The second set of 2024 Breeders Crown eliminations is now complete after a captivating action-packed card of harness racing on Saturday, Oct. 19 at The Meadowlands.

Bythemissal converts, Ruthless Hanover holds sway, Twin B Joe Fresh defeated in Crown pace elims

Bythemissal and driver Yannick Gingras won with authority in the first of two $34,722 Breeders Crown Open Pace eliminations. The five-year-old Downbytheseaside-sired gelding was a handy 1:48.4 winner.

The field of eight saw multiple horses leaving the gate, and Gingras was smart to keep Bythemissal in reserve through a series of lead changes before assuming command on the backstretch following a :27.1 opening quarter.

Once settled in command, Bythemissal, trained by Ron Burke, cut a leisurely pace, hitting the half in :55.1 and awaiting company. Scott Zeron took the challenge with Its My Show attacking without cover on the turn and towing Seven Colors (Dexter Dunn) and Coach Stefanos (James MacDonald) along in the outer tier.

Its My Show couldn’t reach the leader through three-quarters in 1:22.4, at which point Gingras let Bythemissal out and got an instant response. From the top of the stretch home, the battle was for minor spoils with Coach Stefanos offering the most speed to be well clear for second, a length in arrears. In the battle for show, Seven Colors edged out Voukefalas (Jordan Stratton) and Its My Show with all three gaining entry into next Saturday’s (Oct. 26) final.

It was the second win in just six starts this year for defending Breeders Crown champion and $2.6 million earner Bythemissal. From the Western Hanover-sired broodmare Dismissal, Bythemissal was bred by Stephen Dey III.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing and Weaver Bruscemi, Bythemissal paid $2.40 to win.

“The horse is super sharp. I kicked out the earplugs just to be safe,” said Gingras of the late challenge in the homestretch.

The second $34,722 elimination saw Ruthless Hanover and driver Andy Miller get the front three-eighths of a mile into the race and lead the rest of the way, scoring in 1:48.1 over a determined Abuckabett Hanover.

South Beach Star and driver David Miller left alertly, looping Ruthless Hanover on the first turn and driving to the top before the :26.2 first quarter. Ruthless Hanover and Andy Miller gained control as the field lined up through a :54.2 first-half clocking. As has been the custom for Ruthless Hanover, Miller let him sprint hard through the far turn, making it near impossible for Abuckabett Hanover and Dexter Dunn to make any sort of progress through a :26.4 third-quarter split.

With a long lead entering the stretch, Andy Miller worked to keep Ruthless Hanover engaged, and he did hold Abuckabett Hanover a neck at bay, though that rival closed a big gap in the late stages. South Beach Star held his ground well for third with Why Not Now (Matt Kakaley) fourth and El Rey (Todd McCarthy) finding a seam along the pylons in deep stretch to secure the final berth.

Ruthless Hanover is a son of Somebeachsomewhere from the Rocknroll Hanover-sired Rockaroundthetrack with $844,902 in earnings. He was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and is trained by Tom Cancelliere for owner John Cancelliere. As the 2-1 second choice, Ruthless Hanover paid $6.00 to win.

“I didn’t want to use him too much on the first turn,” said Andy Miller of his strategy to keep Ruthless Hanover in check until the early dust had settled.

After the dust settled, the draw for next Saturday's final shook out as follows.

2024 Breeders Crown Open Pace Final
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer
1. Ruthless Hanover – Andy Miller – Tom Cancelliere
2. Seven Colors – Dester Dunn – Andrew Harris
3. Its My Show – Scott Zeron – Linda Toscano
4 .Voukefalas – Jordan Stratton – Michael Russo
5. South Beach Star – David Miller – Mark Silva
6. Bythemissal – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
7. Coach Stefanos – James MacDonald – Erv Miller
8. Abuckabett Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Andrew Harris
9. El Rey – Todd McCarthy – Andrew Harris
10. Why Not Now – Matt Kakaley – Travis Alexander

In an upset, Grace Hill ended the nine-race winning streak of favoured Twin B Joe Fresh to capture the single $34,722 elimination for the Breeders Crown Mare Pace. Todd McCarthy executed the upset, putting the former Crown champion in perfect position behind the heavily favoured Twin B Joe Fresh (Dunn) and then out-sprinting her rival in a spirited 1:48.4 clocking.

