Two strong moves helped 23-1 Gem Quality and driver Dexter Dunn glide down the stretch to win Friday’s $700,000 Breeders Crown for freshman male pacers at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Full of pace throughout, Gem Quality’s 1:50 mile set the track record for two-year-old colt pacers.
After a recall caused by Newsroom (David Miller), Dunn took Gem Quality directly to the top when the starting gate guided the field of 10 into battle. Also leaving aggressively was Legendary Hanover (James MacDonald) shooting for the lead from post nine and giving Gem Quality good cover while cutting the first quarter in :26.
Favourite Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy) lifted from the inside to scoot by the top two and earn his public support with a firm lead through a :54.2 half. Gem Quality rolled comfortably in third as Newsroom muscled to the outside with his best stride, though he did not have much to offer by the 1:23 three-quarters.
The group chasing Captain Albano had no chance gaining over the pacing speed put into gear by Gem Quality. Needing no urging, the Captain Crunch-Twinkle colt took Dunn for an easy ride, passing Captain Albano with Storm Shadow (Bob McClure) finding room to finish third as Nuclear (Andy Miller) found a clear late path to take the fourth spot. The margin of victory was 1-1/4 lengths.
“I’m not surprised,” said trainer Chris Ryder, who won his sixth Breeders Crown and first with a male student. He said Gem Quality “always had good speed. Last week, he pulled up a bit [in the elimination] at the wire [finishing second by a neck to Better Is Nice], so we gave him an easy week and he came in fresh.”
The trip, according to Dunn, looked good from the start.
“We used him a little at the gate, but I was happy where we were at the quarter [with cover],” said Dunn, adding his colt “exploded” in the stretch.
Gem Quality paid $48.60 to win.
Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. shares ownership of Gem Quality with the Florida-based Let It Ride Stables, Bottom Line Racing and Enviro Stables. The track record-breaker won his fourth race in eight starts and has earned $442,710 in his first racing season.
Let It Ride Stables and Bottom Line Racing bred the colt.
The former two-year-old pacing colt track record of 1:50.2 was set in the 2020 Breeders Crown dead heat by Perfect Sting and Summa Cum Laude. Gem Quality was just three-fifths of a second off the overall two-year-old male pacing mark held by gelding Fulfullnmydestiny.
A replay of this race can be viewed as part of the archived Friday card live stream, available here.
(With files from Breeders Crown)