The first set of 2024 Breeders Crown eliminations are complete, with two-year-olds taking centre stage on a sunny and special afternoon card of harness racing at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. on Friday, Oct. 18 with a pair of new track records as part of the action.

Looksgoodinloulou sets Big M track record in Crown elim

Heading into Friday's Breeders Crown eliminations at the Meadowlands, Looksgoodinloulou owned the distinction of being the fastest two-year-old pacing filly of the season by way of her world record-equaling 1:48.3 win in the International Stallion Stakes. She nearly matched that mark in the first of two $34,246 Crown eliminations for rookie pacing fillies, prevailing in a Big M divisional track record 1:48.4.

Looksgoodinloulou and driver Yannick Gingras protected pylon position on the first turn, yielding to third and stalking 55-1 pacesetter My Sweet Lily (Louis-Philippe Roy) through a :53.1 first half. As Dexter Dunn pulled Miki And Minnie out of the pocket to wear down My Sweet Lily on the far turn, Looksgoodinloulou angled second-over to ensure clear sailing turning for home, and the Sweet Lou-Looksgoodinaromper filly struck the front with a sixteenth to go on her way to a half-length win. Rodeo Drive Deo (driven by David Miller) rallied three-wide to complete an exacta for trainer Ron Burke, Miki And Minnie finished third, and long shots Gigglingonthebeach (Andy McCarthy) and Millie May Hanover (Todd McCarthy) completed the top five finishers.

"I didn't want to get away third off slow fractions, so I did push on the first turn," said Gingras. "But after that, I figured when the field was coming I would pull. The trip worked out."

Now a winner in four of seven career starts, Looksgoodinloulou has earned $343,926 for breeders Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, who share ownership with Larry Karr and Phil Collura. As the 3-5 favourite, she returned $3.20 to win.

"She can do anything; she's a complete pro," Gingras continued. "The fractions were hot, but she got a good trip out of it. She's one of the best two-year-old pacing fillies I've ever driven; she's really, really nice."

The second $34,246 Crown elimination for rookie pacing fillies saw New York Sire Stakes champion The Last Martini chase cover on the far turn and roll down the center of the track for a 1:51 win.

The Last Martini settled in sixth while 1-5 favourite Rose (Gingras) clicked off early splits of :27.1 and :55.1. Doug McNair angled the Huntsville-Martinique filly off the pegs at the half-mile pole, and the pair advanced steadily before flushing Duration out from third midway on the far turn. As Duration and driver Todd McCarthy ground forward to collar Rose in deep stretch, The Last Martini switched three-wide and lunged to likewise nab Duration by a half length. Unreasonable (Scott Zeron) lifted down the grandstand side to nab Rose for third; Cant See Me (Bob McClure) completed the top five.

"She's been getting better and better as the year went on," said McNair. "She finished second to Chantilly (in the She's a Great Lady); I was really impressed with that. I figured if I got her in the right spot that she could keep up with them."

Jared Bako trains The Last Martini, a four-time winner from nine starts with $481,574 in the bank, for Glenview Livestock Ltd. of Ingersoll, Ont. The Crawford Farms-bred filly paid $11.20 to win.

The top five finishers from each elimination will reconvene for the $700,000 final on Oct. 25. By virtue of their elimination wins, Looksgoodinloulou and The Last Martini drew for posts one through six. 

$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace
Post – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1. Looksgoodinloulou – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
2. Duration – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna
3. Millie May Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Andrew Harris
4. Rose – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
5. Gigglingonthebeach – Andrew McCarthy – Juan Cano
6. The Last Martini – Doug McNair – Jared Bako
7. Cant See Me – Bob McClure – Mark Steacy
8. Unreasonable – Scott Zeron – Erv Miller
9. Miki And Minnie – Dexter Dunn – Chris Ryder
10. Rodeo Drive Deo – David Miller – Ron Burke

Frosh fillies fly in Crown trot elims

Sound Judgement and driver David Miller easily overcame the outside draw and were strongest in the stretch, capturing the first of three $34,246 Breeders Crown eliminations for juvenile trotting fillies. The Muscle Hill-sired filly from the Cantab Hall-sired Pin Kronos IT scored for the third time in her career with a 1:54.4 mile.

