JK She’salady star of Breeders Crown weekend
On Friday and Saturday at the Meadowlands Racetrack, 115 of the best Standardbreds in the sport will compete for divisional championships and $5.5 million worth of purse money in the 31st edition of the Breeders Crown.
Four Crown finals for females will be run on Friday as races 7-10. On Saturday, eight more championship races are on tap, forming pick four wagers with guaranteed pools of $50,000 (races 4-7) and $100,000 (races 8-11). Those wagering on DRF Bets will receive a 15 percent bonus on winning tickets.
Although most of the premier fillies and mares will compete on Friday, the top-ranked horse in the country, JK She’salady, is scheduled to compete on Saturday in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing fillies. The Nancy Johansson-trained JK She’salady has yet to lose in 11 career starts.
:: Breeders Crown: Watch the Friday and Saturday cards live
“I don’t think she is in a position where she will get beat, but it could happen,” Johansson said. “I don’t think it will, though.”
JK She’salady is owned by the 3 Brothers Stable and will be driven by Hall of Famer Ron Pierce.
Seasonal earnings leader Father Patrick ($1,443,081), who has spent the last few months attempting to live down his Hambletonian break as the heavy favorite, will try to get back on track in the $500,000 Crown for 3-year-old trotting colts. The Jimmy Takter trainee faces his red-hot stablemate Nuncio with year-end honors on the line. While Nuncio has won five straight races and Father Patrick is coming off a break at Dover Downs on Nov. 6, both colts possess identical 11-for-16 records in 2014 and are separated in earnings by just over $45,000.
Saturday’s marquee race is the $500,000 Breeders Crown open trot. European invader Commander Crowe was installed as the 3-1 morning-line choice despite drawing post 9 in the 10-horse field that includes seven millionaires. Past Hambletonian winner Market Share is the second choice at 7-2 from post 2, and Maven, the lone female in the field, is 4-1 from post 4.
The Friday spotlight is on three spectacular fillies. Shake It Cerry will put her eight-race win streak on the line in the $500,000 3-year-old filly trot. Color’s A Virgin sports a seven-race run of victories and seeks to lock down her divisional title in the $593,750 sophomore filly pace. The fastest 2-year-old trotter in the sport, Mission Brief (1:50 3/5), will try to avoid her behind-the-gate breaking issues and win for the ninth time in 13 starts this year.
The action on both Breeders Crown nights gets underway at 7:15 p.m. Eastern.