Woodbine Mohawk Park: Home cooking for Steacy and Moore in Breeders Crown

Is there a home field advantage for the trainers that race year-round over the Woodbine Mohawk Park surface heading into this weekend's 12 Breeders Crown finals?

That was the question and two local trainers gearing up for the October 28-29 Crown finals with major contenders agree there's an edge. Both Shawn Steacy, who sends out favored Sylvia Hanover in Friday's (October 28) $600K Crown finale for juvenile pacing fillies, and Dr. Ian Moore, who conditions Metro winner Stockade Seelster, a contender in the $600K Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, agree.

"Probably," said Moore when asked the question. "It's more about their environment. They've been in the same stall, haven't had to travel between races."

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Steacy, like Moore, agrees that his pacing filly has only benefitted from the home cooking, if you will. "It's a big advantage. She's been doing the same thing for four-to-six months and has never had to leave her comfort zone," said Steacy of his impressive pacing filly who captured an elimination for the Crown last week.

The benefits seem to apply to both trainer's 2-year-olds as Moore was quick to point out. "It's not the same for an aged horse like Tattoo Artist," Moore said. "He's accustomed to the travel."

The home field should count to some degree and in the case of Sylvia Hanover (post five) in Friday's seventh race, Steacy couldn't be more pleased. The Always B Miki-sired filly has won seven of her eight lifetime starts, all over the Woodbine Mohawk Park racing strip, and last week's 1:51 4/5 elimination victory showed a different side to her.

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"That's just the way she is," Steacy said in looking at the performance that saw driver Bob McClure aggressively trying to keep Sylvia Hanover's interest as the second quarter of the race slowed down to a near 30 second crawl.

"That's her," said Steacy. "She only does just what she has to do and no more. Even when I take her out to jog five miles it can take me 35 minutes."

It was that kind of attitude that initially made Steacy question just what kind of talent Sylvia Hanover had before getting her into the qualifiers this summer.

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"I really didn't know what to expect when we put her in the Whenuwishuponastar Series," Steacy said. "Then she won in 1:51 2/5."

Putting the time aside, Steacy noted the most important credential that his first-year filly possesses. "She doesn't want to get beat. She'll fight to the wire," said Steacy.

For Dr. Moore, Stockade Seelster (post seven) has had an incredible year racing strictly over the Woodbine Mohawk Park surface that he hopes will continue Friday night in the ninth race.

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"It's been a long season," Moore said. "The last two miles he's only come home in 28 and that's not him. We'll try to make some changes and have him sharper."

It should be noted that Stockade Seelster won his first six races before a third-place finish in the Metro elimination. The State Treasurer-sired colt rebounded nicely in the Metro final with a 1:50 1/5 triumph and then came back to capture the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Super Final on October 15 in 1:50 1/5. In his elimination, Stockade Seelster had to overcome post 10 and couldn't hold off the closing kick of Handlelikeaporsche in the homestretch.

"I know he had post 10," Moore said, "But I really don't think post matters that much over this track."

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Steacy will also send out the somewhat erratic Warrawee Xenia in Saturday's (October 29) $675K Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old trotting fillies (race four).

"We put the hobbles on her at The Red Mile and I think it's helped," said Steacy of the gifted Walner-sired filly. "They're pretty loose, but I think it's helped give her some confidence."

Warrawee Xenia went an impressive trip in the Hambletonian Oaks elimination at the Meadowlands but has since struggled at times to maintain her form.

"She's had so many little issues we've had to deal with," said Steacy, who despite the shaky form remains super-confident his filly has the talent.

"I think if she can be sitting three or four lengths off the pace turning for home she can be right there," Steacy said. "She's incredibly fast for a quarter of a mile."

That speed was on display briefly in Warrawee Xenia's elimination heat as driver Bob McClure kept her pinned to the pylons most of the mile and was able to weave through traffic for a seam late in the stretch. Warrawee Xenia finished fourth behind Joviality S crossing the wire but would have been second in another stride.

Warrawee Xenia does have a tall order in that she drew outside rivals Jiggy Jog (post two), Joviality (post four) and Fashion Schooner (post six).

Dr. Moore has two in on Saturday night with Tattoo Artist (post seven) positioned outside favorite Bulldog Hanover (post six) and his recent conqueror Allywag Hanover (post three) in the $600K Breeders Crown Open Pace, carded as race nine.

"I was hoping to get a start into him last week," said Moore of Tattoo Artist. "But he's been good racing every other week."

Tattoo Artist, a 5-year-old by He's Watching, has won 10 of 21 starts this year while finishing off-the-board on only two occasions. He was a solid second behind Bulldog Hanover in the Canadian Pacing Derby (September 3), and the trainer expects him to be a player on Saturday night.

As for the 3-year-old Greatest Ending, the Somebeachsomewhere-sired colt that was sold to Diamond Creek Racing for $265,000 after his elimination, he's has had his ups and downs this year.

"I was happy with the way he came into his last start," said Moore. "He raced well and trained back well today (Tuesday)."

Greatest Ending drew post nine in the $675,000 Crown for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers (race seven) and faces a solid group that includes elimination winners Bythemimssal (post two) and North America Cup champion Pebble Beach (post five).