Bob “Hollywood” Heyden has kindly served up some trivia and an assortment of facts and figures leading up to Saturday’s Breeders Crown championships at the Meadowlands.
For starters, who is the only driver to win a Breeders Crown final and the Hambletonian prior to his 30th birthday?
We’ll supply the answer at the bottom of the page. In the meantime, here are some interesting notes dealing with the number “10” and the Breeders Crown.
1. It has been 10 years since Chuck Sylvester sent out a Breeders Crown winner (Muscles Yankee – 1998), yet he is still ranked second on the all-time Breeders Crown winning trainers.
2. It was 10 years ago that a good Horse of the Year battle - maybe not as good as this year’s – took place between Moni Maker and Muscles Yankee. The mare won it, and she went on to repeat in 1999. Muscles Yankee had a great year, but his loss in the Kentucky Futurity sealed the deal. No trotting sophomore has lost a Triple Crown event and still been named Horse of the Year in 13 seasons! The last to do it was CR Kay Suzie despite losing the 1995 Hambletonian.
3. It was 10 years ago when Musical Victory won the Breeders Crown. This year her daughter, Musical Mystery, an elimination upsetter at 32-1, will go in the Breeders Crown for two-year-old trotting fillies trying to complete the mother/daughter Daily Double.
4. Deweycheatumnhowe became the only trotter ever to win a $1 million race from Post 10 when he captured the final of this year’s Canadian Trotting Classic. Like A Prayer fell a neck short to Chip Chip Hooray after starting that position in the 2002 Hambletonian for Brett Pelling.
5. Speaking of Brett Pelling, he's got 10 Breeders Crowns in 10 seasons (1996-2005).
6. Post 10 is not a death trap at the Meadowlands. More horses have won the Meadowlands Pace from Post 10 (4 times) than Post 1 (3 times).
7. Of the top 10 drivers in North America this year, seven are, or are about to, set a single seasons personal best. Tetrick $18.7 million, Sears $15.6 million, Dave Miller $10.6 million, Tony Morgan $9.9 million, Andy Miller $9.3 million, Dave Palone $9.0 million and Eric Goodell $8 million.
8. It was 10 in 1998 when Carl Allen became the oldest driver to win a Breeders Crown. He won on November 21, 1998 with CR Commando. Carl had turned 69 at the beginning of the month. Angus MacDonald is set to make his Breeders Crown debut this year at age 61. His drive behind John Pauls Legacy will be his very first Meadowlands Drive!
9. It was 10 years ago since the Breeders Crown two and three-year-old divisions were not held either in Canada or at the Meadowlands.
10. Only John Campbell has put together 10 wins per decade in the Breeders Crown. His win with Corleone Kosmos at Mohawk Racetrack earlier this year gave him 10 Breeders Crown wins in the new millennium.
Were you able to come up with the answer to Heyden’s trivia teaser?
Who is the only driver to win a Breeders Crown final and the Hambletonian prior to his 30th birthday?
The answer is Tommy Haughton. He was 25 when he won the 1982 Hambletonian with Speed Bowl and he was 27 when he won the 1984 Breeders Crown with Naughty But Nice.
What are the stats on horses
What are the stats on horses taking a BYE to the Breeders Crown finals?