The first of two nights of Breeders Crown eliminations featured the two-year-old divisions with record performances on Friday, Oct. 16 at Scioto Downs.
Blue Ranger Equals Track Record, Melander & Dunn Sweep Breeders Crown Filly Trot Eliminations
Ohio Sires Stakes champion Blue Ranger matched the Scioto Downs divisional track record she set last month when ripping out of the pocket to a 1:53.1 victory in the first of two $35,714 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Leaving from post two, five-time Friday night winning driver Dexter Dunn idled off the wings with Blue Ranger as longshot Fleur Delacour (Todd McCarthy) swooped down from post eight alongside Kissme Ifyoucan (Austin Hanners) to battle for the lead. Dunn marched Blue Ranger forward once the dust settled and overtook Fleur Delacour past a :27.1 first quarter but soon yielded for the pocket as 9-5 favourite Nevis Peak (Yannick Gingras) pushed past for the front heading towards a :55.4 half.
Nevis Peak coasted up the backstretch and endured mild first-over pressure from City Of Light (Tim Tetrick) before that rival rolled off stride past three-quarters in 1:24.2, which gave Dunn ample room to tip out of the pocket coming for the homestretch. Blue Ranger angled out and ground down Nevis Peak in the lane to notch a one-length victory while Orinoco (Ake Svanstedt) kicked from second-over before breaking stride and crossing the line third, which violated the breaking rule and resulted in her disqualification to sixth. Putitondadstab (Scott Zeron) inherited third and Kissme Ifyoucan ascended to fourth to earn the last berth into the final.
“She felt sharp,” said Dunn after the race. “I drove her at Hoosier [Park finishing third in the Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes on Sept. 25] and she was a bit flat that day. She came back and raced really good in Lexington for Orjan [Kihlstrom finishing third by a neck in the Bluegrass Series], and she was good tonight — she won the Sire Stakes final here, so she likes the track obviously. We had to do a little bit early there — that first half was hot enough. She was travelling good coming off the turn, and once Timmy [Tetrick]’s one made a break and we could come out, she peeled off a helmet and did her work strong.”
Marcus Melander trains Blue Ranger for owner Bender Sweden Inc. of Vero Beach, Florida. The In Range-Big Blue Bird filly, bred by Spring Haven Farm, won her third race from seven starts this season and has now earned more than $350,000. She paid $6.20 to win as the 2-1 second choice.
Dunn and Melander teamed later in the night to win with 6-5 favourite Two Day Hangover with a 1:53.2 effort in the second elimination for freshman trotting fillies.
After Rio De Janeiro (Joe Bongiorno) blasted towards the lead, Climatic Hanover (Yannick Gingras) eased forward from the outermost draw to press for the lead with Two Day Hangover looming behind to a :28 first quarter. Two Day Hangover slid by Climatic Hanover passing the stands to take the lead heading to a :56 half and continued up the backstretch under minimal pressure.
Past three-quarters in 1:24.3, Two Day Hangover cruised for home and strode comfortably to a 1-1/2-length victory with Climatic Hanover following suit in second. Dandelion Wine (Ake Svanstedt) closed for third with Shes A Home Run (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) taking fourth via placing with fourth-place finisher Rio De Janeiro getting disqualified to fifth for a pylon violation heading to the half.
“She’s a really nice filly,” said Melander. “She really likes the five-eighths track. Hopefully she’ll get a good draw here and she’ll have an easy week. It’ll be exciting next week.”
Two Day Hangover competes for owners Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz of Versaille, Kentucky. The Captain Corey-Sherry Lyns Lady filly, bred by Coyote Wynd Farms, has now won four races from seven starts and is closing in on $350,000 in earnings. She paid $4.40 to win.
Elimination winners Blue Ranger and Two Day Hangover earned draw protection between posts one through six for the Breeders Crown final as well as “Win and You’re In” recipient, the Melander-trained Birr Castle, who earned the bye to the final with her victory in the Grade 1 Jim Doherty Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Sept. 18.
Following the second elimination, Scioto Downs conducted the draw for the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot final. The field is listed below.
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Elimination Driver - Trainer
1. Nevis Peak - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
2. Birr Castle - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
3. Blue Ranger - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
4. Two Day Hangover - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
5. Shes A Home Run - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Vernon Beachy
6. Climatic Hanover - Yannick Gingras - Lucas Wallin
7. Putitondadstab - Scott Zeron - Lucas Wallin
8. Dandelion Wine - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
9. Kissme Ifyoucan - Austin Hanners - Todd Luther
Lifetime Dreamer Equals A World Record In Breeders Crown Male Trot Eliminations
Lifetime Dreamer, driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Ake Svanstedt, won the first of two $35,714 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old male trotters in 1:52.4 to establish a divisional track record and equal the world record for two-year-old gelding trotters over a five-eighths-mile track.
Presidente (Tim Tetrick), leaving from post six in the field of seven, glided to the front moments after the starting gate pulled away. He led the field through a :27.1 opening quarter, with Lifetime Dreamer tracking in second, Mats (Dexter Dunn) third and Special Day (Andrew McCarthy) fourth, following a break by Access Now (Bob McClure).
