Breeders Crown: T C I, Daiquiri Hanover reign in 3YO Colt Trot eliminations

T C I marched to the front into the first turn and never looked back for driver David Miller, capturing the first of two $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for sophomore male trotters at the Meadowlands on Saturday night (Oct. 19).

T C I, a son of Cantab Hall and out of the Dream Vacation-sired mare Nicole's Promise, raced on Lasix for the first time in his career and wasted no effort in gaining control for early lead through a 27 3/5 opening quarter. Secret Agent Man followed in second through the trip, and there was no movement to the outside prior to the 56 2/5 first-half. The pace of the race picked up on the far turn as Sig Sauer pulled to gain cover, and Amazing Catch moved in front to go on the offensive shortly before three-quarters. The jockeying for outside position allowed Miller the freedom to back the pace down with T C I to 1:24 2/5.

Once into the homestretch, T C I, a colt trained by Ron Burke, accelerated away from his rivals and won by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:51 1/5. Secret Agent Man trailed him in second with Security Protected third. Sig Sauer raced off cover and held his ground in the stretch for fourth, ahead of Amazing Catch, the last qualifier for the final from the first elimination.

"I let him trot finishing and he went right through the wire," said Miller of T C I's closing kick.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi, T C I was bred by Concord Stud Farm. T C I returned $6.80 to win.

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In the second $25,000 elimination race, Daiquiri Hanover, making his first competitive start since July, rallied from last to capture the contest for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt, zooming past dueling leaders Karl and Highland Kismet to score by a neck at odds of 79-1 in a 1:51 3/5 clocking. The son of Bar Hopping from the Donato Hanover-sired dam Dab Hanover won for just the third time in his 10-race career.

The action was heated from the start in this trial as Tony Adams S secured the lead before the 27 second first quarter and then stung favored Karl three-eighths of a mile before yielding command. Yannick Gingras had 2-5 favorite Karl at the half in 55 2/5 but saw pressure through the third quarter as Highland Kismet and driver Tim Tetrick applied serious pressure. Following a three-quarter clocking in 1:23 2/5, the dueling leaders found company coming from all locations. While Daiquiri Hanover and Svanstedt had a clear path, as did runner-up Greenspan, Tony Adams S was not as lucky, with Dexter Dunn weaving for space late to gain the show spot. Private Access and Louis Roy cleared late along the pylons for fourth. Both Highland Kismet and Karl were locked in a duel for the final spot, but Karl, who finished sixth, inherited it when fifth-place finisher Highland Kismet broke late and was disqualified.

Hanover Shoe Farms bred Daiquiri Hanover, a $170,000 yearling purchase in Kentucky by owners Ake Svanstedt Inc, Stable Why Not and Tomas Andersson.

Daiquiri Hanover's followers were rewarded with a $160.40 pari-mutuel payoff for win.

"We found out he had a chip in his front ankle after the Hambletonian," said Sarah Svanstedt of Daiquiri Hanover's absence. "He had the surgery, and he really didn't lose much conditioning."

As for winning from post nine in a field of this caliber, Svanstedt said, "I wasn't sure he'd be ready for this."

Daiquiri Hanover and T C I will both draw for posts within the first six spots for next week's Breeders Crown final. The post draw for that event will take place on Tuesday afternoon.