Harness racing’s top two-year-olds converged at Woodbine Racetrack on Friday night to kick off the Breeders Crown elimination weekend
. The top five finishers from each elim advanced to the final with the connections of elim winners earning the chance to select their charge's post position.
Freshmen trotting fillies were up first and faced off in a pair of $25,745 elims in hopes of earning a spot in next Saturday's final.
Poof Shes Gone (Dave Miller), the heavy 1-9 favourite, delivered on her pari-mutuel promise in a track record setting performance in the first elim, which was reduced to a field of six with Bone A Fide scratched sick.
Levis Lady (Brian Sears) fired off the gate as Tequila Slammer (Paul MacDonell) broke stride at the rail along with Impressive Kemp (Andrew McCarthy) on the far outside. The early leader put up the first-quarter in :28 seconds before Poof Shes Gone made a backstretch brush from third and took the lead at the half in :58.
The Kadabra-Travelin Superlite filly led the way to the third quarter in 1:27.1 while Spicy Wings (John Campbell) moved up from fourth and laid on the pressure in the stretch. The pair pulled away from the field as they raced to the wire, but Spicy Wings was only able to reach Poof Shes Gone’s flank as she stopped the clock in 1:55.4. The time of the mile lowered Flirtin Miss’ 1:56.1 track record for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Tequila Slammer managed to recover from her early miscue to come on for third while Ultimate Cameron (Mike Lachance) and Levis Lady finished fourth and fifth.
With the win, Poof Shes Gone improved her record to 8-1-1 in 10 starts and lifted her bankroll to over $617,000 for trainer Richard Norman. The $170,000 Harrisburg yearling acquisition is owned by Melvin Hartman, John Fielding, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee.
Christiana Hanover converted a pocket trip into a stunning 32-1 upset in the second elim for teamster Steve Condren and trainer Riina Rekila.
Southwind Samurai (John Campbell) left alertly from the far outside and pulled away to a four length advantage while Up Front Juansteen (Tim Tetrick) made a break at the gate. Croquet Style (Peter Wallinder) also jumped it off in the early going as did Angostura (Trevor Ritchie).
Southwind Samurai flashed a :27.3 opening quarter while Christiana Hanover settled back in second with favourite Fashion Feline (Brian Sears) making a break from third. After a middle breather in :58.3, Costa Rica swept to the outside from the third position and advanced first-up past three-quarters in 1:28.4 with Action Broadway (Dave Miller) following her cover. As Southwind Samurai stormed down the lane, Costa Rica applied heavy pressure on the outside, but it was Christiana Hanover who managed to split horses and come on for the victory in a career-best clocking of 1:57 by a neck.
Southwind Samurai was the runner-up with Costa Rica close behind. Fashion Feline (Brian Sears) picked up the fourth-place check with Action Broadway getting fifth off a break in the stretch.
Christiana Hanover, an $11,000 Harrisburg sale purchase, now sports a record reading 3-1-0 in four starts with nearly $23,000 banked for owner Esa Lahtinen.
Here is a look at the field for the $600,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot in order of post position:
1. Costa Rica
2. Christiana Hanover
3. Tequila Slammer
4. Poof Shes Gone
5. Fashion Feline
6. Ultimate Cameron
7. Southwind Samurai
8. Action Broadway
9. Spicy Wings
10. Levis Lady
Lucky Chucky posted a sizzling 1:55.1 victory in the first of two $25,745 elims for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings setting a new track and Canadian record.
With Muscle Massive (Ron Pierce) making a break off the gate, Temple Of Doom (Dave Miller) hustled to the lead from the nine post and put up the first quarter in :27.2. From there, John Campbell popped the pocket and directed Lucky Chucky to the front as the half flashed in :57.2.
With the backfield beginning to fire, favourite Ill Villaggio (Tim Tetrick) edged out from third and advanced past three-quarters in 1:26.4, but made a costly break in mid-stretch leaving Lucky Chucky in the clear. The Windsongs Legacy-Aerobics colt, sent postward as the 2-1 second choice, stopped the clock in 1:55.1 lowering Majestic Son and Donato Hanover’s track record by four-fifths of a second.
Temple Of Doom finished two lengths behind in second and Classic Son (Andy Miller) rounded out the top three. Magic Fruit (Steve Condren) and Keystone Bernard (Brian Sears) also advanced to the final with their fourth and fifth place finishes.
"He raced well," Campbell told the WEG Media Department. "He was not quite as relaxed as I would like, but he was strong, and very good here."
Charles Sylvester trains and owns the winner of eight races in nine starts and over $420,000 with Neal Goldman and Amy Stoltzfus. The bay was purchased for $10,000 at the Harrisburg sale.
Odds-on favourite Pilgrims Taj survived an overland journey to win the second elim for trotting colts and geldings.
Flashback (Andy Miller) was first away and reached the opening quarter in :28.2, but Wishing Stone (John Campbell) was up and driving from the two-hole shortly after while Pilgrims Taj and Mike Lachance began to advance after getting away eighth.
After taking the field to the half in :58.1, Wishing Stone was challenged by Newport Volo (Jody Jamieson), who progressed from fourth past three-quarters in 1:27.3 and then poked a head in front down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Pilgrims Taj, who was positioned fifth on the outside, came flying late for the 1:56.1 victory by a head over Newport Volo with Wishing Stone third. Hard Livin (Daniel Dube) and Baximum (Dave Miller) finished back in fourth and fifth.
