There are many stories we can look forward to in the sport in 2026, but no list can be compiled that doesn't start with the name Beau Jangles. The brilliant, undefeated son of Cattlewash went through a dozen starts - all but one at Woodbine Mohawk Park - and was exhilarating, offering the industry perhaps just a glimpse of what could become the sport's greatest horse of all time. One start nor one year completes the story, and that's why the 2026 season should be more compelling, whether it's going to be a repeat of what 2025 proved or if an entirely different landscape - with traveling and different racetracks - will be a hurdle that shows any weakness in Beau Jangles' arsenal. For what I saw this year in Beau Jangles, there was certainly an aura about the horse, and it was ever-present in the fight he put up when challenged in the homestretch. When other high-quality colts came after him, they always struggled to keep going when they got close to him. Was there a magnetic field that repelled all challengers or just the presence of greatness that equines recognize and willingly play second best to? It's impossible to tell if there will be any wear and tear on the horse despite the dozen starts and the incredible speed shown at the outset of his career. We all marvel at just how quickly our 2-year-olds come to speed these days, but it was implausible to many that any freshman could make his first start and pace in 1:50 1/5. That Beau Jangles made his last start and captured the Breeders Crown in 1:48 3/5 on a much colder night against a more diverse and substantive field just scratches the surface of what lies ahead. As with all future predictions it is always safe to look to the past to find clues to what might be ahead. In the case of Beau Jangles the past is in his pedigree and his first year at the track mirrors to some degree much of what was happening in New York in 2000 when a daughter of Precious Bunny named Bunny Lake started to make a name for herself as a freshman. Bunny Lake's daughter Bunny's Legacy is the dam of Mrs Major Hill, the dam of Beau Jangles. So, Beau Jangles' great-great granddam Bunny Lake may be a good horse to use when seeking guidance for his potential as a sophomore. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter For some context, Bunny Lake won eight of her 12 races as a freshman, campaigning mostly in New York but on the Grand Circuit as well. Bunny Lake wasn't perfect for sure, but she did a lot of traveling and raced against the best away from her home turf in her initial year. What makes Bunny Lake's story interesting, at least when juxtaposed with Beau Jangles, is how she evolved into the 2001 Horse of the Year, winning an astonishing 19 of her 21 starts as a sophomore with her two defeats second-place finishes. For my purposes, the relation of a former Horse of the Year to another with that potential isn't that alarming. The key element is the evolution of Bunny Lake in her transition from a freshman to sophomore that could be indicative of a family trait the two may in fact share. With over 20 years removed there have been a major number of changes in the sport's key races and locations, and thus 2026 will provide Beau Jangles a canvas that his predecessors didn't have to deal with. With a strong provincial program in Ontario, Beau Jangles' races outside the province may limit just how often he'll need to travel and just how far from home he will have to go. His trainer Dr. Ian Moore has a history of showing up for major contests, and I would expect Beau Jangles to be the star attraction wherever he should go. It's only 10 months away, but I have to say how exciting it is to see the 2026 Breeders Crown making a stop at Scioto Downs for the entire 12-race Crown extravaganza. The Buckeye State's revival has been powerful, and a once-forgotten state now consistently produces some of the best horses in North America while housing top stallions on both the pacing and trotting side. The reward of getting to host an event of this magnitude with all the sport's stars descending on Columbus, Ohio, seems guaranteed to draw more interest from local fans, as well as bring in large numbers from outside the area. It's going to be a must-see event on October 23-24. If 2025 showed anything when it comes to predicting just how smoothly a sophomore trotting season would go to and past the Hambletonian, the path towards the sport's premier event is once again going to be fascinating. There were multiple points within the freshman season in 2025 when different horses showed up to win significant stakes events. The rise of Apex - the Mohawk Million champion and Peter Haughton Memorial winner - to the front of the class looked apparent until he was picked off in the Breeders Crown by stablemate Spencer Hanover. Spencer Hanover had a huge late-season run but still couldn't hold off Diabolic Hill when the two met in the Valley Victory at the end of the campaign. If anything, the last few months of the year that included Kentucky Championship winner Endurance (second in the Million) and his Bluegrass rival Silverstein showed just how deep this division is. The Wellwood winner Ardonne was competitive with both Apex and Diabolic Hill in the New Jersey Sire Stakes before his signature victory at Woodbine Mohawk Park. On his game he was every bit as talented as others on this list. If history is to be our guide there are more than likely dozens of other sophomore trotters with potential to find a path towards the 2026 Hambletonian, some we've never seen race before. Expect 2026 to be a year where records are shattered.