Grace Hill, bred by White Birch Farm, is owned by Tom Hill and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. The double millionaire daughter of Always B Miki from the Western Terror-sired dam Western Silk won for the sixth time this year and quickly elevated her status to major contender for next week’s final. She paid $22.60 to win.

Eight of the 10 mares in the elimination qualified with Beach Cowgirl, Always B Naughty, Sylvia Hanover, Valar Dohaeris, Kobes Gigi and Zanatta joining the top pair. Silver Label and Strong Poison both received byes into the final.

Drawn Impression, Allegiant scoop top spots in sophomore filly trot elims

Drawn Impression and Allegiant delivered victories in a pair of $34,722 Breeders Crown eliminations for three-year-old trotting fillies.

Aiming for berths in next week's Breeders Crown final, the wide-open field of trotters left the gate in the first elim and were six wide looking for good early spots. Drawn Impression, with Louis Roy in the bike, sat fourth as some nifty shuffling began after the first panel in :27. Buy A Round (Andy McCarthy) sprung to the top with a big brush. Once she cleared, Roy kicked Drawn Impression around her in pursuit of the early leavers. Roy's filly was full of muscle at the :55.3 half, where she faced a major bid from Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn).

The Luc Blais-trained filly chased Date Night Hanover through three-quarters in 1:23.1 with Elista Hanover (David Miller) best of the rest while heading for the wire. With decisive strides, Drawn Impression thrusted by Date Night Hanover and crossed the line first by a length in 1:51.1. She paid $4.20 to win.

Also making the final were Elista Hanover in third, Willys Home Run (James MacDonald) in fourth, and Sugar Instead (Brett Miller) in fifth.

The mile is a lifetime best for Drawn Impression, a daughter of Muscle Hill out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover. She made her first start on Lasix, but Roy said after the race he saw not difference in how she performed. "She was racing good lately, but tonight she raced really good. When I tipped her to beat the other one, she really put in the extra effort."

Going into the final, Drawn Impression has earned $622,515 lifetime. The elim was the fourth win in nine sophomore starts for the Determination homebred and the eighth win from 15 starts in her career.

The second elim was dominated the first three-quarters of the trip by prohibitive favourite R Melina until Scott Zeron fired his charge Allegiant in the stretch to edge the public choice by a neck in 1:51.3.

At 8-1, Allegiant got a call fifth leaving the gate as the rest of the fillies lined up and R Melina sliced panels of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:24.2. Zeron made a move with Allegiant after R Melina in the final turn and kept digging to the beam. She downed the favourite late for the victory.

Crossing the wire in 1:51.3 was a new mark for the Linda Toscano-trained daughter of Tactical Landing, out of the Yankee Glide mare Too Good For You. She increased her bankroll heading into the final to $786,068 with her ninth win in a pair of racing seasons. The prize for win backers was $18.40.

Bred by Atlantic Trot Inc. and Steve H. Stewart, Allegiant is owned by Ryan Smith.

"Her last effort [at The Red Mile] was not her best," Zeron said after the race, “but here she did exactly what she is capable of doing." He also voiced his admiration for the filly. "She's ready made, happy and healthy," while adding it was "a little surprising getting past R Melina," considering the trip.

Also capturing spots in next week's final were R Melina in second, Sadbirdstillsing (Dunn) in third, Warrawee Michelle (Ake Svanstedt) in fourth and Soiree Hanover (Tetrick) in fifth.

By winning their Breeders Crown eliminations, Drawn Impression and Allegiant earned draw protection between posts one through six in the final next Saturday (Oct. 26). Here's how they will line up next week.

