Breeders Crown: Gingras, Miller divvy up Open eliminations

Hannelore Hanover led the Burke brigade in the Breeders Crown Open Trot division on Saturday night at Hoosier Park, capturing the first of two $25,000 eliminations and leading a sweep along with stablemate Crazy Wow in the second. Hannelore Hanover and Crazy Wow were both steered by Yannick Gingras, and the two took almost identical paths to victory.

First it was world champion Hannelore Hanover rebounding from a surprising defeat at Hoosier a week earlier to score in 1:52 4/5, posting a 27 second final quarter after Gingras was able to cruise through relatively soft fractions. Mambo Lindy finished sharply for second, with J L Cruze third. Il Sogno Dream and Pinkman completed the qualifiers in this division.

"She did what she was supposed to do," said Burke of Hannelore Hanover, a 1-5 winner. "We tried different shoes on her last week and tonight we put the old ones back on."

Crazy Wow was used a little harder in his elimination division, at least for the first quarter posted in 26 3/5. Once in control, the son of Crazed looked every bit as imposing as he was a week earlier in the Harry Harvey Invitational at Yonkers. Crazy Wow powered away from six rivals in 1:53 as an 8-5 choice, with a blanket finish revealing Marion Marauder as the runner-up. Lookslikeachpndale held on to the third spot, with Homicide Hunter and Resolve making it to the final. Resolve had remained inside in third and was under an all-out drive late to qualify.

Mach It So and David Miller took control early and bravely held off a first-over assault by 4-5 choice Sintra on the final turn to score in the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for Open Pacers in 1:48 2/5.Dean GilletteMach It So won for the first time since the William Haughton Memorial back in July

Mach It So took control in a 26 1/5 opening quarter and then rated the half in 54 3/5 for Miller. Jody Jamieson came on a full sprint past that station to get on even terms with the winner through three-quarters in 1:21 1/5, but in the homestretch the 7-year-old son of Mach Three dug in gamely under a drive and prevailed easily over a flying McWicked. Missile J, Rock N' Roll World and Sintra completed the qualifiers for next Saturday's final.
It was the fourth win in 22 seasonal starts for the Jeff Bamond Jr.-trained Mach It So, who paid $11 to win.

David Miller came back to sweep the Open Pace Crown eliminations with 6-5 shot Dealt A Winner in game fashion and a 1:49 3/5 mile.

Keystone Velocity and Mel Mara took center stage early in this contest, with Keystone Velocity and Dan Dube in control through a 27 1/5 opening panel. The fractions were slow for this class, and first Mel Mara and Corey Callahan regained the front, then the favorite Dealt A Winner moved with purpose to be in control through the 54 4/5 first-half. All Bets Off made a long uncovered bid but couldn't reach the winner through a three-quarters in 1:22 3/5.

In the stretch horses fanned out and Dealt A Winner bore out, opening up room along the inside for Keystone Velocity and Split The House, but Miller kept Dealt A Winner on his mission and held off that pair safely to the wire. Manhattan Beach finished wide for fourth, with All Bets Off fifth and qualifying. Dealt A Winner is trained by Mark Silva and won for the fifth time in 16 starts this year.

"He's been racing in top form for quite a while," said Miller of Dealt A Winner.