For owner Ryan Smith, winning a Breeders Crown with Allegiant was a thrill. To share the experience with his three horse-loving daughters made it even more special.

Allegiant captured the Breeders Crown for three-year-old female trotters 11 days ago at The Meadowlands by 2-1/4 lengths over R Melina in a stakes record-equalling 1:51.1. The outcome triggered tears of joy as well as plenty of hugs and smiles among Smith and his girls Lily, Sophia and Ella, who range in age from eight to soon-to-be 14.

“That was a big one,” said Smith, a resident of Dennison, Ohio. “I’ll probably never get that again in my life, especially with me being small potatoes, but I hope I do. Hopefully, it’s the start of something good.

“My oldest daughter, Lily, definitely wants to be a trainer and an owner. They all love the horses, but right now she is the most passionate. She was crying when we won. As soon as Allegiant crossed the line, tears were falling. She understands the importance. We might never get there again in our lives. But I’m hoping this helps build a future for them.”

Allegiant, a daughter of Tactical Landing-Too Good For You, was purchased by Smith for $50,000 at the 2022 Standardbred Horse Sale. She was the 14th foal out of Too Good For You, who had previously produced 11 winners with earnings of nearly $2.65 million in purses.

The group features a number of stakes winners, including Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final champions Beer Budget and Shape Shifter. The family also includes Grand Circuit stakes winner Celebrity Eventsy and millionaire Mystical Sunshine.

“I like a lot of depth in pedigree, so that’s probably one thing that pushes me in certain directions,” said Smith. “I’ve been very fortunate to have some good horses.”

Smith bought his first racehorse in 2018.

“We had some draft horses, and my older daughter has always showed,” said Smith. “We needed something that would give her a future, if that’s the way she wanted to go. With the racehorses, there is a chance you can if you do well. The draft horses are more showing, so it’s harder to make a life training horses and doing it that way.

“We had a lot of broodmares, but we’ve kind of rolled over solely to racehorses. I was kind of seeing what the kids liked the best. We like the horses at home, we still have two broodmares at home, but that’s kind of the direction we’re going. They like to be around the racehorses and watch them race. They love excitement.”

Allegiant will make her final start for Smith on Thursday when she faces seven rivals, including R Melina, in the $146,050 USD Matron Stakes for sophomore trotting fillies at Bally’s Dover in Delaware. Allegiant will leave from post five with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Linda Toscano. She is the 5-2 morning line favourite.

The filly will not be the only Breeders Crown winner in action on Thursday at Bally’s Dover, with three-year-old filly pacer My Girl EJ and three-year-old male pacer Mirage Hanover also slated for Matron Stakes starts.

For her career, Allegiant has hit the board in 17 of 25 races, winning 10 and earning $1,202,735. In addition to the Breeders Crown, her lifetime triumphs include the Moni Maker Stakes and an elimination of the Hambletonian Oaks (she was third in the final) this year, and a Kentucky Sire Stakes division in 2023, when she was the season's fastest two-year-old female trotter with a mark of 1:52.2.

“She’s a good, sound, strong horse,” said Smith. “And she wants it. That’s something you can’t take away from her. She physically wants it. That’s one thing I really like about her.”

Following the Matron, Allegiant will return home to Smith and his girls before being sold in the inaugural North American Standardbred Mixed Sale on Dec. 17 at the Mt. Hope Event Center in Ohio.

“She’s been a blessing,” said Smith. “The kids’ game plan is that she’s going to come to our house for a little bit before we sell her. She will probably be with us about a month at our house. That’s what they wanted. They wanted to close it out at home for a little bit.

“We’re going to move, we’re building our own five-eighths track, maybe five minutes from our house now. Lily wants to help every day and jog horses, too. That’s our game plan. I’m thankful to [Allegiant] for that. She’s helped us out a lot.”

Allegiant was trained by Vernon Beachy throughout her career, but shipped to New Jersey-based Toscano, who previously trained horses for Smith, for the Breeders Crown and Matron. The move allowed Beachy, who has been with Smith for about four years, time to stay in Ohio to work with the stable’s young horses.

“I’m very grateful for Vern and Linda and our grooms that we’ve had along the way,” said Smith. “There are a lot of pieces that it took to get us [to the Breeders Crown winner’s circle]. It was a big group effort by everybody.”

And while Smith knows the difficulties of winning a Breeders Crown trophy, he has good reason to dream of more in the future.

“I hope my daughter gets a bunch,” he said.

Racing begins at 4:30 p.m. at Bally’s Dover. Click here for a free program.

(USTA)