Miller worked out an ideal trip, cutting the opening quarter in :27.4 before then letting Delaney Hanover and Todd McCarthy pass nearing the half in just :56.4. Though the pace slowed, Miller let Sound Judgement stalk before letting the Jim Oscarsson-trained filly out in mid-stretch to pounce on the pacemaker. With a sub-:28 final quarter, Sound Judgement went by Delaney Hanover by three-quarters of a length and easily held off a strong-closing Miss Belmar (Andy McCarthy) in deep stretch.

Bred in Sweden by AM Bloodstock, $111,103 earner Sound Judgement is owned by Blomberg Stable Inc., of Delray Beach, Fla. As a 5-1 offering, Sound Judgement returned $12.00 to win.

“She trained good coming into the season, but I had to have her calm down,” said Oscarsson of Sound Judgement’s development. “She’s more relaxed without the shoes.”

Sound Judgement raced at the Red Mile, in Lexington, Ky., without shoes and went without front shoes in her Crown elimination.

The pocket trip again proved to be the way to the final as Lady Landia and trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt worked two-hole magic to perfection and soared past Aperfect Annie in the closing strides of a 1:55.2 mile to capture the second $34,246 elimination.

Svanstedt’s early aggression with Lady Landia not only got him to the front but kept him out of trouble as favourite Deja Blu (Gingras) broke stride early, seriously impacting R Dutchess and driver Jody Jamieson.

Todd McCarthy re-moved with Aperfect Annie following a :27.4 opening quarter and then crawled the middle half, setting up a stretch showdown. Lady Landia was more than up to the challenge with Svanstedt urging her lightly to the wire to win by a neck. Aperfect Annie held for second with Kadena (Dunn) rounding out the finalists from this division.

Bred and owned by Svanstedt in partnership with Santandrea Inc. and Jeff Gural’s Little E LLC, the daughter of Tactical Landing from the Chapter Seven-sired Seventimesalady won for the third time in seven career starts, lifting earnings to $104,291 while returning $15.80 to win.

“I hope she can get a good post for the final,” said Svanstedt, with the filly guaranteed a draw in the first six positions by rule.

Luna Lovegood proved the fastest — and perhaps the best — of the elimination winners when she captured the third $34,246 elimination for driver Dexter Dunn in a snappy 1:52.2 mile. The filly from the first crop of multiple-Crown champion Gimpanzee is from the Muscle Hill-sired mare Southwind Venus.

Luna Lovegood and Dunn made two moves for control of the race after R Charm and Scott Zeron took early control. Luna Lovegood hit the half in :55.4 and took off on the final turn, opening ground through three-quarters in 1:24.2. Though bearing out some in the stretch, the Marcus Melander-trained filly had plenty in reserve to march home 5-1/4 lengths the best off the strength of a :28 final quarter.

What A Bid Hanover and driver Åke Svanstedt found room to the inside in mid-stretch and rallied for second with Spicy Nice (Andy McCarthy) just edging Lasting Dream (Roy) on the wire for the third and final qualifying spot.

Owned by Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., Luna Lovegood was bred by Blue Chip Farms and Stefan Melander.

“She’s been doing everything right from the start,” said Marcus Melander following the victory.

A winner in four of her seven starts to date with $247,138 in the bank, Luna Lovegood returned $7.40 to win.

The top three finishers from each division join Champagne Problems in the Breeders Crown final. Here's the field with post positions.

$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot
Post – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1. Sound Judgement – David Miller – Jim Oscarsson
2. Delaney Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Lucas Wallin
3. Champagne Problems – Dexter Dunn – Nancy Takter
4. Kadena – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
5. Lady Landia – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt
6. Luna Lovegood – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
7. Miss Belmar – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley
8. Aperfect Annie – Todd McCarthy – Carter Pinske
9. Spicy Nice – Andrew McCarthy – Nancy Takter
10. What A Bid Hanover – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt

Track record for Captain Optimistic, Swingtown rebounds

“Double D” Dexter Dunn doubled up with a sweep of the $34,246 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, registering a track-record mile with Captain Optimistic and a minor surprise with Swingtown.

Captain Optimistic cleared the lead, rolled and refused to lose in a track-record 1:49 mile in winning the first Breeders Crown elimination for freshman pacing colts and geldings.

