Trailing the field in his elimination at the top of the stretch, three-year-old pacing colt Ponda Warrior's big closing kick propelled him into next Saturday's Breeders Crown championships while providing trainer/co-owner Jay Hochstetler an experience to remember in his Canadian debut.

“Being here is something you know," Hochstetler, a 29-year-old fourth generation horseman, was quoted as saying in an eNews Park Forest article. "I’ve been watching this race for as long as I can remember. So just getting here is something I always told myself I wanted to do. Finally got the opportunity.”

Ponda Warrior was a $37,000 yearling purchase from the 2020 Hoosier Classic Sale by Hochstetler and partners, and the Rockin Image-Sweetnsinful colt showed he had the 'it' factor from day one.

“He’s very kind-hearted and, you know, not aggressive like some of them can be. And he’s really a pleasure to be around once he’s on the racetrack," said the Illinois native. "Whether he’s just [training] or actually racing, he’s a total professional. He’s the easiest horse to work with in the world.”

Ponda Warrior proved his talent right out of the gate, winning his first three starts at Hoosier Park en route to a $116,200 freshman campaign in the Indiana Sire Stakes. This year as a three-year-old, Ponda Warrior emerged as the glamour boy divisional leader in the state-bred stakes, banking another $243,450 with four wins from 14 starts. He bookended the Sire Stakes season with a 1:49.1 lifetime mark and a 1:49.2 triumph in the Super Final before shipping to Canada to take a shot at the Breeders Crown.

The colt has proven he likes to pass other horses, regularly throwing down final quarters in 26 seconds or faster. And that late-closing speed was on display in his elimination.

“He never resented being made to go faster or anything. He wanted to do it," said Hochstetler. "He likes to pass other horses and beat them in a race. The older he’s got, it seems, the more he likes to do it.”

With Scott Zeron catch-driving for his elimination last Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the bay colt was last at the three-quarter pole and paced the fastest final quarter of the three-year-old colts in :26 to finish third at odds of 10-1 and qualify for the final.

“And now we’re gonna see if we can shock the world a little bit,” said Hochstetler.

The post positions for the $600,000 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Pace will be drawn at the event's press conference on Tuesday. The field includes Grand Circuit divisional heavyweights Bythemissal, the Little Brown Jug champion and $72,000 supplement, and North America Cup winner Pebble Beach. Both won their respective eliminations.