillock; 5. Smexi, Corey Callahan, Jimmy Takter; 6. Lilu Hanover, Scott Zeron, Jimmy Takter; 7. Danielle Hall, Jody Jamieson, Carl Jamieson.
2-Year-Old Filly Pace (top five from each $25,000 elimination advance to $500,000 final on Nov. 22) Division One (Race 3): 1. Heavenly Bride, Brian Sears, Casie Coleman; 2. Wicked Little Minx, Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt; 3. The Show Returns, Scott Zeron, Chris Ryder; 4. Bettor N Better, Ron Pierce, Ron Burke; 5. JK She’salady, Tim Tetrick, Nancy Johansson; 6. Bettor Be Steppin, Corey Callahan, Joe Holloway; 7. Sassa Hanover, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke. Division Two (Race 6): 1. Well Hello There, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke; 2. Divine Caroline, Corey Callahan, Joe Holloway; 3. Southwind Roulette, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 4. Ideal Nuggets, David Miller, Ed Lohmeyer; 5. Heart Major, Ron Pierce, Joe Pavia Jr.; 6. Sports Chic, Jody Jamieson, Blake MacIntosh; 7. Happy Becky, David Miller, Casie Coleman; 8. Happiness, Mike Simons, John Butenschoen.
3-Year-Old Filly Pace (top five from each $25,000 elimination advance to $593,750 final on Nov. 21) Division One (Race 4): 1. Act Now, George Brennan, Nikolas Drennan; 2. Sayitall BB, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 3. Major Dancer, Brian Sears, Casie Coleman; 4. Beach Gal, Jody Jamieson, Dave Menary; 5. Table Talk, Andy Miller, Bart Dalious; 6. Nat A Virgin, Jody Jamieson, Dustin Jones; 7. Gettingreadytoroll, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter; 8. Gallie Bythe Beach, Tim Tetrick, Jim Campbell. Division Two (Race 7): 1. Beach Story, David Miller, Kelvin Harrison; 2. Color’s A Virgin, Trace Tetrick, Brian Brown; 3. Uffizi Hanover, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter; 4. Allstar Rating, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 5. Precocious Beauty, Doug McNair, Gregg McNair; 6. Sandbetweenurtoes, Brett Miller, Larry Remmen; 7. Weeper, Ron Pierce, Kelly O’Donnell.
SATURDAY ELIMINATIONS
2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot (top five from each $25,000 elimination advance to $500,000 final on Nov. 22) Division One (Race 2): 1. On The Sly, Brett Miller, Morgan McInnis; 2. Walter White, Brian Sears, Jimmy Takter; 3. The Bank, Jimmy Takter, Jimmy Takter; 4. Guess Whos Back, Brian Sears, Nikolas Drennan; 5. Pinkman, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter; 6. Habitat, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 7. Infiniti As, Charlie Norris, Anette Lorentzon; 8. Centurion ATM, Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt; 9. Sixteen Encores, Tim Tetrick, Rich Gillock. Division Two (Race 4): 1. Stonebridge Force, Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt; 2. True Blue Stride, John Campbell, Mark Harder; 3. Suit And Tie, Mike Simons, John Butenschoen; 4. Muscle Diamond, John Campbell, Brett Bittle; 5. Whataworkout, Scott Zeron, Frank Antonacci; 6. Piercewave Hanover, Corey Callahan, Ron Burke; 7. French Laundry, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter; 8. Uncle Lasse, Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter; 9. Cruzado Dela Noche, David Miller, Nancy Johansson.
2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace (top five from each $25,000 elimination advance to $500,000 final on Nov. 22) Division One (Race 8): 1. Go Daddy Go, John Campbell, Bob McIntosh; 2. Lost For Words, David Miller, Brian Brown; 3. Franzo, Scott Zeron, Jimmy Takter; 4. Sicily, Corey Callahan, Nikolas Drennan; 5. Rich Wisdom, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke; 6. Soto, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter; 7. Lyons Again, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 8. Kona Kid, Tim Tetrick, Scott McEneny; 9. Migrate Blue Chip, Rick Zeron, Luc Blais. Division Two (Race 11): 1. Traceur Hanover, Tim Tetrick, Corey Johnson; 2. Arque Hanover, Tim Tetrick, Jeff Gillis; 3. Lyons Levi Lewis, Ron Pierce, Ron Burke; 4. Bet You, Brett Miller; Jimmy Takter; 5. Hall Of Terror, Marcus Miller, Erv Miller; 6. Cooperstown, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke; 7. Tomy Terror, Corey Callahan, John Butenschoen; 8. Raylan Givens, Andrew McCarthy, Tom Cancelliere; 9. Cartoon Daddy, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 10. In The Arsenal, Brian Sears, Kelvin Harrison.
