"I think I have the best filly in the world, and I have thought that since she began training. She beat all the top fillies like Put On A Show in the Fan Hanover and she was sick for that race."
Those words come from Tom Hill on Western Silk, who along with Put On A Show - arguably the top two three-year-old filly pacers in North America, are among 12 horses entered in their division’s $500,000 Breeders Crown event at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Two six-horse elimination races are Saturday, with the top four finishers advancing to the October 9 final. Also advancing is the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.
Western Silk, trained by Casie Coleman and driven by Mark MacDonald, is coming off a victory in the $353,400 Jugette at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio. She has won eight of 10 races this year, including the $646,020 Fan Hanover Stakes by a neck over Put On A Show at Mohawk Racetrack in June. Western Silk, who raced only in Ontario prior to the Jugette, and Put On A Show have not met since.
"She has been consistent at both 2 and 3, but she still doesn’t seem to attract the attention she deserves," continued Hill. “Now it will be on to the Breeders Crown and we will prove we are the best in the world at Pocono.”
Put On A Show, trained by Chris Ryder and driven by Tim Tetrick, won the $171,000 Nadia Lobell on September 13 at Lexington’s Red Mile. Other victories include the $240,000 Simcoe Stakes on September 5 at Mohawk, $350,000 Valley Forge at Harrah’s Chester in August and the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship in May at the Meadowlands. She has won 10 of 12 starts this year and earned $827,232. She has won 17 of 21 races and $1.55 million in her career.
Following are the elimination fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.
Elimination One:
(Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer)
1. Naughtytiltheend, Andy Miller, Erv Miller
2. Higher And Higher, Jim Morrill Jr., Paul Reid
3. Northwest Hanover, Brett Miller, Tim Pinske
4. Put On A Show, Tim Tetrick, Chris Ryder
5. Thesantafe Express, Matt Kakaley, Leo Iordan
6. Dancin Barefoot, Daniel Dube, Jimmy Takter
Elimination Two:
1. Panagler, Dave Palone, Robert McIntosh
2. Cannae Cammie, Jim Morrill Jr., Paul Reid
3. Rock N Soul, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
4. Hulas Z Tam, Patrick Lachance, Lachance
5. Slimsplace, Tim Tetrick, Tracy Brainard
6. Western Silk, Mark MacDonald, Casie Coleman
‘HEAVEN’ AND ‘LAUGH’ AMONG BREEDERS CROWN SOPHOMORE PACERS
Rock N Roll Heaven, fresh off his world-record performance in the $604,100 Little Brown Jug, and $1 million Meadowlands Pace winner One More Laugh were among 12 horses entered in the $600,000 Breeders Crown for three-year-old male pacers at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Two six-horse elimination races will be held Saturday, with the top four finishers advancing to the October 9 final. Also advancing will be the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.
Last week, Rock N Roll Heaven, who is in the second Breeders Crown elim, won the Little Brown Jug in consecutive heats. He won each heat in 1:49.2, a time that equaled the world record for a three-year-old on a half-mile track and gave Rock N Roll Heaven the fastest two-heat combined time in history.
Trained by Bruce Saunders and driven by Daniel Dube, Rock N Roll Heaven has won nine of 14 races and $1.21 million this season. His other victories include the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine in August at Harrah’s Chester and the $220,000 Berry’s Creek at the Meadowlands in May. He also won the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship and was second to One More Laugh in the Meadowlands Pace.
We Will See, who won the $200,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes title on September 4 at The Meadows and was second in the $1.5 million North America Cup in June at Mohawk, also is in the second heat. So is Fred And Ginger, who won the $300,000 Max Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs in May, and New York Sire Stakes champ Hes Gorgeous.
One More Laugh is in the opening elim. In addition to winning the Meadowlands Pace, the gelding won the $300,000 Cane Pace on September 6 at Freehold Raceway and the $294,965 Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway in June. He was second to Rock N Roll Heaven in the Battle of the Brandywine at Harrah’s Chester in August.
