Woodbine Mohawk Park: Divisional honors on the line in Breeders Crown

For some of the 118 Standardbreds scheduled to compete in the Breeders Crown finals at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday and Saturday night, a win will mark the final stamp of approval in a championship season that will result in year-end honors. Others will be seeking to make a lasting impression while using the Crown as a springboard to sweep the few remaining stakes in 2019 and improve their standing in the eyes of the voters.

Split over two nights, with four $600,000 2-year-old finals for pacers and trotters of both sexes on Friday and two quartets of finals for 3-year-olds and older competitors on Saturday ranging from $300,000 to $600,000, the Breeders Crown will bring the best the sport has to offer north of the border to Milton, Ontario this weekend.

The star of the show on Friday is the lone undefeated 2-year-old competing in the Breeders Crown. While trotting filly Hypnotic Am and pacing colt Tall Dark Stranger tasted defeat for the first time in their careers in the eliminations for the Crown, Real Cool Sam avoided that potential landmine by accepting a bye into the final. The Jim Campbell trainee will place his 9-for-9 record – which came dangerously close to 8-for-9 when he just got up to dead-heat with Big Oil on October 3 at Red Mile – on the line as the likely heavy chalk from the potentially tricky 9-hole with regular driver David Miller in the bike.

“I was happy with his race; it was a good mile in (1):52 1/5. He had missed almost a month, I’m not making excuses for him, but he might not have been as tight as he has been all year,” said driver David Miller on Real Cool Sam’s dead-heat victory.

“The nine-hole is not a great spot. We are going to have to work out a trip, that’s for sure,” said Miller, who feels the gelding is fast enough away from the gate to make some early noise in the race if necessary. “He’s pretty versatile. He can leave. I’m just going to try to get him into the race early, work out a trip, and he usually takes care of me from there.”

The aforementioned Tall Dark Stranger will look to make amends in what could be the race of the night versus Papi Rob Hanover. The two hooked up approaching the half and driver Yannick Gingras grudgingly elected to accept the pocket with Tall Dark Stranger, perhaps the difference-maker in their defeat to Papi Rob Hanover. The top pair are joined by Capt Midnight, who accepted a bye into the final, and a host of other talented rookies who could step up with a huge effort.

“If it was the final, I think I would’ve driven him the same exact way,” said Gingras about his decision to yield to Papi Rob Hanover. “I was very surprised [Tall Dark Stranger] didn’t win. Not to give out any excuses, but he wasn’t the same horse I’ve driven all year. After pushing [Papi Rob Hanover] in the second quarter, around the last turn I thought I was going to win the race anyway. He just didn’t respond like he usually does. The other horse is a really good horse, but I thought I was going to be able to get him.

“Honestly I think I have the best horse. Hopefully he’s back to the horse I think he is,” said Gingras.

There is a similar marquee matchup in the 2-year-old Filly Pace final as Indiana champion Priceless looks to build on her eye-catching 1:50 2/5 near five-length elimination win versus divisional leader Lyons Sentinel, who owns an 11-8-3-0 record and hasn’t lost in months. The field also includes the late-blooming New Year, who has won four straight including from first-over in her elimination, and Ontario Sire Stakes champion Alicorn.

“She keeps impressing me more and more as I driver her,” said Lyons Sentinel’s driver Tim Tetrick. “She loves chasing down a target but has shown she can do it any way.”

On Saturday, the focus shifts to the battle for Horse of the year honors. Pacing mare Shartin is widely recognized as the current leader on the strength of 14 wins in 16 races in 2019, but a recent defeat has narrowed her margin in an industry voting poll over 3-year-old trotting colt Greenshoe and his pacing counterpart among sophomores, Bettor’s Wish.

Starting in the only race on the Breeders Crown card with fewer than 10 horses, Shartin could have the easiest road to the winner’s circle in the $300,000 Mare Pace. The Jim King Jr.-trained 6-year-old mare starts from post 1, two spots inside of main rival Caviart Ally, who defeated her on October 6 at the Red Mile. However, that loss by Shartin came after she had missed five weeks of pari-mutuel racing.

“I thought she was back in form,” said trainer Jim King Jr on Shartin’s sharp return qualifier at The Meadowlands on October 18. “It was a long time between starts and I guess it took its toll on her,” said.

