Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will host a weekend of world-class harness racing as the 2020 Breeders Crown, presented by The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, continued with eliminations on Saturday, October 24. Trot Insider has provided recaps of the night's action.

$25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations – Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace

Cattlewash cruised to a coast-to-coast victory in the opening elimination for his division, showcasing his speed with a track-record equaling performance.

Leaving from post 1, driver David Miller motored the Somebeachsomewhere colt for the front to a :26 first quarter and held firm through the mile. Capt Midnight, the 2-1 favourite, mounted a first-over charge to a :54.1 half but folded as Cattlewash accelerated to three-quarters in 1:20.3. Pocket-sitter No Lou Zing popped out for the stretch drive but gave futile pursuit in second to the tail of a 1:47.2 mile—a track record of sophomore pacing colts and equaling the all-age track record. The Greek Freak finished third with Save Me A Dance and Manticore snagging the other qualifying spots.

Winning four races from 12 starts this year and eight from 25 overall, Cattlewash has banked $575,977 for owner-breeder W. J. Donovan. Ron Burke trains the $7.80 winner.

Warrawee Vital threw down in the stretch drive with 1-9 choice Tall Dark Stranger, but the Nancy Takter-trained Bettors Delight colt again kept his threat at bay to win the second elimination.

Driver Yannick Gingras landed Tall Dark Stranger in third while Warrawee Vital sprinted for the lead past a :25.4 opening quarter. Gingras edged Tall Dark Stranger off the pylons up the backside and swept to the lead by a :54.3 half while managing to sneak a breather to three-quarters in 1:23. Tall Dark Stranger initiated the sprint for the wire while Warrawee Vital catalyzed it, pulling pocket and pressing the odds-on favourite to the finish of a 1:48.4 mile. Warrawee Vital hit the beam a neck off victory in second while the pair jetted clear of Captain Barbossa in third, Elver Hanover in fourth and Sandbetweenmytoes fifth.

The cheques continue to pile for Tall Dark Stranger, now an 11-time winner from 12 outings this year and a 19-time winner from 21 starts overall with a career bankroll of $1,907,695 for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms and Howard Taylor. He paid $2.20 to win.

$25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations – Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot

Emerging widest in the cavalry charge came 61-1 shot Capricornus, grabbing the lead late in the stretch to score in the opening elimination.

Racing seventh to a :26.2 first quarter, Capricornus stuck to the rear of the field as Play Trix On Me rationed his speed up the backstretch. The early leader soon yielded command to pocket-popper EL Ideal moving to a :56.1 half as even-money favourite Ready For Moni angled first over into the final turn with Chestnut Hill in tow.

By three-quarters in 1:24.3, Ready For Moni took a narrow lead from EL Ideal and maintained that margin to the eighth pole, though the walls began to close. Chestnut Hill slid off cover chased by Gangster Hanover and Capricornus to the center of the track as all three put away Ready For Moni—Capricornus doing so with the most momentum. Chestnut Hill held second, Gangster Hanover took third while Ready For Moni settled for fourth and Play Trix On Me secured the last berth into the final.

Paying $125.00 to win, Capricornus snagged his first victory from 12 starts this year while winning his fourth race from 22 starts overall. The Marcus Melander-trained Cantab Hall colt has banked $260,099 for owner JJ Racing Stable Inc. Tim Tetrick drove the winner.

Defending champion Amigo Volo cleared the next step to protect his crown with a stakes-record mile in the second elimination.

Sent for the top from post 5, Amigo Volo cleared command from Beads by a :27.1 opening quarter and faced little pressure through a :56.1 half and to three-quarters in 1:24.4. Masteraemon angled first over from third spinning off the final turn but only gave chase as Amigo Volo and Beads trotted clear of the field. Amigo Volo maintained a length on Beads to the finish of a 1:51.2 mile, beating the previous mark of 1:51.4 set by Father Patrick in 2014 and tied by Bar Hopping in 2016. Masteraemon held third while Back Of The Neck and Hillexotic rallied for the final two spots.

The Richard “Nifty” Norman-trained Father Patrick gelding now has seven wins to his credit from 13 starts this season and 13 from 25 starts overall, good for $1,218,869 in earnings for owners Pinske Stables and David J. Miller. Dexter Dunn drove the $3.20 winner.

$25,000 Breeders Crown elimination – Mare Pace

Kissin In The Sand ground uncovered towards the top and inched to victory in the final strides to win the lone elimination for aged pacing mares.