Dunn darted Captain Optimistic for the front from the outermost post in the octet and landed onto the pylons before a :27.2 first quarter. On the point, he coasted to a :55 half while Louprint (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) patiently pulled outside from fourth to front stablemate Sippinonsearoc (Gingras) in an outside charge through the final turn. Captain Optimistic remained steady under pending siege through three-quarters in 1:22.1 and defended the helm from a three-pronged attack from Ron Burke trainees in the stretch. Dunn kept asking and Captain Optimistic kept finding as his headpole popped off while keeping his head down to hold his ground and take a half-length victory over pocket-sitter Railroad Station (David Miller). Louprint fought for third from Sippinonsearoc and Papis Pistol (Andy Miller) followed to complete the top five.  

“With that wide draw, we had to get handy,” Dexter Dunn said after the race. “He got across pretty easy and he felt good on the front; if one of the other ones wanted to come, I would’ve been happy with that. He got through that last turn and knew it was game time and really fought good up the straight. The further we got into the mile, the better he felt. He stuck his head out and fought up strong.”

Nancy Takter trains Captain Optimistic, a colt by Captaintreacherous out of the Art Official mare Cinamony. The colt has now won six races from eight starts and earned $285,931 for owners 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz and Caviart Farms. The 1:49 mile by the Fair Winds Farm Inc.-bred colt eclipses the previous Meadowlands track record for two-year-old pacing colts of 1:49.1 set by Huntsville in 2016.

Dunn perched Swingtown into a second-over tow behind 1-5 favourite Fallout and bolted forward in the stretch to a 1:50.1 win drawing away in the second Breeders Crown eliminations for freshman pacing colts and geldings.

Swingtown floated off the wings to race fifth right behind Fallout (Tim Tetrick) as he abandoned his leave attempt to tuck to the pylons before a :26.4 first quarter uncorked by Papis Rocket (Wrenn). Fallout bided his time to a :55 half until Swingtown forced his hand outside to begin a rush into the final turn. Papis Rocket folded on the lead through three-quarters in 1:23.4 as Fallout marched forward with Swingtown fanning wide for the stretch drive. Swingtown drew alongside Fallout in the last eighth and slid by the odds-on chalk with ease in progress to a 2-3/4-length victory. Makes Sense (Andy McCarthy) saved ground to take third with Prince Hal Hanover (Todd McCarthy) settling for fourth off a pocket ride and Banderas (James MacDonald) earning the last berth into the final. 

“I’ve obviously seen him race – he’s a little bit hot, little bit excited, but he was good out of there once he got on the helmet,” Dexter Dunn said. “There was a bit of action early, so we bailed out [and] Timmy [and Fallout] bailed out and landed in the spot in front of me. He was the perfect helmet to follow. Once I moved him off the helmet up the straight, he really sprinted good.”

A colt by Downbytheseaside out of the Art Major mare Swinging Beauty, Swingtown earned his sixth victory from nine starts and has now banked $481,604 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc. and R A S Racing LLC. Ron Burke trains the Steiner Stock Farm-bred colt who paid $7.60 to win.

Elimination winners Captain Optimistic and Swingtown earned draw protection between posts one through six for the Breeders Crown final next Friday (Oct. 25). Here's how the draw shook out.

$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace
Post – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1. Papis Pistol – Andy Miller – Sam DePinto
2. Swingtown – Dexter Dunn – Ron Burke
3. Sippinonsearoc – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
4. Prince Hal Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Ian Moore
5. Captain Optimistic – Dexter Dunn – Nancy Takter
6. Makes Sense – Andrew McCarthy – Robert Cleary
7. Banderas – James MacDonald – Tony Alagna
8. Fallout – Tim Tetrick – Tony Alagna
9. Louprint – Ronnie Wrenn Jr. – Ron Burke
10. Railroad Station – David Miller – Ron Burke

Emoticon Legacy, Maximus Mearas S top fields in freshman colt trots

Emoticon Legacy and Maximus Mearas S emerged the victors from a pair of $34,246 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

In the first of the division's contests to qualify for next week's Breeders Crown final, Emoticon Legacy – one of four across the track leaving the gate – settled into the catbird seat for driver Louis-Philippe Roy by the :27.4 first quarter and never left the inside path. He saved ground through middle fractions of :55 and 1:24 before passing race-leader Meshuggah (Zeron) and first-over challenger Hidalgo (Dunn). Emoticon Legacy slid up the pylons to the win by 2-1/4 lengths in a 1:52.3 mile.