2024 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer
1. Willys Home Run – James MacDonald – Rob Fellows
2. Drawn Impression – Louis Roy – Luc Blais
3. Sugar Instead – Brett Miller – Virgil Morgan Jr.
4. Soiree Hanover – Tim Tetrick – Lucas Wallin
5. Allegiant – Scott Zeron – Linda Toscano
6. Elista Hanover – David Miller – Annie Stoebe
7. Date Night Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
8. R Melina – Todd McCarthy – John Butenschoen
9. Sadbirdstillsing – Dexter Dunn – Tony Alagna
10. Warrawee Michelle – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt

Captain Albano, Mirage Hanover prevail in Breeders Crown colt pace elims

Odds-on choices Captain Albano and Mirage Hanover captured the pair of $34,722 Breeders Crown eliminations for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Captain Albano grabbed the lead before the half and remained on the pedal to the end of a 1:48.1 mile in the first elimination for pacing colts.

Driver Todd McCarthy floated Captain Albano into third out of post three and circled for the lead after a :27 first quarter. Captain Albano planted onto the point heading to a :54.2 half and cruised through the final turn. Captain Luke (Tim Tetrick) rushed first over out of fourth to challenge Captain Albano by three-quarters in 1:22.2 and kept the 1-5 chalk honest through a stretch sprint. Captain Albano staved the persistent push from Captain Luke by a half length with pocket-chaser Timeisonmyside (Anthony MacDonald) another three lengths behind in third. Howlenthehills (Matt Kakaley) finished fourth and Mccrunch (Andy McCarthy) claimed the last berth into the final.

“He’s been good all along," Todd McCarthy said after the race. "We were a little unlucky early in the season with him. I think that bad luck just turned for us. It’s good to see him finally show himself. He’s gotten really strong later in the season, and I think he showed that in Delaware winning in the Jug; it’s pretty impressive when you see him go two heats like that. We did it pretty comfortably. Timmy [Tetrick]’s horse surprised me, Captain Luke – he really sprinted with me good down the stretch. I just had to shake my guy up a little to make sure I held him off there in the end. I felt confident in the horse all the way down the stretch.”

Noel Daley trains Captain Albano, a Captaintreacherous colt out of the American Ideal mare Angelou bred by Fred Hertrich III. He is owned by Patricia Stable, L A Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing Inc. and Michael Dolan and won his 16th race from 23 starts, good for $1,552,406 in earnings. He paid $2.60 to win. 

Mirage Hanover overpowered stubborn pacesetter Nijinsky in the final strides of a 1:48.4 mile to score as the 1-5 choice in the second elimination.

Driver Dexter Dunn placed Mirage Hanover on the lead to a :27.2 first quarter but yielded control to Nijinsky (Roy) midway up the backstretch. Nijinsky took over and clicked a :54.4 half, though Mirage Hanover swelled from the pocket and started creeping off the cones circling the far turn. Mirage Hanover pressed Nijinsky to three-quarters in 1:22.4 and locked hoof and nail in dispute all through the stretch. Nijinsky held his ground, but failed to dissuade Mirage Hanover in the closing yards and Dexter Dunn implored his charge to a head win at the beam. Gem Quality (Tetrick) rallied from a second-over trip for third while Calicojack Hanover (James MacDonald) saved ground for fourth and Sweet Beach Life (Kakaley) earned the last slot into the final in fifth.

“He’s been a nice colt all year,” trainer Jake Leamon said of Mirage Hanover, a now nine-time winner from 25 starts with $788,008 in the bank. “But when you’re racing against the best horses, it’s tough.”

Marvin Rounick owns Mirage Hanover, a colt by Bettors Delight out of Mayhem Seelster bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. He paid $2.60 to win.

By winning their Breeders Crown eliminations, Captain Albano and Mirage Hanover earned draw protection between posts one through six for the final next Saturday (Oct. 26) at The Meadowlands.

T C I, Daiquiri Hanover take Crown sophomore trot elims

T C I marched to the front into the first turn and never looked back for driver David Miller, capturing the first of two $34,722 Breeders Crown eliminations for sophomore male trotters.

