Three-year-olds Muscle Hill and Well Said, along with undefeated two-year-old pacing colt Sportswriter, top the entries to the $5 million (U.S.) Breeders Crown
at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, October 24.
There will be eliminations for all two-year-old divisions on Friday, October 16 with the exception of the Two-Year-Old Colt Pace, which drew 11 entrants and will advance straight to the $600,000 (U.S.) final.
Fifteen of the best two-year-old trotting fillies kick off the Breeders Crown action with two divisions. The first is headlined by Ontario-sired standout Poof Shes Gone, the 2009 Merrie Annabelle winner. The Kadabra - Travelin Superlite filly has drawn Post 2 in the first elim.
The second division features a rematch of one of this year's most discussed races as Peaceful Way champ Costa Rica (PP3) will go toe-to-toe with the filly that beat her in the elimination and was subsequently disqualified, Angostura (PP7).
Two-year-old trotting colts, 19 in total, are next up on the Friday night card and headlined by the William Wellwood Memorial winner Il Villaggio, who has drawn Post 4 in the first of two eliminations. His main competition will come from Valley Victory champ Lucky Chucky in Post 7.
Wishing Stone (PP5), a winner of two straight Grand Circuit races over Lexington's Red Mile in 1:55 and 1:55.3 respectively, will face off against eight rivals including the ultra-consistent Pilgrims Taj (PP8), who has compiled a record of five wins and three second place finishes from eight starts.
Western Silk (PP5), one of the hottest freshman fillies in the OSS program will face off with world record holder and Three Diamonds winner Fancy Filly (PP4) in one of two eight-horse eliminations for the two-year-old pacing fillies.
The second division features the unbeaten Shes A Great Lady winner Put On A Show (PP7) and North America's season's leader, Higher And Higher lines up to her outside in Post 8.
To view Friday's entries click here. To view the entries in TrackIT race program format, click here.
Shifting to Saturday and the three-year-olds, only two divisions require eliminations - the competitive filly division and the pacing colt glamour boy division.
The first elimination for three-year-old trotting fillies features a solid group, including Raising Rachel (PP4), OSS leader Elusive Desire (PP5) and Broadway Schooner (PP7) in a rematch of their close encounter in the Hambletonian Oaks final.
The second split sees Kentucky Filly Futurity winner Seaside (PP4), Grand Circuit winners Windsong Soprano (PP7) and Southwind Wasabi (PP8) as well as world record holder Highscore Kemp (PP9).
The top five finishers from each elim will advance to the final. The connections of elim winners may select their charge's post position for the final.
Only 12 three-year-old pacing colts entered the box, giving byes to top divisional earners Well Said and Vintage Master. If I Can Dream (PP4), who upset Well Said on Saturday, headlines the group of ten pacing colts.
To view Saturday's entries click here. To view the entries in TrackIT race program format, click here.
The Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt Trot and Pace will be drawn at a press conference at Woodbine on Tuesday, October 20.
(With files from the Hambletonian Society)
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