Harness: Revisiting the Breeders Crown players and performances

It's a stretch that goes on forever, but in the end horses race the exact same distance.

That's my first takeaway from the dozen Breeders Crown races held this past weekend at Harrah's Hoosier Park. It begs the question: Do horses know the end of the mile?

Friday night brought truly one of the greatest finishes in Crown history as the camera couldn't separate the undefeated Perfect Sting from Summa Cum Laude, a first Crown dead-heat. While some have already pointed to the fact that though Perfect Sting is undefeated in 2020 he is not untied. There are now two occasions where Perfect Sting shared the winner's circle.

Hopefully there will be no asterisks attached to Perfect Sting in the future because he embodies precisely what all breeders are in search of. He's a racehorse with the genetic make-up of champions on both sides of the ledger that has done something we rarely see. He has been educated and developed weekly while still winning races in all manners. Trainer Joe Holloway rightfully credited his owners and breeders George Segal (Brittany Farms) and Martin Granoff (Val D'or Farms) for mapping out a strict schedule. Still, Holloway deserves enormous credit for keeping everything on schedule and most definitely having his horse prepared for the big one.

Driver David Miller executed his Breeders Crown drive nicely behind Perfect Sting, placing the Always B Miki-sired colt in front where he remained right to the wire. Summa Cum Laude had a big lead against Perfect Sting in Kentucky only to see that one track him down on the wire on perhaps Perfect Sting's best effort of the year. That he came back to earn the dead-heat on Friday was a product of driver Brian Sears' patience and something we all need but can't always count on, and that is luck. For had Abuckabett Hanover, who had attacked coverless for Andy McCarthy on the final turn and was nearing the leader, not made a nasty break in stride at head-stretch, Sears may have had a longer wait to find racing room for Summa Cum Laude.

While Perfect Sting came into and left Indiana undefeated for a winter retirement at Brittany Farms, Party Girl Hill would see her unblemished record come to an end in her 15th career start. For the brilliant daughter of Captaintreacherous the Hoosier Park stretch was an obstacle, but at the same time so were two exceptional fillies on both of her flanks. In order to achieve greatness in this sport you have to go up against the best and be your best. Party Girl Hill on Saturday night couldn't shake race-winner Peaky Sneaky as driver Yannick Gingras made the favorite work in order to get his pocket placement and then got the most from his Bettor's Delight-sired filly when it mattered most. Lyons Sentinel, who looked much better scoring down before this race than I've seen her all season long, once again got denied a Breeders Crown victory despite another unbelievable trip.

Bettor's Wish joined Lyons Sentinel in the category of horses that have been favored and done all of the work in a mile only to be defeated twice by horses that just had easier trips. The 4-year-old Bettor's Wish was looking to rebound from the upset victory of Dancin Lou in last year's 3-year-old championship and despite landing post nine driver Dexter Dunn appeared to have a solid game plan mapped out as the $500,000 Open Pace unfolded. Dunn put Bettor's Wish in a four-hole early and then marched up without cover on favorite Backstreet Shadow, a horse it appeared he knew he could pass when he wanted to.

Dunn got what he wanted and was able to edge Bettor's Wish to the lead in mid-stretch, but when the passing lane opened Century Farroh took advantage of the room and won the sprint to the wire. It was the second time this season Century Farroh had gotten by Bettor's Wish deep in the stretch at Hoosier, with the first being his upset in the Dan Patch in August. Century Farroh had the easiest sort of trips, as he was lucky to fall into a two-hole before the opening turn and somehow stay there until an eighth-of-a-mile remained.

That Somebeachsomewhere's name came up on Saturday night shouldn't have been surprising. The late-great racehorse and stallion has left an indelible mark on the breed and that continued with his sons' and daughters' superior efforts. Kissin In The Sand, Summa Cum Laude, Fire Start Hanover and Sandbetweenmytoes gave his progeny two-thirds of the possible Crown trophies this past weekend. Of course, the first three names had a clear chance in their finals while Sandbetweenmytoes, the longest shot by far to capture a Breeders Crown at 203-1, distinguished his sire in an entirely different manner.

It was the 3-year-old colt and gelding Breeders Crown final that saw the gelded Sandbetweenmytoes come from the clouds on the far outside to pass seven rivals that all appeared to be in some form of suspended animation during the last eighth of a mile. The pictures don't lie and again as we saw earlier this year in the North America Cup elimination, simply surrounding Tall Dark Stranger on all sides with an eighth-of-a-mile to go is no recipe for his defeat. As he did in September at Woodbine Mohawk Park when attacked on all flanks, Tall Dark Stranger transmitted a will that has been emblematic of his brilliant career. It was a sign that suggests not only does Tall Dark Stranger know what he's made of but that those coming along his side are left powerless to go by.

The lopsided nature of the fractions in the Breeders Crown sophomore pace (52 3/5 first half and 56 final half) impacted the front end and the back end in this field, and at least on this night, allowed the one-run specialist Sandbetweenmytoes the opportunity to accelerate while others were in neutral. When he did it in the first heat of the Little Brown Jug he appeared to be the best horse that day. A different trip in the final proved his undoing.

Sandbetweenmytoes gave trainer Jim Campbell his second Crown victory on Saturday night following the upset of Next Level Stuff against the sophomore trotting fillies. Campbell's Crystal Fashion nearly gave him a third win on the card and a second major upset when he overcame post nine and gave Gimpanzee a race in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot. Crystal Fashion would be a clear second as Gimpanzee won his third Breeders Crown in succession. While the race was handicapped to be a two-horse contest between Gimpanzee and Atlanta, the duel never unfolded. Gimpanzee was able to get an easy regain and a very moderate half. By the time Yannick Gingras pulled Atlanta to go up without cover, Brian Sears had Gimpanzee shift gears on the final turn and assure the two would never see eye-to-eye.

Overall The Breeders Crown in 2020 was very much like others in its rich past. When you get to the end of the stakes season horses and horsemen go harder at each other than at any other time of the year. That many horses don't have to come back for another race or races gives drivers the willingness to push them just a bit harder. Visually it may not look that much different to some, but it's the subtle strategy of parking a rival a few extra yards that ultimately changes the dynamics of these championship races.

Essentially the Breeders Crown is harness racing at its ultimate best.