Everything has come together for Diabolic Hill in the last few weeks, as he backed up victories in an overnight race at Harrah's Philadelphia on Oct. 8 and his elimination a week ago by posting a 1:50.4 career-best mile in the $935,915 Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot (G1) on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer/co-owner Annie Stoebe, Diabolic Hill got away smoothly from post three and drove on two-wide to take the lead away from Nix Nacken (driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) past the :27.4 quarter-mile marker. Diabolic Hill would then be challenged by 4-5 favourite and fellow elimination victor Big Ranger (Tim Tetrick), and Big Ranger grabbed control on the way to the :55.3 half. As that clocking was going up on the board, Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) got rolling first-over out of fourth, giving cover to Hambletonian champion Apex (Dexter Dunn).

Big Ranger remained clear on the way to three-quarters in 1:22.3 as Inexpressable stalled out next to the pocket-sitting Diabolic Hill. When Inexpressable dropped back on the last turn, McCarthy found space to swing to the outside before they turned for home. In the stretch Diabolic Hill had dead-aim at Big Ranger, and when Big Ranger threw in a couple of rough steps the door opened for Diabolic Hill to surge by. From there, Diabolic Hill went on to prevail by a length over a passing-lane plunging Nix Nacken, with Big Ranger third. 

"It's pretty special. Annie had this planned out for the end of the year, and when a plan comes to fruition like that, it's a great job," said McCarthy, who collected his fourth career Breeders Crown trophy. "He's been a tricky horse throughout the year. He's had a couple of little hurdles, and Annie's done a great job managing him, figuring him out and getting him to where he is tonight. He was super.

"He's just seemed to have been finishing a little stronger. He likes racing on a five-eighths-mile track as well. I think that's probably helped. He's just peaked right at the right time, this horse. It was one of those races tonight; I said to Annie going out I wasn't real sure what was going to happen. We were just going to try to map it out as we went. Fortunately, it worked out."

A Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream colt, Diabolic Hill is the second Breeders Crown champion for breeder AM Bloodstock of Sweden and the first for Stoebe as owner or trainer, which is also the case for co-owners Mario Mazza of Loxahatchee, Fl. and AC Crawford Racing Stable of Fort Lauderdale, Fl. A $405,405 ($300,000 USD) buy at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Diabolic Hill has a summary of 8-6-3 from 21 starts, with his bankroll at $1.5 million.

"It is a dream come true. It's been a goal of my life since I got in this business," remarked Stoebe. "I just looked at Jeremy (assistant trainer Jeremy Morrison), and said, 'Did it actually just happen?' What an amazing horse, an amazing drive and I couldn't be happier. I was screaming (down the stretch). I was absolutely screaming. It's surreal.

"It's been a lot of hours, but this sure makes up for it."

The 6-1 fourth choice in the wagering, Diabolic Hill paid $15.20 to win.

The Breeders Crown championships can be watched via the live stream below. The Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot can be viewed at the 2:28:30 mark .

(Breeders Crown)