Canadian Connections At Breeders Crown
The 2024 Breeders Crown will take place on Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26 at Meadowlands Racetrack and Canadians will be well represented in harness racing's $7 million USD two-day championship event.
Of the Canadian-based participants entered in the Breeders Crown this weekend, James MacDonald leads all reinsmen with nine drives in the championships and trainer Luc Blais will send out the most starters from his stable with five heading postward. Leading owners Determination and Pryde Stables each have five starters. The breeders with the most entries are Warrawee Farm and Reg Higgs, both with a pair of contenders. Among Canadian sires with offspring in the finals, Bettors Delight leads with half a dozen.
The following list breaks down the current Canadian-based drivers, trainers, owners, breeders and/or sires represented in the Breeders Crown stakes.
Friday
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot (Race 6)
- #4 Kadena - driver Doug McNair of Puslinch, Ont.
- #5 Lady Landia - driver James MacDonald of Guelph, Ont.
- #8 Aperfect Annie - co-owner Melvin Hartman Ottawa, Ont.
- #9 Spicy Nice - co-owner and co-breeder John Fielding of Scarborough, Ont.
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace (Race 7)
- #2 Duration - co-owner Pryde Stables of North York, Ont.
- #3 Millie May Hanover - Ontario-sired, by Bettors Delight
- #6 The Last Martini - driver Doug McNair; owner Glenview Livestock of Ingersoll, Ont.
- #7 Cant See Me - driver Bob McClure of Rockwood, Ont.; trainer Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Ont.; owner Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Que.
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot (Race 8)
- #1 Meshuggah - driver James MacDonald
- #4 Emoticon Legacy - driver Louis-Philippe Roy of Campbellville, Ont.; trainer Luc Blais of Campbellville, Ont.; owner and breeder Determination of Montreal, Que.
- #7 Go Dog Go - co-owner Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont.
- #10 Memento Mori - driver Anthony MacDonald of Guelph, Ont.
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace (Race 10)
- #1 Papis Pistol - co-breeder Brad Shackman of Calgary, Alta.
- #4 Prince Hal Hanover - trainer Dr. Ian Moore of Cambridge, Ont.; owner Prince Hal Hanover Stable of Cambridge, Ont.
- #5 Captain Optimistic - co-owner Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ont.
- #7 Banderas - driver James MacDonald; co-owner Pryde Stables
- #8 Fallout - co-owner Pryde Stables
Saturday
$496,000 USD Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot (Race 4)
- #2 Warrawee Xenia - trainer Mark Steacy, co-owners Mark Steacy, David McDonald of Cornwall, Ont., Diane Bertrand of Lake Country, B.C.; breeder Warrawee Farm of Rockwood, Ont.
- #4 Refined - driver Doug McNair
- #6 Baroness Hill - breeder Harbor Racing Stable of Aurora, Ont.; Ontario-sired, by Kadabra
$600,000 USD Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot (Race 5)
- #1 Willys Home Run - driver James MacDonald; trainer Rob Fellows of Rockwood, Ont.; owners Dr. Sara Gatchell and Jake Higgs of Strathroy, Ont., Reg Higgs of Ilderton, Ont., and Yolanda Fellows of Rockwood, Ont.; breeder Reg Higgs; Ontario-sired, by Archangel
- #2 Drawn Impression - driver Louis-Philippe Roy; trainer Luc Blais; owner and breeder Determination.
- #9 Sadbirdstillsing - co-owner Pryde Stables Inc.
- #10 Warrawee Michelle - breeder Warrawee Farm
$600,000 USD Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace (Race 6)
- #1 Collusion Hanover - driver Louis-Philippe Roy; trainer Luc Blais; owner Determination; Ontario-sired, by Bettors Delight
- #7 Rocket Deo - co-owner John Fielding
- #8 Its A Love Thing - driver James MacDonald; trainer David Menary of Cambridge, Ont.; breeders Marvin Katz and Lynn Katz of Toronto, Ont., Al Libfeld of Pickering, Ont.; Ontario-sired, by Bettors Delight
$600,000 USD Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot (Race 7)
- #1 Private Access - driver Louis-Philippe Roy; trainer Luc Blais; owner Determination
- #3 Amazing Catch - owners Marvin Katz, Al Libfeld, Sam Goldband of Toronto, Ont.
- #4 Highland Kismet - trainer Mark Etsell of Rockwood, Ont.; owner and breeder Highland Thoroughbred Farm of Inglewood, Ont.
- #5 Security Protected - co-owner Brad Grant of Milton, Ont.
- #9 Secret Agent Man - co-owner Plouffe Racing of Bromont, Que.
- #10 Tony Adams S - driver James MacDonald
$600,000 USD Breeders Crown Open Pace (Race 8)
- #7 Coach Stefanos - driver James MacDonald
$600,000 USD Breeders Crown Open Trot (Race 9)
- #2 Up Your Deo - co-owner Van Camp Trotting Corp. of Port Perry, Ont.
- #4 Its Academic - owner Brad Grant
- #8 Hasty Bid - driver James MacDonald; co-owner 1000063663 Ontario Inc. of Guelph, Ont., Paige MacDonald of Guelph, Ont.; breeder Jeff Ruch of Innisfil, Ont.; Ontario-sired, by My MVP
- #10 Logan Park - driver Doug McNair; trainer Rob Fellows; owners Outofthepark Stable of Rockwood, Ont.; Reg Higgs, Arpad Szabo of Bradford, Ont.; breeders Reg Higgs, Donna Higgs of Denfield, Ont.; Ontario-sired, by Archangel
$600,000 USD Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace (Race 10)
- #1 Mirage Hanover - Ontario-sired, by Bettors Delight
- #2 Nijinsky - driver Louis-Philippe Roy; trainer Anthony Beaton of Waterdown, Ont.; co-owner John Fielding; Ontario-sired, by Bettors Delight
- #3 Calicojack Hanover - driver James MacDonald; trainer Luc Blais; owner Determination
- #7 Timeisonmyside - driver Anthony MacDonald
- #8 Gem Quality - co-owner Brad Grant
- #9 Captain Luke - co-owners Pryde Stables and Brad Grant
$400,000 USD Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace (Race 11)
- #4 Silver Label - trainer Nick Gallucci of Stouffville, Ont.; owner and breeder Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont.; Ontario-sired, by Bettors Delight
- #8 Dabarndawgswatchin - driver Louis-Philippe Roy; trainer David Menary; owner Julie Ferguson of Greely, Ont.; breeders Julie Ferguson, Lloyd Stone of Portland, Ont.; Ontario-sired, by Hes Watching
- #9 Sylvia Hanover - driver Bob McClure; trainer Mark Steacy; owner Hudson Standardbred Stable
Additionally, the championships include a number of Canadians now based in the United States, including drivers Yannick Gingras, Mark MacDonald and Scott Zeron; trainers Jim Campbell, Andrew Harris, Jason McGinnis and Tim Twaddle; owners Robert Leblanc, TheStable Memento Mori, TheStable Timeisonmyside, TheStable Tactical Mounds, West Wins Stable; and breeder Herb Liverman.
For this weekend's complete Meadowlands entries, click one of the following links:
(Standardbred Canada)