Greenshoe will make one of the final starts of his racing career on Saturday before heading to stallion duty in the $500,000 3-year-old Colt Trot. On the power of 10 wins and two seconds in 12 starts this year, the charge from the Marcus Melander barn sits second in earnings for all Standardbreds in North America at $1,164,550. He’ll start from the advantageous post four with regular driver Brian Sears in the bike as the likely 1-5 post time favorite.

“I was very happy we could get a bye. Him being away from home in Lexington for about six to seven weeks, we were happy to stay home another week to prepare him. I’m very confident. I think he is as good as he was in all of the other races this year,” said Melander, who added there was a “big chance” Greenshoe would accept an invitation to the TVG final versus older horses if he came out of the Crown well and was invited.

Melander will start a number of other horses in Crown races throughout the weekend, including Gimpanzee and Green Manalishi S against Greenshoe and the previously mentioned Hypnotic Am in the $600,000 2-year-old Filly Trot on Friday.

“Green Manalishi S hit a knee on the last turn and almost made a break,” said Melander, who added that he came out of the race good and he felt the 3-year-old would be better Saturday. “I was pretty impressed by Gimpanzee. He was flying home. He’ll be dangerous.

“It was Hypnotic Am’s first start in a few weeks, so the start should move her forward. Plus she was a bit grabby for Brian (Sears, driver), so we’ll make some equipment changes,” said Melander about Hypnotic Am. “I was confident going into the elimination that I had the best horse and I still think I have the best horse, even if we got beat in the elimination.”

The leading earner this year at $1,301,294 is the likely favorite in the $550,000 3-year-old Colt Pace. Bettor’s Wish, a model of consistency with 12 wins and four seconds in 16 starts this year, will look to put the finishing touches on a championship campaign by trying to defeat North America Cup winner Captain Crunch, Little Brown Jug winner Southwind Ozzi and fellow Crown elimination winner Dancin Lou.

“He’s just an awesome horse. I’ve given him some pretty hard runs, too, and he just keeps bouncing back. That’s a credit to Chris (Ryder) and the team and the job they do,” said Dexter Dunn, who drives Bettor’s Wish regularly.

Three-year-olds When Dovescry and Warrawee Ubeaut headline the filly races on the trot and pace, respectively. Hambletonian Oaks winner When Dovescry was second in her Breeders Crown elimination, but her conqueror Millies Possesion scratched out of the final due to a broken coffin bone, making the Rene Allard trainee the one to beat in a competitive group.

Warrawee Ubeaut is expected to be a heavy post-time favorite for leading trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras as she rides a seven-race winning streak into the $550,000 final. “She’s been super-sharp and she was crazy-good on Saturday,” said Gingras about Warrawee Ubeaut, who starts from post 5.

McWicked is one of two former Horse of the Year winners in action Saturday. The 2018 top dog seeks his third straight win and second consecutive million-dollar campaign on Saturday in the $500,000 Open Crown Pace. Brian Sears drives the Casie Coleman-trained 8-year-old from post 8.

Hannelore Hanover, named Horse of the Year in 2017, will look to get on track in the $325,000 Open Mare Trot. Trainer Ron Burke and driver Gingras will have a tough task ahead as the 7-year-old mare faces the fastest trotting mare in history (1:49) Manchego, who has been on fire lately with four straight wins for the team of Dexter Dunn and trainer Nancy Johansson.

Crown night concludes with the $500,000 Open Trot, the first North American race for European champion Bold Eagle. The 8-year-old son of Ready Cash will tackle a strong group that includes 2018 Hambletonian winner Atlanta, leading money-winner among trotters in 2019 Guardian Angel As, Allerage winner in 1:49 2/5 Six Pack, and the red-hot Southwind Chrome in the 11-horse field.

The Breeders Crown championships are part of a 24-race weekend of racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park that not only includes the best horses in North America but multiple prime wagering opportunities. The track will offer two $100,000 guaranteed Pick 5 wagering (races 1 and 6) both Friday and Saturday, a $100,000 guaranteed Pick 4 in races 4 on Saturday, and a $50,000 promised pool in the race 4 Pick 4 on Friday and race 9 Pick 4 Saturday.

The action kicks off both nights at 7:00 P.M. and is expected to conclude just before midnight.