In a stretch showdown of the Glamour Boys elimination winners, Dancin Lou got up in time to defeat Bettors Wish at the wire in the $789,474 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace on Saturday evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

"I just won the Breeders Crown!" proclaimed trainer Tahnee Camilleri, who recently gave up practicing law to pursue her passion training horses.

"You always wonder doing a big career change like that if it was the right decision and 12 months ago I think on TVG night I had a horse in one of the undercard races. I was just happy to get a winner on that night," said Camilleri. "Twelve months later to come here on one of the biggest nights of the year and to be a competitor was such an honour, and then to win the race, I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

The Australian native made her Breeders Crown debut a winning one with Andrew McCarthy steering Dancin Lou for owners David Kryway of Amherstburg, Ont., and 1362313 Ontario Ltd.

McCarthy, who previously partnered with Dancin Lou this summer for a Kentucky Sires Stakes victory, picked up the mount -- and ultimately his fourth Breeders Crown victory of the 2019 championships -- with Dexter Dunn opting to drive the Chris Ryder-trained Bettors Wish in the final.

North America Cup champion Captain Crunch (Yannick Gingras) looped longshot leaver Semi Tough (David Miller) after a :26.2 opening quarter before Bettors Wish came calling. He went from third to first before the :55.2 half with Dancin Lou watching from fourth before making his own move past the 1:23 three-quarters mark heading into the final turn. Setting his sights on the 3-5 front-end favourite while 4-1 second choice Captain Crunch tried in vain to gain ground from the pocket, Dancin Lou nailed Bettors Wish at the end of the 1:50.2 mile. Captain Crunch finished 1-3/4 lengths behind the top pair.

"I thought I did, I had the momentum on the outside, I was hoping I did," said McCarthy of the photo finish. "I kind of had a little trouble in the last turn getting his momentum going, but then once I got him rolling there, yeah, what a tough horse, he just digs and digs and digs."

After earning his first and only victory of his 10-race freshman campaign at Mohawk Park last July, Dancin Lou has won 11 of his 18 sophomore starts.

It was his victory in the Tattersalls Pace on Oct. 6 at The Red Mile that put him on target for the Breeders Crown. The Sweet Lou-Dancewiththebest colt has now banked close to $680,000 in purses.

Dancin Lou paid $12.10 to win as the 5-1 third choice.

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