Harness racing's best battled in the first of two nights of 2025 Breeders Crown eliminations on Friday, Oct. 17 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, with seven groups of ultra-talented two-year-olds going postward.

Spencer Hanover, Diabolic Hill Win Crown Elims For Freshman Male Trotters

Spencer Hanover and Diabolic Hill won their $34,250 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old male trotters Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park and will start from post positions two and three, respectively, in next week’s $700,000 USD final.

Spencer Hanover and driver Jason Bartlett captured the first elimination, rallying from fourth at three-quarters to win by 1-1/4 lengths over pacesetter Mr Big Spender in 1:53.4. Im Kronos S finished third and Kingmen was fourth to advance to the final.

Diabolic Hill and driver Todd McCarthy won the second elim, taking control in the first turn and never relinquishing the lead on their way to a 1:53.1 triumph. Nix Nacken finished second, followed by Land The Plane and L P Bay to advance to the final. Also advancing was Cambridge Hanover, who was the fifth-place finisher with the highest earnings.

The nine finalists from the eliminations joined Apex, who advanced automatically as the winner of the Peter Haughton Memorial, in next week’s final.

In the first elimination, Spencer Hanover raced in fourth while Mr Big Spender and driver Mike Wilder led the field through fractions of :28, :58, and 1:26.4. Mr Big Spender fended off a first-over push from 6-5 favourite Im Kronos S and driver Ake Svanstedt, but Spencer Hanover followed that rival’s cover and sprinted home in :26.3 for the victory.

“Once I got Ake in front of me, then I knew I had really live cover,” Bartlett said. “The pace wasn't too hot and pretty sensible. Obviously, the goal was to get in the final, but we got a good trip.

“In the middle of the last turn, I thought I was in the winning spot if he kicked home like he did at Vernon the other day, and he definitely did.”

Spencer Hanover, who was coming off a track-record performance in the Big Apple Trot for freshman colts and geldings on Oct. 11 at Vernon Downs, is trained by Marcus Melander for owners Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti. The son of Chapter Seven-Secret Passion was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. The victory was the colt’s second of the season to go with three seconds and a third and $279,243 in earnings from 11 starts.

Friday’s race was Spencer Hanover’s third since the addition of trotting hobbles.

“(People told me) he’s a really nice horse,” Bartlett said. “And then adding the hobbles just seems to be a little confidence builder in him.”

Sent off as the 9-5 second choice, Spencer Hanover paid $5.70 to win.

In the second elimination, which saw the late scratch of pre-race favourite Endurance, Diabolic Hill got to the front from post four and led the field to fractions of :27.4, :58 and 1:25.3 on his way to victory by 3-1/4 lengths.

“The game plan was we were probably looking to follow a helmet here in the elim, and we got left on the front there, but it was pretty soft fractions, so I was okay with it,” McCarthy said. “And he trotted home really strong. He was a real professional tonight.”

Diabolic Hill is trained by Annie Stoebe, who owns the colt with Mazza Racing Stables. The son of Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream was bred by AM Bloodstock. He has won four of eight races this season and hit the board an additional two times, banking $202,711.

In his previous start, Diabolic Hill finished fourth in the Mohawk Million on Sept. 20. He qualified in 1:56.1 at the Meadowlands on Oct. 9 to prep for the Breeders Crown.

“I was very confident,” Stoebe said. “He qualified like a beast, and the Mohawk Million really matured him. He has really turned into a nice horse to be around, and he's settled down a lot on the track, which makes him more manageable for Todd.”

Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, Diabolic Hill paid $3.10.

The draw for the final was conducted following the eliminations. Elimination winners Spencer Hanover and Diabolic Hill, as well as Apex, drew for posts one through six. Here is the field in post order:

2025 Breeders Crown final for Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts & Geldings
PP - Horse - Trainer
1. Apex - Marcus Melander
2. Spencer Hanover - Marcus Melander
3. Diabolic Hill - Annie Stoebe
4. Nix Nacken - Marcus Melander
5. Land The Plane - Carl Jamieson
6. Kingmen - Per Engblom
7. L P Bay - Mark Etsell
8. Cambridge Hanover - Andrew Harris
9. Im Kronos S - Ake Svanstedt
10. Mr Big Spender - Norm Parker

Storybook Love, Nezuko Kamado S Charge To Victory In Breeders Crown Elims

Storybook Love landed a 33-1 upset rallying over the top of her competition and Nezuko Kamado S later zipped down the centre of the track to win their respective $34,250 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old trotting fillies.

