2013 Breeders Crown Night Preview – Storylines Galore Breeders Crown Night brings together harness racing’s stars in 12 definitive year-end championships on one blockbuster program at Pocono Downs on Saturday, October 19. The competition is fierce with big money on the line, along with the prestige of winning a Breeders Crown event, and the major impact on voting for year-end honors and Horse of the Year. Once again, this year we are looking forward to several marquee match-ups and lucrative showdowns between top division rivals. Division leaders have a chance to lock down divisional honors and Horse of the Year favorites can solidify their candidacy. The Kings of the Crown will all be front and center at Pocono Downs, including Hall of Famers John Campbell and Jimmy Takter, Brittany Farms and Hanover Shoe Farms. As always, we will see strength in numbers from such powerhouse trainers as Ron Burke, Jimmy Takter and Tony Alagna. Plus, top drivers like Tim Tetrick, Brian Sears, Yannick Gingras, Dave Miller and Ron Pierce will all be prominent. Last year, Tetrick joined Sears, Pierce and Miller as the only drivers to be the season’s leading money winner and also drove the Horse of the Year to a Breeders Crown victory with Chapter Seven. It was one of a record four Crown trophies Tetrick captured on a single card at Woodbine. Since 2003, 56 of the 119 Breeders Crowns have gone to Brian Sears (23), Ron Pierce (23) and Dave Miller (10). Key clashes could kick off in the Two Year Filly Trot with newly-minted world champion Designed To Be and Merrie Annabelle winner Shake It Cerry. Designed To Be held off Shake It Cerry in a world record 1:52.2 International Stallion Stake division. Cooler Schooner returns to the scene of her scintillating world record of 1:51.3 at Pocono Downs. In the Two Year Old Colt & Gelding Trot, Father Patrick will look to shut the door on eager upstart Muscle Network, who set a world record of 1:53.2 at The Red Mile. The speedy Bluegrass winner Odds On Amethyst and the consistent Southwind Spirit are among those facing a formidable Peter Haughton Memorial winner and Jimmy Takter trainee. Precocious Beauty will try to give Doug and Gregg McNair their first Crown trophy in the Two Year Old Filly Pace. The She’s a Great Lady winner went two-for-two in Lexington, equaled a world record of 1:50.1 in a division of the International Stallion Stake, and could seal a division title. It might be the year of the bargain in a very competitive Two Year Old Colt & Gelding Pace scenario as $7,000 Harrisburg yearling Western Vintage served further notice with a 1:49.4 Bluegrass division for Perry Soderberg. The New Jersey Sires Stake champion and Metro runner up is trained by Nancy Johansson. Bee A Magician hopes to put an undefeated season on the board to boost her bid for Horse of the Year. The 1:51 world champion and Hambletonian Oaks winner will showcase her talents in the Three Year Old Filly Trot for trainer Nifty Norman. The two-heat Hambletonian winner Royalty For Life can put a cherry on top of his sophomore season in the Three Year Old Colt & Gelding Trot. Yet, the George Ducharme trainee will have to bounce back from a loss in the Kentucky Futurity after winning his elimination in 1:53.3. Royalty For Life faded to fifth behind Creatine, All Laid Out, Spider Blue Chip and Your So Vain. The standout pacing filly I Luv The Nitelife has been mentioned in the Horse of the Year conversation. The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover was recently freshened to extend her long winning streak in the Three Year Old Filly Pace for trainer Chris Ryder. The Jugette winner will tackle Shebestingin, who became the fastest female in history with a 1:47 world record at The Red Mile. I Luv The Nitelife set a world record of 1:48.4 in the Valley Forge at Pocono. The night’s best match-up or rematch could come in the Three Year Old Colt & Gelding Pace when Captaintreacherous renews his rivalry with Vegas Vacation. The Captain returns to the scene of his only loss this season to Sunshine Beach in a world record 1:47.4 Battle of Brandywine. The Horse of the Year has won a Breeders Crown in 23 of 29 years, and Captaintreacherous is the leading candidate in 2013. Maven shoots for back-to-back Breeders Crowns in the Open Mare Trot fresh from a gutsy nose win over Check Me Out at The Red Mile after a stunning world record of 1:51.4 at the Delaware County Fair. Last year, Maven gave trainer Jonas Czernyson his first Crown trophy in the Three Year Filly Trot. After Arch Madness vaulted past the $4 milliion mark with two straight wins at The Red Mile for Trond Smedshammer, and beat Mister Herbie and Market Share in the Allerage Farms Final, the Breeders Crown Open Trot became one of the most wide-open, competitive and anticipated contests. Arch Madness looks to become the oldest Crown champion at age nine and will join Eternal Camnation with a record six final appearances. Sevruga and Uncle Peter both trotted world records of 1:50.3 at Pocono Downs this season. Anndrovette tries to become the first horse to win three Breeders Crowns in a row within a division in the Open Mare Pace. The two-time defending Dan Patch Award champion will once more have her hands full with division rivals Rocklamation, Drop The Ball, Feeling You and 2011 Crown champion Monkey On My Wheel. Anndrovette’s owner Jeff Bamond recently acquired Shelliscape and she promptly won the Allerage Farms in 1:51.2. Drop The Ball set a world record of 1:48.2 at Pocono this season. Saving perhaps the best for last, the season-long shootout between the sport’s top free for all pacers and a vintage year for four year olds continues in the Open Pace. Division leader Pet Rock, Bolt The Duer, A Rocknroll Dance, Warrawee Needy and Sweet Lou will once again face veterans Foiled Again, Clear Vision and Golden Receiver, upset winner of the Allerage Farms Final in 1:50. Bolt The Duer and A Rocknroll Dance are co-holders of the Pocono Downs track record of 1:47.4. The nine-year-old, five million dollar pacer Foiled Again set a world record of 1:48 this season at Pocono, where he won the Ben Franklin.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 22:43:50 +0000
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