T C I, a son of Cantab Hall out of the Dream Vacation-sired mare Nicoles Promise, raced on Lasix for the first time in his career and wasted no effort in gaining control as over three rivals engaged in battle for early lead through a :27.3 opening quarter. Secret Agent Man (Andy Miller) followed in second through the trip, and there was no movement to the outside prior to the :56.2 first half. The pace of the race picked up on the far turn as Sig Sauer (Andy McCarthy) pulled to gain cover and Amazing Catch (Dunn) moved in front to go on the offensive shortly before three-quarters. The jockeying for outside position allowed Miller the freedom to back the pace down with T C I to 1:24.2.

Once into the homestretch, T C I, a colt trained by Ron Burke, accelerated away from his rivals and won by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:51.1. Secret Agent Man trailed him in second with Security Protected (Scott Zeron) third. Sig Sauer raced off cover and held his ground in the stretch for fourth, ahead of Amazing Catch, the last qualifier for the final from the first elimination.

“I let him trot finishing and he went right through the wire,” said Miller of T C I’s closing kick.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi, T C I was bred by Concord Stud Farm. Now a winner of $1,959,485, T C I returned $6.80 to win.

In the second $34,722 elimination race, Daiquiri Hanover, making his first competitive start since July, rallied from last to capture the contest for trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt, zooming past dueling leaders Karl and Highland Kismet to score by a neck at odds of 79-1 in a 1:51.3 clocking. The son of Bar Hopping from the Donato Hanover-sired dam Dab Hanover won for just the third time in his 10-race career.

The action was heated from the start in this trial as Tony Adams S (Dunn) secured the lead before the :27 first quarter and then stung favoured Karl (Yannick Gingras) three-eighths of a mile before yielding command. Gingras had 2-5 favourite Karl at the half in :55.2 but saw pressure through the third quarter as Highland Kismet and driver Tim Tetrick applied serious pressure. Following a three-quarter clocking in 1:23.2, the dueling leaders found company coming from all locations. While Daiquiri Hanover and Svanstedt had a clear path, as did runner-up Greenspan (David Miller), Tony Adams S was not as lucky, with Dexter Dunn weaving for space late to gain the show spot. Private Access and Louis Roy cleared late along the pylons for fourth. Both Highland Kismet and Karl were locked in a duel for the final spot, but Karl, who finished sixth, inherited it when fifth-place finisher Highland Kismet broke late and was disqualified.

Hanover Shoe Farms bred Daiquiri Hanover, a $170,000 yearling purchase in Kentucky by owners Åke Svanstedt Inc, Stable Why Not and Tomas Andersson. His bankroll swelled to $241,931 with the elim win.

Daiquiri Hanover’s followers were rewarded with a $160.40 pari-mutuel payoff for win.

“We found out he had a chip in his front ankle after the Hambletonian,” said Sarah Svanstedt of Daiquiri Hanover’s absence. “He had the surgery, and he really didn’t lose much conditioning.”

As for winning from post nine in a field of this caliber, Svanstedt said, “I wasn’t sure he’d be ready for this.”

Daiquiri Hanover and T C I will both draw for posts within the first six spots for next week's Breeders Crown final.

My Girl EJ lasts, Disney stuns in sophomore filly pace elims 

A tale of two toteboard outcomes unfolded in the pair of $34,722 Breeders Crown eliminations for three-year-old pacing fillies  – My Girl EJ fulfilled a 3-5 promise winning her elimination and Disney later spoiled at odds of 66-1 in the second elimination.

My Girl EJ persevered from a laggard start and a first-over grind to clinch a 1:51 victory in the first elimination for pacing fillies.

Outfooted by Asweetbeachhere (David Miller) from post nine, Dexter Dunn raised the whip on My Girl EJ to gather speed, but managed to only land in sixth while Asweetbeachhere took the lead to a :27 first quarter. Dunn stayed put up the backside with no bites to pull outside after a shuffle on the lead, so he angled My Girl EJ off the pylons and marched forward uncovered into a :55.2 half.

