Woodbine Harness: Breeders Crown taking shape
A total of 13 elimination races will be contested on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 16/17) to determine the entrants of seven Breeders Crown finals to be contested on Saturday October 24 at Woodbine Racetrack. Four divisions did not require eliminations and will head directly to the final.
All four 2-year-old divisions required eliminations on Friday and the two featured races on paper are the sixth and the ninth on the 12-race card. The nine-horse 2-year-old filly trot in race six marks a clash between unbeatens Broadway Donna (post 5, 9-for-9) and Haughty (post 6, 6-for-6). The race also includes Celebrity Eventsy, who has won four of her last five starts and two straight. Should all three advance, they will likely meet up with the heavy favorite in race nine, Caprice Hill. The daughter of Kadabra has won seven of eight races and nearly $400,000.
A similar showdown will occur in race nine when Control The Moment, who is perfect in seven career starts, will face-off against the rapidly maturing American Passport, a winner of three straight. Both pacing colts seem likely to make the final since the top five in the two eliminations will advance.
After Broadway Donna, the leading money winner in the eliminations is 2-year-old trotting colt Southwind Frank. A nine-time winner in 10 starts, the Ron Burke trainee is coming off a world record 1:52 2/5 mile at The Red Mile last week. He competes in race three.
Pure Country will attempt to keep her unblemished record alive against seven foes in one of two eliminations for 2-year-old pacing fillies. Brett Miller will drive the filly from post one in the fourth race.
Four eliminations were needed in the 3-year-old divisions, with the pacing colts and fillies in action on Saturday. The Indiana freak, Freaky Feet Pete, will step outside of the Hoosier State for the first time in his career in race three on the card. Trace Tetrick will be in town to drive the 20-time winner in 23 career starts.
In race five, the second of two elims, Wakizashi Hanover seeks his sixth straight win versus a strong field that includes recent Tattersalls winner Artspeak and runner-up Lost For Words.
Races four and seven will feature the pacing fillies, with each field attracting nine entrants. The division has been wide open all year long.
Fourteen of the top older pacing colts will vie for 10 spots in the $500,000 final to be contested on October 24. Slated as races eight and 10, the combatants include Foiled Again, JK Endofanera, Always B Miki, State Treasurer, and others.
Five divisions did not require eliminations and will go straight to the final. The 3-year-old colt trot will be drawn on Tuesday, October 20. Pinkman headlines the field for sophomore trotting colts along with Crescent Fashion, Dont Rush, Fashion Creditor, French Laundry, Infiniti As, Lookslikeachpndale, Muscle Diamond, Southwind Mozart, The Bank, and Uncle Lasse. The rest of the fields are as follows:
$250,000 OPEN MARE TROT
| POST | HORSE | LISTED DRIVER |
| 1 | ROCKIN WITH DEWEY | M.BAILLARGEON |
| 2 | HARLEY MOMMA | S.ZERON |
| 3 | CLASSIC MARTINE | TI.TETRICK |
| 4 | CHARMED LIFE | J.JAMIESON |
| 5 | BAX OF LIFE | C.CHRISTOFOROU |
| 6 | D'ONE | D.MILLER |
| 7 | SHAKE IT CERRY | JI.TAKTER |
| 8 | DAYLON MIRACLE | D.MILLER |
| 9 | RIVETING ROSIE | P.MACDONELL |
| 10 | *** | |
| 11 | HANDOVER BELLE | M.KAKALEY |
***BEE A MAGICIAN was originally starting from post 10 but was actually entered for the Open Trot. No horse will start from post 10. Handover Belle starts from the second tier.
$250,000 Open Mare Pace
| POST | HORSE | DRIVER |
| 1 | COLOR'S A VIRGIN | D.MILLER |
| 2 | SANDBETWEENURTOES | D.FILION |
| 3 | SKIPPIN BY | RA.WAPLES |
| 4 | ANNDROVETTE | TI.TETRICK |
| 5 | KATIE SAID | J.CAMPBELL |
| 6 | YAGONNAKISSMEORNOT | D.DUBE |
| 7 | MARQUISE DE SARAH | J.JAMIESON |
| 8 | LADY SHADOW | D.MCNAIR |
| 9 | VENUS DELIGHT | TI.TETRICK |
| 10 | FANCY DESIRE | L.OUTLETTE |
$500,000 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT
| POST | HORSE | DRIVER |
| 1 | ELEGANT SERENITY | R.MAYOTTE |
| 2 | CLASSICAL ANNIE | A.MERRIMAN |
| 3 | WILD HONEY | Y.GINGRAS |
| 4 | SPEAK TO ME | B.MILLER |
| 5 | IM SO FANCY | M.KAKALEY |
| 6 | DANIELLE HALL | J.JAMIESON |
| 7 | MISSION BRIEF | Y.GINGRAS |
$531,250 OPEN TROT
| POST | HORSE | DRIVER |
| 1 | FLANAGAN MEMORY | TI.TETRICK |
| 2 | RESOLVE | A.SVANSTEDT |
| 3 | GURAL HANOVER | M.KAKALEY |
| 4 | BEE A MAGICIAN | B.SEARS |
| 5 | INTIMIDATE | S.FILION |
| 6 | CREATINE | JO.TAKTER |
| 7 | MASTER OF LAW | B.MILLER |