Presidente, fresh off a victory in the Bluegrass Series, continued to dictate the pace through a :55.4 half. Meanwhile, Gingras and Lifetime Dreamer remained patient in the pocket. Presidente remained in command through three-quarters in 1:24.3, but Lifetime Dreamer was poised to strike as the field straightened for home.
Gingras then gave the 2-1 favourite his cue and the rookie responded with a confident outside move to take command. From there, the only question was the winning margin. Lifetime Dreamer answered emphatically, powering home to a three-length victory. Presidente finished second, while Whateverittakes AS (Tony Hall), who had bobbled earlier in the mile, rallied for third. Top Reacher (Scott Zeron) finished fourth with Access Now back in fifth.
“In the last turn – I know Timmy [Tetrick] has a nice horse [Presidente], I was tracking him – but I had a lot of trot behind him,” said Gingras. “[Lifetime Dreamer] went by him pretty easily and he had plenty left.”
The Svanstedt trainee arrived at his elimination test off a six-length score in a division of the Bluegrass Series on Oct. 1 at The Red Mile. Lifetime Dreamer and Gingras also teamed up to capture the Platinum final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes on Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands in a world-record time of 1:51.1.
“He has had a couple of hiccups in between,” said Gingras. “Other than that, he has been tremendous, and with a trip like this tonight leading into the final, you couldn’t ask for anything better.”
The freshman, from Ecurie D DK’s first crop out of Lifetime Gift, is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc. of Wrightstown, New Jersey, breeder Brittany Farms of Versailles, Kentucky, along with Bruni Racing Team and Suleyman Yuksel Stables of Delray Beach, Floria. The victory was his fourth in eight career starts and pushed his earnings over $250,000.
Lifetime Dreamer paid $6.20 for his Breeders Crown elimination win.
Wrong Sounds Right was an easy winner in the second elimination for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Jim Campbell.
Opposition (Andrew McCarthy) set the early tone, blasting off the wings to seize command, followed to his inside by Carbon Fiber (Yannick Gingras), who settled into second, while Todd McCarthy tucked 1-9 bettors' choice Wrong Sounds Right into third through an opening panel in :28.1.
Soon after, Wrong Sounds Right, riding a three-race win streak, coasted to the lead and proceeded to take his rivals through a half in :56.2. Opposition broke stride, leaving the trio of Carbon Fiber, Gios Hope (Dexter Dunn) and Yankee Boss (Tim Tetrick) to slot in second, third and fourth, respectively.
Still gliding along on top through three-quarters in 1:25 with the wind picking up, Wrong Sounds Right breezed down the lane on his way to a 2-3/4-length win in 1:53.1. Carbon Fiber was second, Jimdougie Armitage (Ake Svanstedt) finished third and Yankee Boss was fourth.
“Very happy with the way he raced,” said Montvale, New Jersey owner and breeder Scott Farber, whose nom du course is Runthetable Stables. “Good in the turns – my only real concern was that he hadn’t been on a small track before, but he passed that test like he’s passed every other one.”
Wrong Sounds Right arrived at his Crown elimination off a stellar showing in the Grade 1 Mohawk Million on Sept. 26, when the Tactical Landing-Broadway Jo Ell colt set the stakes and divisional track record and equalled the world record, courtesy of a 1:51.1 mile. In his start prior to the Mohawk Million on Sept. 11, the Tactical Landing-Broadway Jo Ell colt won the New Jersey Classic in 1:51.4 at The Meadowlands.
Farber, whose list of standout performers includes Cool Papa Bell, Take All Comers, Next Level Stuff and Hobbs, lauded his rookie charge.
“I’m very excited about the future of this guy. I have had some good ones... I am as excited for him as I’ve been for any of the other ones. Homebreds are very special. We’re very excited to be out here.”
The Campbell trainee is now 6-1-0 from eight starts with earnings nearing $840,000.
Wrong Sounds Right paid $2.20 to win.
Elimination winners Lifetime Dreamer and Wrong Sounds Right earned draw protection between posts one through six for the Breeders Crown final. Access Now earned a spot in the final as the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.
Following the second elimination, Scioto Downs conducted the draw for the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Trot. The field is listed below.
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Elimination Driver - Trainer
1. Yankee Boss - Tim Tetrick - Ake Svanstedt
2. Whateveritakes AS - Tony Hall - Anette Lorentzon
3. Jimdougie Armitage - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
4. Carbon Fiber - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
5. Lifetime Dreamer - Yannick Gingras - Ake Svanstedt
6. Wrong Sounds Right - Todd McCarthy - Jim Campbell
7. Access Now - Bob McClure - Luc Blais
8. Presidente - Tim Tetrick - Nancy Takter
9. Top Reacher - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
Blazin Lou, Starstruck Dreamer Defeat Favourites In Breeders Crown Male Pace Eliminations
Blazin Lou made it look easy as the Tony Dinges trainee captured the first of two $35,714 Breeders Crown eliminations for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers. Driven by Dexter Dunn, the Sweet Lou-Beautiful Lady colt endured a first-over trip to overhaul slight favourite Eastie Boy in 1:50.4.