3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace (top five from each $25,000 elimination advance to $531,250 final on Nov. 22) Division One (Race 5): 1. JK Endofanera, Ron Pierce, Ron Burke; 2. Parnu Hanover, Andrew McCarthy, Tom Cancelliere; 3. Somewhere In L A, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter; 4. Always B Miki, David Miller, Joe Holloway; 5. Luck Be Withyou, Tim Tetrick, Chris Oakes; 6. He’s Watching, Tim Tetrick, Dave Menary; 7. Somesizesomestyle, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke; 8. Let’s Drink On It, Tyler Smith, Joe Seekman. Division Two (Race 7): 1. Doo Wop Hanover, Ron Pierce, Steve Elliott; 2. Caviart Luca, Brian Sears, Noel Daley; 3. McWicked, Brian Sears, Casie Coleman; 4. Lyonssomewhere, TBA, Jimmy Takter; 5. Capital Account, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter; 6. Jet Airway, Marcus Miller, Erv Miller; 7. Somestarsomewhere, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 8. Limelight Beach, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke.
Open Trot (Top six finishers from single $25,000 elimination advance to $500,000 final on Nov. 22) Elimination (Race 10): 1. Wheeling N Dealin, Rick Zeron, Luc Blais; 2. Your So Vain, Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt; 3. Flanagan Memory, Brett Miller, Rene Dion; 4. Master Of Law, Jimmy Takter, Jimmy Takter; 5. Quick Deal, Andy Miller, Julie Miller; 6. Sevruga, Andy Miller, Julie Miller; 7. Wishing Stone, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke; 8. Arch Madness, George Brennan, Trond Smedshammer; 9. Archangel, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 10. Maven, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter. Byes: Commander Crowe, Creatine, Intimidate, and Market Share.
$281,250 MARE PACE (Final: Nov. 21)
The 11-horse field for the Mare Pace in post order: 1. Camille, 2. Charisma Hanover, 3. Voelz Hanover, 4. Somwherovrarainbow, 5. Yagonnakissmeornot, 6. Shelliscape, 7. Krispy Apple, 8. Anndrovette, 9. Rocklamation, 10. Regil Elektra, 11. Venus Delight.
Anndrovette, the three-time defending Dan Patch Award winner for best older mare pacer, is a two-time Breeders Crown champion, with victories in 2011 and 2012. The 7-year-old daughter of Riverboat King-Easy Miss has won six of 20 starts this year and earned $490,352 for owners Bamond Racing and Joe Davino.
Bamond Racing, which is Jeff Bamond and Jeff Bamond Jr., also won last year’s Breeders Crown, with Shelliscape. A daughter of Artiscape-Shell I Scoot, the 5-year-old Shelliscape has won three of 23 races this season. Bamond Racing also supplemented recent purchase Venus Delight to the Mare Pace. The 4-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Venus Killean, is coming off a Nov. 7 win in the open handicap for fillies and mares at Yonkers.
Yagonnakissmeornot, a daughter of The Panderosa-Artstopper and half-sister to Breeders Crown 3-year-old colt pace contender Always B Miki, has made $476,218 this year for owners Allard Racing, Yves Sarrazin and Kapildeo Singh, meriting a $31,250 supplemental entry to the Mare Pace.
Somwherovrarainbow, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Rainbow Blue trained by Joe Holloway for owners Ted Gewertz and Diamond Creek Racing, won a Breeders Crown title in 2012 at age 2.
$500,000 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT (Final: Nov. 21)
The nine-horse field for the 3-Year-Old Filly Trot in post order: 1. Market Rally, 2. Lifetime Pursuit, 3. Shake It Cerry, 4. Struck By Lindy, 5. Cantabs Fortune, 6. Heaven’s Door, 7. Vanity Matters, 8. Riveting Rosie, 9. Cee Bee Yes.
Shake It Cerry won last year’s Breeders Crown for 2-year-old filly trotters and will try to become the first filly trotter since Cameron Hall to win at ages 2 and 3. Cameron Hall accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002. Shake It Cerry, who has won 22 of 27 career races and $1.80 million, was the 2013 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old filly trotter.
