Meadowlands: Perfect Sting, Jujubee the morning-line favorites in 3YO male Crowns

Dr. Patty Hogan's Hogan Equine, a state-of-the-art equine medical facility, was the impressive backdrop for the post-position draws for the Breeders Crown Finals for the $600,000 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Pace and the $650,000 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Trot, which will be held this Saturday (Oct. 30) at The Meadowlands (special early post time, noon).

By virtue of his win in one of two eliminations for 3-year-old male pacers, Perfect Sting was installed as the early 5-2 morning-line favorite from post position five.

"It's a good thing we won or we probably would have had 10," said Perfect Sting's trainer, Joe Holloway. "Last week [when he won his elimination in 1:49 2/5] was the first time, since he qualified the very first time [in 2021], that I knew he had it. He's had a lot of nose losses. Like I tell [driver] David [Miller], we're six feet from greatness."

The ultra-consistent son of 2016 Horse of the Year Always B Miki has had 25 career starts and hit the board every time. In 2021, he has six wins from 15 outings and has never been beaten by more than three-quarters-of-a-length. His seasonal earnings of $973,847 are tops in the sport.

Charlie May, who won the other elim in 1:49 1/5, drew post 2 and is the 3-1 second choice.

Trained by Steve Carter and driven by Brett Miller, Charlie May has nine wins in 18 tries this season, including a victory in the $300,000 Milstein at Northfield Park. He also crossed the wire first in the $700,000 Meadowlands Pace before being disqualified for interference.

In the 3-year-old male trot, Jujubee is the 2-1 favorite from post six. The Kentucky Futurity champion came into last week's elimination seeking a seventh straight win but was gunned down at the wire by a neck in 1:52 2/5 by Cuatro De Julio in one of two eliminations.

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Cuatro De Julio will depart from post four and is listed at 9-2 for driver Lucas Wallin and trainer Marie Ortolan Bar.

Ambassador Hanover, trained and driven by Åke Svanstedt, won the other elim in 1:51 2/5 and is the 4-1 second choice from post two. The son of 2012 Horse of the Year Chapter Seven has hit the board 10 times in 14 starts this season, including 4 wins. During 2021, he finished third in the $1 million Hambletonian and second in the $500,000 Yonkers Trot.

The complete fields, with post positions, horse, nominated drivers, trainers and early odds, is as follows:

$600,000 Breeders Crown -- 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings
1. Southwind Gendry (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke), 5-1
2. Charlie May (Brett Miller, Steve Carter), 3-1
3. Heart Of Chewbacca (Dan Noble, Christi Noble), 15-1
4. Abuckabett Hanover (Andy McCarthy, Tony Alagna), 6-1
5. Perfect Sting (David Miller, Joe Holloway), 5-2
6. Chase H Hanover (Tim Tetrick, Scott Cox), 10-1
7. Rockyroad Hanover (Dexter Dunn, Tony Alagna), 8-1
8. I'll Drink To That (Todd McCarthy, Chris Ryder), 15-1
9. Southwind Petyr (Jason Bartlett, Mark Harder), 15-1
10. Water Sports Teen (Joe Bongiorno, Jennifer Bongiorno), 15-1
AE1. Lous Pearlman (Tim Tetrick, Ron Burke)
AE2. Summa Cum Laude (Brian Sears, Ron Burke)

$650,000 Breeders Crown -- 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings
1. Inaminute Hanover (Bob McClure, Luc Blais), 15-1
2. Ambassador Hanover (Åke Svanstedt, Åke Svanstedt), 4-1
3. Ritson (David Miller, Mark Steacy), 15-1
4. Cuatro De Julio (Lucas Wallin, Marie Ortolan Bar), 9-2
5. Delayed Hanover (Åke Svanstedt, Åke Svanstedt), 10-1
6. Jujubee (Andy McCarthy, Greg Wright Jr.), 2-1
7. Fly Light (Dexter Dunn, Åke Svanstedt), 6-1
8. In Range (Tim Tetrick, Marcus Melander), 12-1
9. Dancinginthedark M (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander), 10-1
10. Logan Park (James MacDonald, Rob Fellows), 15-1
AE1. Johan Palema (Yannick Gingras, Åke Svanstedt)
AE2. Locatelli (Yannick Gingras, Nancy Takter)

Morning-line odds and driver changes will be finalized on Wednesday, Oct. 27 after scratch time.

-By Debbie Little (Breeders Crown)