Owners Arlene and Jules Siegel and trainer Jim Campbell will have ample opportunities to add to their Breeders Crown trophy collection Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack
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The Siegels, who have won three Breeders Crown titles and rank No. 2 in series history with $2.5 million in purses, and Campbell, who has two titles to his credit, will send out five finalists in Saturday’s eight Breeders Crown events.
It is the most finalists for the Siegel-Campbell team since 2002, when the owner-trainer duo sent six horses into the championships, which also were held at Woodbine. Broadway Hall and Livorno finished 1-2 that season in the Two-Year-Old Colt Trot, while Whatanartist was third in the Two-Year-Old Colt Pace.
The Siegels were voted harness racing’s Owners of the Year in 2002.
Broadway Hall also figures into Saturday’s races – he is the father of the Siegels’ Broadway Bistro, Broadway Schooner and Fashion Feline. He also is a half brother to the Siegels’ Tom Cango.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a very good year and then to cap it off with five in the finals of the Breeders Crown is special,” Campbell said. “It’ll even be more special if we do a little bit of good on Saturday night.”
Broadway Schooner, a three-year-old trotting filly that won the $783,042 Hambletonian Oaks in August, has been no worse than second in 11 of 15 races this season.
“I thought she raced really good in her elimination (finishing second to Elusive Desire) and handled the track very well,” Campbell said. “She got Post 7, which isn’t horrible here and hopefully she’ll get a decent trip. She’s been very dependable all year.”
Fashion Feline, who is in the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot, has won seven of 11 races this season. She is the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion. She went off stride in her Breeders Crown elimination last weekend, but rallied to finish fourth.
“I think she’s one of the top contenders in her group,” Campbell said. “She didn’t really care for the track last week. We made a couple changes on her and she trained better (Wednesday). Hopefully, that will work for us.”
Tom Cango and Broadway Bistro are both in the Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot, where they will look to upset unbeaten Muscle Hill. Tom Cango is coming off a win in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes while Broadway Bistro is coming off a second-place Bluegrass effort.
“With a big purse like $600,000, if both of them can pick up a nice cheque it will be a nice payday,” Campbell said.
The lone pacer in the Siegel-Campbell group is three-year-old colt Dial Or Nodial, who returned to action in September after being sidelined for a couple months because of a bruised foot.
“Dial Or Nodial is just a class horse to come back from where he’s been,” Campbell said. “He raced good last week and raced good in Lexington. He’s got a nice draw, so we’re hoping for a good race from him.
“I think five or six colts could capitalize on a good trip and be there. He’s one of them.”
To view Saturday's harness racing entries at Woodbine Racetrack, click here.
(Hambletonian Society)