Storybook Love soared off cover in the stretch and easily overhauled 4-5 favourite Setyoursightshigh to win the first Breeders Crown elimination in 1:53.2.

Driver Todd Ratchford settled Storybook Love into fourth, right behind Setyoursightshigh (Dexter Dunn), while Southwind Chaska (Tim Tetrick) pushed forward to grab the lead from Im Kronos S (Svanstedt) through a :27.1 first quarter. Southwind Chaska cruised to a :56.4 half and rolled through the last turn as Setyoursightshigh pulled off the pylons with Storybook Love in tow. Setyoursightshigh slid by Southwind Chaska after three-quarters in 1:25.4 and chugged for the finish while Ratchford tipped Storybook Love wide and gathered momentum late. Storybook Love drew alongside Setyoursightshigh and then glided by with ease in the last eighth for a three-quarter-length win. R Ro (Jody Jamieson) rallied from off the speed for third with Wishuponastar Deo (Tyler Borth) grabbing fourth from a tiring Southwind Chaska, who clinched the last berth into the final as the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings between the two eliminations.

“It's pretty sweet,” Todd Ratchford said about winning a Breeders Crown elimination, which happened in his first Breeders Crown drive and in just his third year of driving. “I never would have guessed it, but I'm happy it happened.

“Last week [finishing second at Vernon] really showed what she was capable of,” Ratchford added. “And I just figured I would just put her in a good spot tonight. She'd have a good chance of making the final, let alone winning. So it was pretty good. She knows to pull herself right out and go forward, so she's pretty easy to drive.”

A filly by Chapter Seven-Stirling Debutant bred by Alan and Larry Troyer, Storybook Love won her third race from 11 starts and has now earned $207,726 for owners Al Libfeld and Brad Grant.

“She's really matured over the last little bit,” said trainer Matt Bax, who also won his first Breeders Crown elimination in just his second appearance. “Early on in the year she mentally wasn't all the way there, and luckily she's putting it together just at the right time. She actually raced great in Vernon [and I] thought she had a shot. I told Al and Brad, you know, great people. They said ‘if you think she's good enough.’ I said ‘Well, she's not going to embarrass herself in the Breeders Crown.’ So I'm glad it worked out.”

Storybook Love, sent off as the second longest shot on the board, paid $69.70 to win.

Marcus Melander trainee Nezuko Kamado S punched forward following fast fractions to swoop to a 1:53.1 win in the second elimination for freshman trotting fillies.

Starting from the pylon post, Nezuko Kamado S landed in seventh for driver Scott Zeron behind a scramble for the lead in a :28 first quarter. Jailbird Jog sliced through traffic for driver James MacDonald and was the last in the shuffle to plant onto the lead while stretched out through a :55.3 half by Shimmering Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy). Zeron meanwhile found a third-over seat as Jailbird Jog scurried on an open lead to three-quarters in 1:23.1. Zeron fanned Nezuko Kamado S towards the grandstand side spinning for home and powered by a weary Jailbird Jog in the last eighth before notching a two-length win in hand. Lainey W (Yannick Gingras) skimmed a seam at the pylons to snatch second with Bingo Night (Tyler Jones) rallying for third and Sparks (Svanstedt) flying from near last for fourth. ​

“She was far off, but there was some good pace there and she really flew home,” Marcus Melander said after the race. “She’s got a great attitude, great speed. I probably put her in the wrong races; I kept her in the New York Sires Stakes with the half-mile track – she probably could’ve raced on the bigger tracks, brought her to Kentucky or something like that. But she’s a really good horse and I’m looking forward to the final.”

Nezuko Kamado S, a homebred Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos IT filly for Courant Inc., collected her sixth win from nine starts and has banked $508,208 in her career. Sent off as the slight second favourite, she paid $8.30 to win.

After the evening’s ninth race, Woodbine Mohawk Park conducted the post position draw for the $959,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot. The two elimination winners, along with Jim Doherty Memorial champion Atlantic Summer, earned draw protection from posts one through six. Below is the field:

2025 Breeders Crown final for Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
PP-Horse-Trainer
1. Lainey W - Marcus Melander
2. Nezuko Kamado S - Marcus Melander
3. Southwind Chaska - Jim Oscarsson
4. Atlantic Summer - Ron Burke
5. Storybook Love - Matt Bax
6. Bingo Night  - Dustin Jones
7. Sparks - Ake Svanstedt
8. Wishuponastar Deo - Susie Kerwood
9. Setyoursightshigh - Marcus Melander
10. R Ro - John Butenschoen

Brandon Blvd Sets Track And Canadian Record, Beau Jangles Remains Undefeated In Breeders Crown Elims

Brandon Blvd made it look easy as he captured the first of two $34,250 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers. The talented freshman paced to a 1:48.4 new track and Canadian record, besting Sweet Lou’s record set in 2011 at Woodbine Racetrack. Sent off as the 2-1 choice, Brandon Blvd was perfectly driven by Dexter Dunn for trainer Andrew Harris.

