Breeders Crown: Diabolic Hill delivers in 3-Year-Old Colt Trot final

Everything has come together for Diabolic Hill in 2026 in the last few weeks, as he backed up victories in an overnight race at Harrah's Philadelphia on Oct. 8 and his elimination a week ago with a 1:50 4/5 career-best mile in the Grade 1 $664,500 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Trot final on Saturday (October 24) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer/co-owner Annie Stoebe, Diabolic Hill got away smoothly from post three and drove on two-wide to take the lead away from Nix Nacken (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) past the 27 4/5 quarter-mile marker. Diabolic Hill would then be challenged by 4-5 favorite by fellow elimination victor Big Ranger (Tim Tetrick), and Big Ranger grabbed control on the way to the 55 3/5 half. As that clocking was going up on the board, Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) got rolling first-over out of fourth, giving cover to Hambletonian champion Apex (Dexter Dunn).

Big Ranger remained clear on the way to three-quarters in 1:22 3/5 as Inexpressable stalled out next to the pocket-sitting Diabolic Hill, and when Inexpressable dropped back on the last turn, that gave McCarthy space to swing to the outside before they turned for home. In the stretch Diabolic Hill had dead-aim at Big Ranger, and when Big Ranger threw in a couple of rough steps, that opened the door for Diabolic Hill to surge by. From there, Diabolic Hill went on to prevail by a length over Nix Nacken in the passing lane, with Big Ranger third. Inexpressable held fourth and Read The Room (Ake Svanstedt) got up for fifth.

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"It's pretty special. Annie had this planned out for the end of the year, and when a plan comes to fruition like that, it's a great job," said McCarthy, who collected his fourth Breeders Crown trophy. "He's been a tricky horse throughout the year. He's had a couple of little hurdles, and Annie's done a great job managing him, figuring him out and getting him to where he is tonight. He was super.

"He's just seemed to have been finishing a little stronger. He likes racing on a five-eighths-mile track as well. I think that's probably helped. He's just peaked right at the right time this horse. It was one of those races tonight; I said to Annie going out I wasn't real sure what was going to happen. We were just going to try to map it out as we went. Fortunately it worked out."

A Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream colt, Diabolic Hill is the second Breeders Crown champion for breeder Am Bloodstock and the first for Stoebe as owner or trainer, which is also the case for co-owners Mario Mazza and Ac Crawford Racing Stable. A $300,000 buy at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Diabolic Hill has a summary of 8-6-3 from 21 starts and went over the $1 million mark in career earnings, with his bankroll at $1,077,155.

"It is a dream come true. It's been a goal of my life since I got in this business," remarked Stoebe. "I just looked at Jeremy (assistant trainer Jeremy Morrison), and said 'Did it actually just happen?' What an amazing horse, an amazing drive and I couldn't be happier. I was screaming (down the stretch). I was absolutely screaming. It's surreal.

"It's been a lot of hours, but this sure makes up for it."

The 6-1 fourth choice in the wagering, Diabolic Hill paid $15.20 to win.