Breeders Crown: Spencer Hanover, Diabolic Hill deliver in 2YO Colt Trot elims

Spencer Hanover and Diabolic Hill won their $25,000 (USD) Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old male trotters Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park and will start from post positions two and three, respectively, in next week's $700,000 final.

Spencer Hanover and driver Jason Bartlett captured the first elimination, rallying from fourth at three-quarters to win by 1 1/4 lengths over pace-setter Mr Big Spender in 1:53 4/5. Im Kronos S finished third and Kingmen was fourth to advance to the final.

Diabolic Hill and driver Todd McCarthy won the second elim, taking control in the first turn and never relinquishing the lead on their way to a 1:53 1/5 triumph. Nix Nacken finished second, followed by Land The Plane and L P Bay to advance to the final. Also advancing was Cambridge Hanover, who was the fifth-place finisher with the highest earnings.

The nine finalists from the eliminations joined Apex, who advanced automatically as the winner of the Peter Haughton Memorial, in next week's final.

In the first elimination, Spencer Hanover raced in fourth while Mr Big Spender and driver Mike Wilder led the field through fractions of 28, 58, and 1:26 4/5. Mr Big Spender fended off a first-over push from 6-5 favorite Im Kronos S and driver Ake Svanstedt, but Spencer Hanover followed that rival's cover and sprinted home in 26 3/5 for the victory.

"Once I got Ake in front of me, then I knew I had really live cover," Bartlett said. "The pace wasn't too hot and pretty sensible. Obviously, the goal was to get in the final, but we got a good trip.

"In the middle of the last turn, I thought I was in the winning spot if he kicked home like he did at Vernon the other day, and he definitely did."

Spencer Hanover, who was coming off a track-record performance in the Big Apple Trot for 2-year-old colts and geldings on Oct. 11 at Vernon Downs, is trained by Marcus Melander for owners Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti. The son of Chapter Seven-Secret Passion was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. The victory was the colt's second of the season to go with three seconds and a third in 11 starts.

Friday's race was Spencer Hanover’s third since the addition of trotting hobbles.

"(People told me) he's a really nice horse," Bartlett said. "And then adding the hobbles just seems to be a little confidence builder in him."

Sent off as the 9-5 second choice, Spencer Hanover paid $5.70 to win.

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In the second elimination, which saw the late scratch of pre-race favorite Endurance, Diabolic Hill got to the front from post four and led the field to fractions of 27 4/5, 58 and 1:25 3/5 on his way to victory by 3 1/4 lengths.

"The game plan was we were probably looking to follow a helmet here in the elim, and we got left on the front there, but it was pretty soft fractions, so I was OK with it," McCarthy said. "And he trotted home really strong. He was a real professional tonight."

Diabolic Hill is trained by Annie Stoebe, who owns the colt with Mazza Racing Stables. The son of Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream was bred by AM Bloodstock. He has won four of eight races this season and hit the board an additional two times.

In his previous start, Diabolic Hill finished fourth in the Mohawk Million on Sept. 20. He qualified in 1:56 1/5 at the Meadowlands on Oct. 9 to prep for the Breeders Crown.

"I was very confident," Stoebe said. "He qualified like a beast, and the Mohawk Million really matured him. He has really turned into a nice horse to be around, and he's settled down a lot on the track, which makes him more manageable for Todd."

Sent off as the 1-2 favorite, Diabolic Hill paid $3.10.

The draw for the final was conducted following the eliminations. Elimination winners Spencer Hanover and Diabolic Hill, as well as Apex, drew for posts one through six. Here is the field in post order:

1. Apex
2. Spencer Hanover
3. Diabolic Hill
4. Nix Nacken
5. Land The Plane
6. Kingmen
7. L P Bay
8. Cambridge Hanover
9. Im Kronos S
10. Mr Big Spender