Breeders Crown: Pebble Beach, Bythemissal best in 3YO Colt Pace elims

Pebble Beach and Bythemissal gave sire Downbytheseaside victories in both C$33,750 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Pace eliminations on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

In the first elimination driver Todd McCarthy moved out of fourth with Pebble Beach past the 26 2/5 opening quarter and was in control before the 54 1/5 half. After taking over the top spot, Pebble Beach easily dealt with a tepid first-over move by All About The Hunt (Yannick Gingras) on the final bend, put that foe away prior to the 1:22 three-quarters, and sprinted home in 26 3/5 to score by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:48 3/5. Birthday (David Miller) held second after yielding for the pocket, and Ponda Warrior (Scott Zeron) closed well from last and off excess cover to get third. Also moving on were Fourever Boy (Dexter Dunn) and Dreamfair Arnie B (Tim Tetrick).

Bred by Brittany Farms, Pebble Beach is trained by Noel Daley for owners Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres Inc., and Laexpressfoderadeovolente. This was the North America Cup champion's 14th career win, and he has now earned C$1,407,250. He paid $2.70 to win as the 1-5 favorite.

"This was the best he's been," said Daley. "He finished it off. Todd said he was like a different horse tonight. I don't know if it was the Lasix that made the difference but tonight, that was even better than he was earlier in the year. He was really sharp during the week here, literally kicking his shoes off in the paddock. So, I'm glad he just finished it off and showed that he's back to form."

Bythemissal was supplemented to the event for $72,000 and got some of that payment back after his 1:49 1/5 tally in the other elimination. Driver Chris Page looped him from third to the engine past the 27 2/5 opening quarter and after registering middle-half panels of 54 4/5 and 1:23, he got home in 26 1/5 to hold pocket-sitter I Did It Myway (Andy McCarthy) at bay by three-quarters of a length. Greatest Ending (Mark MacDonald), Mad Max Hanover (Tetrick), and Captain Cowboy (Dunn) also went into the final.

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"I'm always a little apprehensive of who's on the outside, but the horse felt really good," said Page. "Kind of got a nice third quarter breather, so I knew he'd have a pretty good punch coming home."

Ron Burke trains Bythemissal, who was bred by Dr. Stephen Dey III, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing LLC., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Bythemissal has a record of 13-2-0 from 15 career starts, and he has now banked C$1,000,400. He returned $3.50 to win as the chalk.

The post position draw for the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Pace final will take place at a press conference on Tuesday evening.

--quotes courtesy of Woodbine Communications--