My Girl EJ loomed forward towards Collusion Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy), who cleared the lead from pocket-pulling Direction (Todd McCarthy) before the half, and engaged in battle to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Collusion Hanover kept fighting to the inside, but My Girl EJ nonetheless forged forward while weary from the overland trip to hold a neck in front at the finish. Asweetbeachhere, at 79-1, burst through traffic to claim second from Collusion Hanover while Sweet Gal (Andy McCarthy) and Direction finished fourth and fifth, respectively, to take the last slots into the final.

“She usually gets out of the gate really good,” Dunn said after the race. “She just left a little flatfooted when the gate sped off tonight, so I had to work her a little bit to not get too far back. She’s so versatile – if we got a helmet and a cart up into the race, it would’ve been great. But she’s done a first-over grind before and it was a great effort; we were sprinting pretty hard in the straight tonight.”  

A filly by Sweet Lou out of the Well Said mare Lucys Pearl, My Girl EJ collected her 13th win from 28 starts. The homebred for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Elizabeth Novak – co-owned with Ron Burke – has now earned $1,323,873 and paid $3.20 to win.

Disney found a tow from last and landed on the line first in a 1:50.4 mile to upset in the second elimination for pacing fillies.

Driver Todd McCarthy took Disney back from post nine and raced ninth to a :26.4 first quarter carved by Its A Love Thing (James MacDonald) pushing for control. Its A Love Thing then dialed the heat to a dawdle approaching a :56.2 half, prompting Rocket Deo (Andy McCarthy) to dart out of fifth and shoot forward to the lead. Once Rocket Deo assumed command, the outside tier led by Tarrific (Jason Bartlett) continued to plunge forward in the charge to three-quarters in 1:23.3, at which point Todd McCarthy began fanning Disney from third over to the center of the track.

Rocket Deo withstood amplifying pressure on both flanks in the stretch and entered the final eighth on fumes. Tarrific pushed forward to the outside and Its A Love Thing surged through a seam at the inside, but Todd McCarthy gathered ample momentum with Disney and slid over the top of all to notch a head win in the final strides. Tarrific took second from Its A Love Thing in third with Caviart Belle (Yannick Gingras) taking fourth and Rocket Deo holding fifth.

“The trip actually worked out okay,” Todd McCarthy said. “From where I got away in the first turn, there was an outer flow from the get go and I tacked onto that. There were a few moves, and I ended up third over. It was a long way for her to come in a big mile like that. She had a good kick coming home. It was one of them spots where I knew there probably wasn’t going to be many looking to drop me in – it was a bit of a step up in class for her, so I had to take her back; my hand was forced. I was really confident that she’d be competitive with the right trip, and fortunately enough she was.”

A homebred for Diamond Creek Farm, Disney has now won six races from 11 starts and earned $161,740. The daughter of Always B Miki out of Breeders Crown champion Pure Country paid $135.60 to win.

My Girl EJ and Disney earned draw protection between posts one through six by winning their respective Breeders Crown eliminations. The draw took place after the elims.

2024 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace Final
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer
1. Collusion Hanover – Louis-Philiipe Roy – Luc Blais
2. My Girl EJ – Dexter Dunn – Ron Burke
3. Asweetbeachhere – David Miller – Andrew Harris
4. Direction – Todd McCarthy – Brett Pelling
5. Caviart Belle – Yannick Gingras – Nancy Takter
6. Disney – Todd McCarthy – Brett Pelling
7. Rocket Deo – Andrew McCarthy – Brett Pelling
8. Its A Love Thing – James MacDonald – Dave Menary
9. Sweet Gal – Andrew McCarthy – Brett Pelling
10. Tarrific – Jason Bartlett – Chris Ryder

The draws for the three-year-old colt trot, three-year-old colt pace, open trot and mare pace will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 23 around 3 p.m. at Hogan Equine.

There were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick-6, creating a carryover of $10,791 for Friday’s card. Those with five correct selections cashed in for $2,091.38. All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $2,819,914.

The full replay of Saturday's card from The Meadowlands is available below.

(With files from Breeders Crown; photo features, clockwise from top left, Drawn Impression, Mirage Hanover, Ruthless Hanover, Grace Hill, Disney, T C I)