Breeders Crown: Blazin Lou wouldn't be denied in 2-Year-Old Colt Pace final

Blazin Lou wrapped up night one of the 2026 Breeders Crown at Eldorado Scioto Downs with a game 1:50 1/5 track-record-equaling performance to snatch the $700,000 Grade 1 final for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings as the 6-5 favorite.

Securing the pylon draw after romping with a 1:50 4/5 mile in his elimination last week, Blazin Lou (driven by Dexter Dunn) got away toward the middle of the pack as Shalom Hanover (Louis Roy) barreled alongside other elimination winner Starstruck Dreamer (Todd McCarthy) for the lead. Shalom Hanover pushed past Starstruck Dreamer to take command past a 26 2/5 first quarter, at which point Dunn swung Blazin Lou outside for clearance and lucked into cover as post nine starter L A Captain (Bob McClure) eagerly muscled three-wide to cross into the first-over slot approaching a 55 3/5 half.

L A Captain began to tire from the wide trip midway up the backstretch, prompting Dunn to spring Blazin Lou three-wide to attack Shalom Hanover. Blazin Lou ranged up toward the leader passing three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 and stayed at his throat all through the last turn before throwing some rough steps rounding for home. Upon straightening, Blazin Lou kept grinding and overhauled Shalom Hanover while also staving off the open-stretch rally from Starstruck Dreamer late to win by a quarter-length. Starstruck Dreamer settled for second with Shalom Hanover giving way for third and Eastie Boy (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) taking fourth from a ground-saving trip.

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"We got out-sped early (and) he just got a little scrambly when the gate left," Dunn said after the race. "I probably wanted to get out a little bit closer, but we'd come out in the first turn and obviously got cover. The horse was travelling fantastic the whole mile and he had to dig deep late. It was a great effort from him. When I peeled him three-wide he was moving with authority - he just ducked over a couple of strides. We straightened him up and he powered on from there."

Blazin Lou, a colt by 2011 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace champ Sweet Lou out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Beautiful Lady, gave Dunn his second Breeders Crown victory of the night, as well as his second in this division after he won in 2023 with Gem Quality. The colt, with his 1:50 1/5 effort that equaled the track record for 2-year-old pacing colts set in 2022 by Act Fast, also gave trainer Tony Dinges his first Breeders Crown trophy with the first horse he's ever sent into the series.

"Tony does a great job - he turns them out and they're always ready to roll on race day," Dunn said. "This horse has come alive this late in the year, but he’s beautiful; he looks like a 3-year-old. He’s got a stride like a 4-year-old, so he's done a great job."

"It's amazing. I never dreamed it would happen," Dinges said. "About halfway through the season he kept getting better and I didn’t think we saw the bottom of him at that point. I thought he was going to get it. He kept digging and about 50 feet before the wire I could tell he was home."

Dinges trains Blazin Lou for Rick Berks of Paris, Ky., who purchased the colt bred by Cornerstone Stock Farm for $110,000 from the 2025 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Berks also collected his second Breeders Crown trophy in the 2-Year-Old Colt Pace after winning when 18-1 shot Boston Red Rocks vaulted from near last to first in the 2015 edition at Woodbine Racetrack.

"That was awesome. When he ended up three-deep on the back turn over there I was like 'Oh, wow,'" said Berks, "but he came on. I was happy for sure. Steve Elliott broke him, trained him - he got a little ill, Tony took over what he sent up here and Tony did a great job with him. To come back and win another one is incredible."

Blazin Lou paid $4.40 to win.