Shartin N shot to the lead, clearing Warrawee Ubeaut by a :27.1 opening quarter while decelerating towards a :56.2 half. Driver Dexter Dunn landed Kissin In The Sand fourth from post 9 and floated the 4-5 favourite off the pylons until committing first over entering the final turn. The five-year-old Somebeachsomewhere mare motored to Shartin N’s side by three-quarters in 1:23.4 and charged for the finish on equal terms with the pacesetter, eventually getting the better of the reigning Dan Patch Horse of the Year to score in 1:49.4. Warrawee Ubeaut finished third with Treacherous Reign fourth.

Nancy Takter trains Kissin In The Sand for owners Marvin Katz and Hatfield Stables. The $3.60 winner has collected six victories from 10 starts this season and 25 from 56 overall, good for $1,519,094 in earnings.

Philly Hanover, Caviart Ally, Sweet Lucy Lou and Stonebridge Soul will also join Rockin Nola and Trillions Hanover in the final, the latter pair taking byes.

Following the evening’s 11th race, Harrah’s Hoosier Park conducted the draw for the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace Final. The field as it will align appears below:

PP-Horse Name (Trainer)
1-Sweet Lucy Lou (Robert Cleary)
2-Rockin Nola (Joe Putnam)
3-Kissin In The Sand (Nancy Takter)
4-Caviart Ally (Brett Pelling)
5-Warrawee Ubeaut (Ron Burke)
6-Shartin N (Jim King Jr.)
7-Philly Hanover (Rob Fellows)
8-Treacherous Reign (Tony Alagna)
9-Trillions Hanover (Tom Fanning)
10-Stonebridge Soul (Chris Ryder)

Breeders Crown Final Preps

Odds-on favourite Bettors Wish scored a 1:50.2 tune-up for the Breeders Crown Open Pace when powering to victory in the $20,000 Invitational Pace.

Floating into fourth from post 7, Bettors Wish sat off :26.2 and :55.4 speed set by Century Farroh before driver Dexter Dunn tipped his hand and rolled the four-year-old Bettors Delight stallion uncovered to the far turn. Bettors Wish ranged to equal terms with Century Farroh by three-quarters in 1:24.4 and edged to the front in midstretch. Century Farroh battled for second but settled for third behind Brassy Hanover rallying up the open stretch. Sectionline Bigry closed for fourth.

Bettors Wish’s resume now sits at five wins from 10 starts this season and 23 wins from 41 starts overall, good for $2,298,033 in earnings. Trainer Chris Ryder co-owns the $3.60 winner with Fair Island Farm and Bettors Wish Partners.

After tiring to a sixth-place finish in the Allerage, multi-millionaire Gimpanzee got back on track with a win as the even-money choice in the $20,000 Invitational Trot.

Lindy The Great led the field through fractions of :27, :56.3 and 1:23.2 under minimal challenge with Reign Of Honor sitting the pocket and Gimpanzee in third. To the far turn Majestic Player A pulled first over from fifth and made slight gains to the top of the stretch while Gimpanzee made his move for the lead. Out from third, Gimpanzee rolled to the top coming into the final eighth and cruised clear of Manchego closing for second. Majestic Player A took third while Lindy The Great faded to fourth.

Conditioned by Marcus Melander for owners Courant Inc. and S R F Stable, Gimpanzee won his seventh race from 10 starts this season and his 24th from 33 overall, earning $2,448,575. Brian Sears steered the $4.20 winner.

Zenith Stride Scratched From Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

Zenith Stride, who won the Peter Haughton Memorial at 87-1 earlier this season, is scratched sick from the $600,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot, according to trainer Mark Harder.

Zenith Stride finished fifth in his elimination and drew post eight in the final, which is scheduled for Friday (Oct. 30) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

According to Breeders Crown conditions, the first also eligible—Moonstone S—moves into the farthest outside post on the starting gate, post nine. As such, Delayed Hanover, who drew post nine initially, moves in one slot to post eight.

The amended field, with trainers, is below:

1. Take All Comers (Jim Campbell)
2. Cricket Fashion (Jim Campbell)
3. In Range (Marcus Melander)
4. On A Streak (Luc Blais)
5. Venerate (Julie Miller)
6. Muscle Dynasty (Paula Wellwood)
7. Captain Corey (Åke Svanstedt)
8. Delayed Hanover (Åke Svanstedt)
9. Moonstone S (Marcus Melander)
10. Brookview Bolt (Ron Burke)
AE2. Capstone (Åke Svanstedt)

Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will host the 2020 Breeders Crown finals on Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, with limited spectators, in accordance with the approved health and safety plan for the event. The 2020 Breeders Crown event, presented by The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, will be the 37th edition of the $6 million event.

(with files from the Breeders Crown)