The Luc Blais-trained colt earned a lifetime mark in winning his fourth race from six starts this season. The victory raised the colt's bankroll to $210,915. Owned and bred by Serge Godin’s Determination, Emoticon Legacy is a son of Walner out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover.

"He's still a little green," said winning driver Roy after the race. "He doesn't do well racing in front. I was hoping to get room on the inside because he was trotting well and I know he has a pretty good kick in the end."

Emoticon Legacy paid $7.60 to win.

Making the final from elimination one were Meshuggah, finishing second; Hidalgo in third; Memento Mori (Anthony MacDonald) in fourth and Tactical Dynasty (Gingras), who secured the last berth as the highest-earning fifth-place finisher from both eliminations.

Prohibitive favourite Super Chapter was beaten by 7-1 outsider Maximus Mearas S with a strong stretch move by driver Scott Zeron late in the stretch of the second Breeders Crown elimination.

Maximus Mearas S (Dunn) left swiftly off the gate before giving way to an early brush from the eight-hole leaving Happy Jack B (Svanstedt). Maximus Mearas S stayed right behind that one while Monserrate (David Miller) followed in third. Super Chapter, fourth after the :27.2 first quarter, fired to the outside to pass them and take full command of the race towards a :56.3 half. Though Super Chapter opened real estate from the rest to three-quarters in 1:24.4, Maximus Mearas S left the cones for an all-out attack that Zeron pushed until his steed had enough to get to the wire first by a head.

"He lacks experience," Zeron said after the race, “[but] mine maintained his tail today.”

Lucas Wallin trains the son of Chapter Seven out of the Cantab Hall mare Darling Mearas S. Maximus Mearas S earned a new speed mark with the 1:52.4 victory.

"He's graceful with good strides," Zeron said, "and now it's just a matter of how fast he really can go."

Maximus Mearas S spiked his bankroll to $114,922 in his first season of racing for owner Kjell Magne Andersen. His breeder is Snogarps Gard Inc. and he paid $16.40 to win. 

Also getting berths in next week's championship final were Super Chapter, finishing second; Blank, getting the show spot; and fourth-place finisher Go Dog Go.

Elimination winners Emoticon Legacy and Maximus Mearas S earned draw protection between posts one through six for the Breeders Crown final next Friday, Oct. 25. The nine finalists from Friday’s eliminations will join Maryland, earning a bye with his victory in the Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park earlier this year, in the final.

The draw for the final took place after the card.

$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot
Post – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1. Meshuggah – Scott Zeron – Marcus Melander
2. Maryland – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
3. Maximus Mearas S – Scott Zeron – Lucas Wallin
4. Emoticon Legacy – Louis-Philippe Roy – Luc Blais
5. Hidalgo – Dexter Dunn – Ron Burke
6. Super Chapter – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
7. Go Dog Go – Todd McCarthy – Carter Pinske
8. Blank – Andrew McCarthy – Marcus Melander
9. Tactical Dynasty – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
10. Memento Mori – Anthony MacDonald – Jason McGinnis

In addition to the draws for the two-year-old finals, the draw for the Open Mare Trot also took place after the card. Call Me Goo and Nelsonbriteagle NO were supplemental entries in this Breeders Crown field that did not require eliminations.

$496,000 USD Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot
Post – Horse – Listed Driver – Trainer
1. Swans Eye – Doug McNair – Vincent Campolong
2. Warrawee Xenia – Jason Bartlett – Mark Steacy
3. Call Me Goo – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt
4. Refined – David Miller – Virgil Morgan Jr.
5. M Ms Dream – David Miller – Ron Burke
6. Baroness Hill – Todd McCarthy – Virgil Morgan Jr.
7. Tactical Mounds – Scott Zeron – Megan Scran
8. Nelsonbriteagle NO – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt
9. Pioneer As – Todd McCarthy – Anette Lorentzon

A full replay from The Meadowlands is available below.

(with files from Breeders Crown; photo features, clockwise from top left, Emoticon Legacy, The Last Martini, Captain Optimistic, Sound Judgement)