A daughter of Donato Hanover-Solveig owned by Solveig’s Racing Partners, Shake It Cerry has won 14 of 16 races this year and $980,411 for trainer Jimmy Takter. She has won eight consecutive starts since finishing fourth in the Hambletonian Oaks.
Lifetime Pursuit, also trained by Takter, won the Hambletonian Oaks as part of a six-race win streak during the summer. She has finished second in her past four starts, three times to Shake It Cerry and once to Cee Bee Yes. A daughter of Cantab Hall-Queen Of Grace, she has won eight of 17 races this year and $795,216 for owner Brittany Farms.
Takter is the leading trainer in Breeders Crown history, with 18 trophies and $8.35 million in purses. Brittany Farms is the leading owner, with 16 victories and $7.17 million in earnings.
$250,000 MARE TROT (Final: Nov. 21)
The eight-horse field for the Mare Trot in post order: 1. Intense America, 2. Classic Martine, 3. Bee A Magician, 4. Handover Belle, 5. Ma Chere Hall, 6. Charmed Life, 7. D’Orsay, 8. Mistery Woman.
Bee A Magician, who was the 2013 Horse of the Year in both the U.S. and Canada, is a past champ. She claimed the Crown for 3-year-old fillies last season on her way to a perfect 17-for-17 campaign.
A daughter of Kadabra-Beehive, Bee A Magician is owned by Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee. She has won three of 14 races this year and earned $293,914.
Classic Martine, a daughter of Classic Photo-Drinking Days, has won nine of 16 starts this year and earned $368,912 for owners Hauser Bros. Racing, Susan Oakes, Conrad Zurich and Ed Gold. The mare, who earlier this year won the Armbro Flight Stakes and Miss Versatility Series championship, is trained by Chris Oakes.
Mistery Woman won the Allerage Farms Mare Trot on Oct. 5 at The Red Mile in a world-record 1:51, edging Bee A Magician by a neck. The 4-year-old mare, a daughter of Donato Hanover-My Dolly’s Dream trained by co-owner Jonas Czernyson, lowered the previous world record of 1:51.1 shared by Bee A Magician and Classic Martine. Michael Taranto’s Aldebaran Park Inc. also shares ownership of Mistery Woman.
$400,000 OPEN PACE (Final: Nov. 22)
The seven-horse field for the Open Pace in post order: 1. Bettor’s Edge, 2. Modern Legend, 3. State Treasurer, 4. Thinking Out Loud, 5. Foiled Again, 6. Clear Vision, 7. Sweet Lou.
Foiled Again won last year’s event, becoming at the age of 9 the oldest Breeders Crown winner in history. The son of Dragon Again-In A Safe Place will try to join Bettor Sweet (2011-12), Won The West (2009-10) and Boulder Creek (2004-05) as recent horses to win this event in consecutive years.
Already the richest horse in North American harness racing history, Foiled Again has earned $718,563 this year for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables. The gelding has banked $6.74 million during his career and received the past three Dan Patch Award honors for best older male pacer.
Sweet Lou, also from the stable of trainer Ron Burke, won a Breeders Crown title in 2011 at the age of 2. The now 5-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser-Sweet Future has won 10 of 17 starts this year and $1.01 million for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr and Phil Collura.
Earlier this year, Sweet Lou set a record with six consecutive victories in faster than 1:48.
$500,000 3-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING TROT (Final: Nov. 22)
The 10-horse field for the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot in alphabetical order is Datsyuk, Don Dorado, E L Titan, Father Patrick, Harper Blue Chip, Hillustrious, Il Sogno Dream, Nuncio, Odds On Amethyst, and Sumatra.
Father Patrick, a son of Cantab Hall-Gala Dream, won the 2013 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male trotters on his way to the Dan Patch Award as the division’s best. The last colt trotter to win at ages 2 and 3 was Muscle Hill in 2008 and 2009.
Owned by the Father Patrick Stable and trained by Jimmy Takter, Father Patrick has won 11 of 16 races this year and $1.44 million. His wins include the Canadian Trotting Classic, Beal Memorial, Zweig Memorial, and Stanley Dancer Memorial.
Nuncio, also trained by Takter, has won 11 of 16 races this year and $1.39 million. He brings a five-race win streak to the Breeders Crown, with two legs of the Trotting Triple Crown – the Kentucky Futurity and Yonkers Trot – among his victories during that span. A son of Andover Hall-Nicole Isabelle owned by Stefan Melander’s Stall TZ Inc., the colt finished second in the Hambletonian.