Ocean Party (Chris Page) fired off the gate to lead through a :27 opening panel before Metro Pace champion Eastie Boy (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), the 6-5 bettors' choice, looped his stablemate for the lead and took the field to the half in :56.3, with Mr Bear (Marcus Miller) following in third and Blazin Lou situated mid-pack in fourth from an outside start.
Dunn made his move rounding the clubhouse turn, tipping Blazin Lou first-up and steadily advanced on the outside as Eastie Boy led the way to the 1:24.4 three-quarter marker. Around the final turn, Blazin Lou turned up his speed a notch and easily collared the leader with a :25.3 final panel, drawing off by nearly four lengths. Eastie Boy finished second, while Mr Bear held on for third over L A Captain (Bob McClure). Ocean Party was fifth and will also advance to the final.
The victory came as no surprise to Dinges, who conditions Blazin Lou for owner Rick Berks of Paris, Kentucky.
"I was expecting him to race good and I didn’t think the post would matter to him,” Dinges said of the colt’s far outside post position. “I expected a good effort from him no matter how the race went. He showed talent all along — from the beginning of his training — and he’s gone even more forward since racing at The Red Mile.”
Blazin Lou had scored previous victories in Kentucky Commonwealth Series, and more recently, back-to-back wins in the Bluegrass Series and International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile. The colt bred by Cornerstone Stock Farm now has a record of 5-1-2 in 11 career starts and earnings of more than $240,000. He paid $5 to win as the 3-2 second choice.
Starstruck Dreamer and driver Todd McCarthy took the second elimination in 1:50.2 for trainer Noel Daley after wearing down 6-5 favourite Shalom Hanover, who suffered his first career loss, and holding off the late surge of Night Surfer up the inside.
Seine (Joe Bongiorno) fired across from the outside post to land the early lead before Night Surfer (Dexter Dunn) cleared heading to the :27.1 first quarter then yielded to the parked-out Shalom Hanover (Louis-Philippe Roy) passing the stands for the first time.
Shalom Hanover led the field from there to the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.2, with Starstruck Dreamer moving underway from fifth and steadily making up ground on the backside and through the final turn.
Down the stretch, he matched strides with Shalom Hanover on the outside while Night Surfer shot up the inside for a three-across finish. In the sprint to the finish, Starstruck Dreamer prevailed by a quarter of a length over Night Surfer, with Shalom Hanover settling for third in between. Stonebridge Blitz (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was fourth.
Starstuck Dreamer, a colt by Captaintreacherous out of Scarlett Hanover, is owned by Steve Wienick Racing of Delray Beach, Florida, Pryde Stables of North York, Ont., Jfoderatritchiecanamerica of Staten Island, New York and Hyatt Holdings of Milton, Ont.
Bred by Sergent Stables, Starstruck Dreamer was an impressive force in Pennsylvania Sire Stakes contests this season, taking a career mark of 1:48.4 at Harrah's Philadelphia on Aug. 14. He now has six wins in seven starts and more than $320,000 in earnings. He paid $5.80 to win as the 2-1 second choice.
The eliminations winners earned draw protection between posts one through six for the Breeders Crown final, which was drawn during the Friday program. The field is listed below for the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace.
$700,000 USD Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Elimination Driver - Trainer
1. Blazin Lou - Dexter Dunn - Tony Dinges
2. Mr Bear - Marcus Miller - Erv Miller
3. Ocean Party - Chris Page - Ron Burke
4. Starstruck Dreamer - Todd McCarthy - Noel Daley
5. Shalom Hanover - Louis-Philippe Roy - Dr. Ian Moore
6. Eastie Boy - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
7. Night Surfer - Dexter Dunn - Virgil Morgan Jr.
8. Stonebridge Blitz - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
9. L A Captain - Bob McClure - Luc Blais
No Eliminations Needed For Two-Year-Old Filly Pace
The Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace did not require eliminations with only 10 entrants.
The following are the entries for the Two-Year-Old Filly Pace, listed in alphabetical order:
- Aceandaten
- Cleveland Darby
- Cowboy Candy
- JK Lady Liberty
- My Taylors Swift
- Positive Process
- Seaside Ubeaut
- Tempting Flames
- Too Pink To Pass
- We Want It All
Eliminations for the Three-Year-Old and Open events will be contested on Saturday, Oct. 17. Eliminations will not be required for the Breeders Crown Mare Trot, which received 10 entrants. Six of the trotting mares raced in a $28,571 prep on Friday, with the Marcus Melander-trained Tactical Moni winning by five lengths in 1:51 in rein to Dexter Dunn.
The finals for freshmen are scheduled for Oct. 23, with the remaining eight championships on Oct. 24. All Scioto Downs post times for the Breeders Crown cards are 6 p.m.
(Hambletonian Society & Standardbred Canada; photos, clockwise from top left, of Blue Ranger, Lifetime Dreamer, Two Day Hangover and Starstruck Dreamer)