Pilgrims Taj is trained by Keith Armer for owners Bob Bongiorno, Peter Heffering, Bix Di Meo and Val Dor Farms. The son of Broadway Hall-Bwt Maija has recorded six wins and three seconds in nine starts earning over $437,000.
"We bought him privately and he has really worked out for us," Bongiorno told WEG Media. "He was second in the Valley Victory to Lucky Chucky and second to Holiday Road in the Haughton so if you can go with horses like that, you are a good one. He did win tonight from an impossible spot but great ones can overcome that. He's just a fine, fine horse. He has really overcome some obstacles."
Here is a look at the field for the $600,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot in order of post position:
1. Wishing Stone
2. Pilgrims Taj
3. Classic Son
4. Lucky Chucky
5. Temple Of Doom
6. Keystone Bernard
7. Magic Fruit
8. Hard Livin
9. Baximum
10. Newport Volo
Switching to the pace, Western Silk rallied off the cover of favourite Fancy Filly to prevail in the first of two $25,745 eliminations for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Ticket To Rock (John Campbell) showed early gate speed from the outside Post 8 and rolled to the opening quarter in :26.3 before A And Gs Princess (Yannick Gingras) rushed up to make an appearance on the front end heading to the :55.4 half.
With a half-mile left to go, Fancy Filly (Brian Sears) made her move and swooped up from fifth to claim the top spot with Western Silk and Mark MacDonald hot on her heels.
After passing three-quarters in 1:24.2, Fancy Filly dug deep in the stretch, but couldn’t hold off 3-1 second choice Western Silk, who reached up in the final strides to claim the victory by a neck in a career-best 1:52.1.
Full Picture (Richard Silverman) was third with Cannae Cammie (Luc Ouellette) finishing forth and Ticket To Rock fifth.
“I thought she raced huge,” MacDonald told WEG Media. “She’s been awesome her last three starts, winning under wraps.”
Trained and owned by Casie Coleman along with Tom Hill, the Western Terror-Extemporaneous miss has put together a record reading 6-1-2 in 10 starts earning over $234,000.
Higher And Higher was on top by the half and held off fan favourite Put On A Show to win the final two-year-old Breeders Crown elimination of the night - the second elim for filly pacers.
Dancin Barefoot (Daniel Dube) and Panagler (Steve Condren) battled for the early lead with Panagler eventually touching down on top just past the :28 opener. Her lead was short-lived though, as Casino Nights (Tim Tetrick) rolled to the top with Higher And Higher and Dave Palone then taking over at the half in :57.1.
The action continued on the front-end as Slimsplace (Randy Waples) also took a shot at the lead as she rolled up alongside Higher And Higher heading to the three-quarters mark in 1:25.2. The pair entered the stretch together, but Higher And Higher shook off her challenger down the lane and then fended off a hard-closing Put On A Show for the win in 1:52.4.
Casino Nights earned the show dough with Slimsplace and Panagler earning the final two cheques.
“You don’t want to race them too hard if you don’t have to in the elims, but at the same time you want them on their toes. So I just wanted to float up there if I could and when I got the cheap half, I knew I was in good shape," Palone told WEG Media. "I knew Put On A Show was coming and coming hard, so I had to ask her a little at the end but she was there, she responded.”
Trained by Tracy Brainard for the Bulletproof Enterprises, the Western Terror-Pro Bowl Best filly is now five-for-seven with over $357,000 earned.
Here is a look at the field for the $610,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace in order of post position:
1. Cannae Cammie
2. Fancy Filly
3. Western Silk
4. Higher And Higher
5. Ticket To Rock
6. Casino Nights
7. Slimsplace
8. Full Picture
9. Put On A Show
10. Panagler
With only 11 two-year-old pacing colts and geldings entered in the Breeders Crown, eliminations are not necessary and all entrants will advance to the final.
Here is a look at the field for the $700,000 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace in order of post position with drivers listed:
1. Rockin Image - John Campbell
2. Sportswriter - Mark MacDonald
3. Whackamole Hanover - Andy Miller
4. Urgent Action - Richie Silverman
5. Paynes Landing - Dave Miller
6. All Speed Hanover - Ron Pierce
7. World Of RocknRoll - Andy Miller
8. Ok Commander - Jody Jamieson
9. Malicious - Dave Miller
10. Shoobees Place - Brian Sears
11. Kyle Major - Jody Jamieson
Eliminations for three-year-olds are set for Saturday, October 17 (first post at 8 p.m.) with the Three-Year-Old Colt Trot and Pace draws taking place at a press conference on Tuesday, October 20 at Woodbine.
The $4.8 million lucrative Breeders Crown finals are scheduled for next Saturday, October 24 at the Rexdale oval.
On Friday’s undercard, five-year-old pacing mare Dreamfair Eternal used her customary late-stretch kick to capture the $44,000 Fillies & Mares Open for trainer Pat Fletcher and owners/breeders John and Mary Lamers.
With Randy Waples at the lines, the favoured daughter of Camluck-J Cs Nathalie sat third for most of the mile as the lead changed hands between Crystal Chris (Mario Baillargeon) and Miss Scarlett (Rick Zeron) in the early going. Dreamfair Eternal angled out at the third quarter mark and used a :27.4 final quarter to capture the lead and pace away by nearly two lengths for the 1:51.2 victory.
Crystal Chris was the runner-up over Miss Scarlet.
The triumph was Dreamfair Eternal’s 12th in 25 outings this year and bumped her yearly bankroll over the $500,000 mark. With 24 career wins to her credit, Dreamfair Eternal has earned a total of $645,415.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click here.
(With files from WEG)