"It's a hell of a mile, isn't it?” said driver Dexter Dunn. “Obviously, the fractions set up for a mile like that. But you know, he's just all class. He does whatever you want to do and is a real racehorse; he wants to race the other horses."

Brandon Blvd notched career victory seven from nine starts with this latest triumph, upping his career earnings to $469,371 for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman, and trainer Harris — all of New Jersey. This was his third consecutive victory, as he captured the Bluegrass Stakes on Sept. 26 and the International Stallion Stakes on Oct. 4 at Lexington’s Red Mile, when he clocked in his previous life mark of 1:49.1 on both occasions.

Dad, the 38-1 longshot with Louis-Philippe Roy in the bike, sprang quickly from the eight-hole, and lead the field through spirited fractions of :25.2 and :52.4, before tiring as driver Dexter Dunn kept Brandon Blvd neatly tucked in third behind Al Papi (Yannick Gingras) who was huddled in second behind the leading speedster.

"Louis was trying to reel his one in (Dad),” driver Dunn added. “But he (Brandon Blvd) was marching along there. I'm just really impressed with the way the colt led down (the stretch) tonight. He's obviously had a great year, and he's still at it."

As the field turned for home, passing the 1:21 three-quarter marker, Al Papi began his move, giving Brandon Blvd clear sailing in the stretch, as the latter unleashed a powerful late kick to easily fly by his rival in his track record setting performance.

Al Papi was collared in the final yards, relinquishing second to Fragment (Jason Barlett), while Melillo (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) notched fourth-place honours. Windsor (Doug McNair) grabbed fifth, earning a spot in the Breeders Crown Final.

"I think he stacks up with them,” trainer Andrew Harris stated. “I give full credit to Beau Jangles and Frantic Hanover and a couple of those other horses. I give them all respect. They're all great horses. When it comes down to it, when you have a group that is that good, the trip's going to matter. And the best thing that we got is Dexter (driver Dunn) as he's going to map out a great trip."

Harris added that Brandon Blvd was lazy early on in his training.

"The first couple months, he was kind of lazy and just didn't really show ambition,” Harris admitted. “Then in about March, I let him have a little bit of a speed trip, and he just took off on me. Ever since then I've been pretty high on him, and I knew kind of had that kind of speed. But obviously you don't expect him to be a [1:]48 pacer. Those were big fractions that set up for him. But he's right there at the wire, and he's looking good crossing the wire, so he's not all out."

"He's actually been blessed,” Harris continued. “Because we haven't had to travel a lot with him. He spent the whole summer stabled at Lexington. So, he didn’t have to do a lot of the work that these others have done. He's kind of had a really good campaign that way, and is going into his 10th start, and is as sharp now as he was in his first start."

Bred by Crawford Farms LLC, Brandon Blvd is a son of Downbytheseaside out of the American Ideal mare Alexis Faith.

Beau Jangles, the pride of the Dr. Ian Moore stable, kept his freshman record picture perfect, winning his $34,250 Breeders Crown elimination easily in 1:49.1 with driver Bob McClure at the lines.

"He was pretty full of himself there tonight, and around the last turn, I was trying to rate him as best I could, and down the lane, he just took off,” said winning driver Bob McClure. “Then halfway down the stretch, he does this thing, he puts his ears up and kind of looks for company, but he drove strong, right through the wire. He was tough just to get pulled up tonight, he was he was really full of himself tonight. It's amazing, you know, the racing he's done that he just seems to be getting stronger."

The win was the Cattlewash colt’s 11th straight victory in as many lifetime starts and upped his career earnings to $1,209,250 for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC of Clifton, Va., the Kiwi Stables LLC of La Plata, Md., and Bolton Stables of Clermont, Fl.

"It has been great so far, but this is the horse business, and as you know a lot of things can happen, but it's so far so good,” said Moore. “It should be quite a race next week, because Andrew Harris' colt (Brandon Blvd) looked pretty darn good tonight to me, in fact, setting a track record here, so it'll be interesting for sure. This field is certainly deeper than what we saw in the Metro. There are more American horses here and it should be interesting. We're looking forward to it. And hopefully Beau is up to the challenge."

Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Beau Jangles took his usual spot as he left the gate, grabbing the lead for McClure and taking the field through fractions of :26; :54.3; and 1:22.4. Ubrute (Yannick Gingras) sat behind the leader through the half, and turning for home, Frantic Hanover (Tim Tetrick) pulled first over, followed by Show Me Your Ace (David Miller). Despite their game efforts however, none could match the effort of Beau Jangles, who easily pulled away from his rivals in late stretch.

"He's a great horse, a complete pro, and I think anything you throw at him, he's going to take it," McClure stressed.

Show Me Your Ace was second, followed by Ubrute and Frantic Hanover.

All of Beau Jangles' triumphs have come in front-stepping style, with victories in the Ontario Sires Stakes, the $1 million Metro Stakes (in 1:49.1), to name a few. Foaled in Port Perry, Ont., Beau Jangles was bred by Tara Hills Stud, Ltd., and is the first foal out of the Art Major mare Mrs Major Hill.

The draw for the $700,000 USD Grade 1 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace will take place during the Saturday (Oct. 18) card of racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park after the first race.

Loua Dipa Large In Breeders Crown Elimination

Ronnie Wrenn Jr. protected forward position with Ron Burke pupil Loua Dipa and registered a dominant 1:49.3 victory in the lone $34,250 Breeders Crown elimination for two-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Wrenn sent Loua Dipa, the 1-9 favourite, out of post six and found a brief pocket behind Perfect Thought (Scott Zeron) to a :26.2 first quarter before looping to the lead. Odds On Monetary (Dunn) followed the chalk’s move and brushed to the top up the backstretch, at which point Wrenn promptly pulled Loua Dipa from the pylons to secure an outside lane into the far turn. Loua Dipa lunged to the front in the last turn and widened her advantage past three-quarters in 1:22 before Wrenn shut her down in the stretch and strolled in a 3-1/4-length winner. Stablemate Im A Lou Lou (Yannick Gingras) vaulted from near last to take second with 99-1 shot Bettor Be A Star (Patrick Ryder) finishing third and Sangria Summer (Trevor Henry) taking fourth. On Heir, Shes A Bulldog, Twin B Fierce and Hunting Memories also advanced to the final.

“I love coming up here, and I'm able to drive a couple really nice horses,” Ronnie Wrenn Jr. said after the race. “It makes my job a lot easier. But Loua Dipa, she was awesome. She's all class.

“I didn't want to get caught in [and] I didn't want to race too hard early,” Wrenn also said, “so I let Dex [Dunn with Odds On Monetary] go and waited as long as I could to move back to the lead. But like I said, she's two figures to drive. She does everything I ask, and she was awesome. She was on her ‘A’ game tonight.”

Fresh off a world-record 1:48 mile in Lexington, Loua Dipa snagged her eighth win from 11 starts and has now earned $540,228 for owner-breeders Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The Sweet Lou-Looksgoodinaromper filly paid $2.10 to win.

The draw for the $700,000 USD Grade 1 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace will take place during the Saturday (Oct. 18) card of racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park after the first race. Daya and Seaside Shuffle took byes into the final.

Upsets were the common thread for the two $25,000 Pop-Up Series finals held on the undercard. Stonebridge Helios (Dunn) held off a late rally from favoured Wallace Hartley (Doug McNair)  to win the conditioned Pop-Up Series for horses and geldings, winning by a head in 1:49.3. Paul Court trains the winner, a 19-1 upsetter for owners Jesse Dragojevic and Scott Enman of Toronto, Ont., returning $41.30 on a $2 win mutuel.

Pick Me Up Hanover prevailed off a pocket ride from driver Jody Jamieson for the lifetime best 1:51.2 tally in the conditioned Pop-Up Series final for fillies and mares, besting Rocks Shadow (McClure) by 1-1/4 lengths. The Jeff Byron trainee notched her first win of the season in 16 starts for owners Dave Byron of Waubaushene and Craig Wallwin of Barrie, Ont. At odds of 24-1, she paid $50 to win.

Crunch Hanover (1:51.1; $4.20) delivered as the public choice In the $18,000 Pop-Up Consolation for horses and geldings, a 1:51.1 winner for driver Trevor Henry and trainer Shayne Barrington.

The full card replay is available below.

For the results from Friday's card of harness racing outside of Campbellville, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(with files from Woodbine)