Trained by Ray Schnittker and driven by Tim Tetrick, One More Laugh finished third in his first heat of the Little Brown Jug. He advanced to the second heat, but was scratched. He has won five of 12 races and $1.08 million this year. One More Laugh has made four lifetime starts at Pocono Downs, and gone off stride three times. He won one of the races in which he went off stride, giving him two victories at the track.
Rockin Image, who won a division of the Oliver Wendell Holmes, and $500,000 New Jersey Classic winner BGs Folly also are in the first elimination.
Following are the elimination fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.
Elim One:
1. Valentino, George Brennan, Lou Pena
2. Art N Charm, John Campbell, Kathe Troy
3. One More Laugh, Tim Tetrick, Ray Schnittker
4. BGs Folly, David Miller, Sam DePinto
5. Rockin Image, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter
6. Kyle Major, Mark MacDonald, Casie Coleman
Elim Two:
1. Rock N Roll Heaven, Daniel Dube, Bruce Saunders
2. Shoobees Place, David Miller, Richard “Nifty” Norman
3. Pang Shui, Dave Palone, Ray Schnittker
4. Fred And Ginger, Brian Sears, Ron Burke
5. We Will See, Brett Miller, Sam DePinto
6. Hes Gorgeous, Jim Morrill Jr., Linda Toscano
HAMBLETONIAN OAKS CHAMP AMONG 22 IN BREEDERS CROWN THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT
Hambletonian Oaks winner Bar Slide was among 22 horses entered in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for three-year-old filly trotters. Three eliminations will be held Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, with the top three finishers from each elim advancing to the final on October 9.
Bar Slide has won four of 12 races this year and earned $530,579. She will compete in the third of the three elimination races, starting from post six for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Joe Holloway.
Christiana Hanover, also in the third elim, won the $221,500 Moni Maker Stakes in August at Lexington’s Red Mile.
Costa Rica, in the second elimination, has won four of her last five races, including the $98,025 Buckette last week at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio. She also won the $230,195 Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk on September 6. She has five wins in 11 races this season and $1.24 million in career earnings.
The second elim also features Spicy Wings, who won the $299,050 Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers Raceway in July, and New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Glide Power. Kentucky Sire Stakes champ Nannina is 3-for-3 this year heading to Pocono Downs.
Ultimate Cameron, who won the $540,290 Elegantimage Stakes in June at Mohawk Racetrack and was second to Bar Slide in the Hambletonian Oaks, is among the seven fillies in the first elimination.
Poof Shes Gone won the Breeders Crown for two-year-old filly trotters last season at Woodbine Racetrack, but was not entered in this year’s event. Ultimate Cameron was second.
Following are the elimination fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.
Elim One:
1. Wilsonator, Scott Zeron, Rob Fellows
2. Bramalea Hanover, David Miller, Robert McIntosh
3. Ultimate Cameron, George Brennan, Bob Stewart
4. Southwind Samurai, John Campbell, Bjorn “Bernie” Noren
5. Fortunes Dream, Yannick Gingras, Anette Lorentzon
6. Levis Lady, Dewayne Minor, Mino
7. Cantab It All, George Napolitano Jr., Jimmy Takter
Elim Two:
1. Spicy Wings, John Campbell, Jeff Webster
2. Up Front Juansteen, Tim Tetrick, Kelly O’Donnell
3. Boinga, Dave Palone, Brian Roland
4. Fashion Feline, Jim Morrill Jr., Jim Campbell
5. Nannina, Brad Hanners, Hanners
6. Costa Rica, Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter
7. Glide Power, Brian Sears, Jan Johnson
Elim Three:
1. Behindclosedoors, Dave Palone, Chuck Sylvester
2. Full Tank, Yannick Gingras, Bob Bencal
3. Impressive Kemp, Jim Morrill Jr., Noel Daley
4. Merger Blue Chip, David Miller, Bjorn “Bernie” Noren
5. Munis Blue Chip, George Brennan, Ray Schnittker
6. Bar Slide, Tim Tetrick, Joe Holloway
7. Christiana Hanover, Riina Rekila, Rekila
8. ActionBroadway, Brian Sears, Virgil Morgan Jr.
LUCKY CHUCKY, MUSCLE MASSIVE RENEW RIVALRY IN BREEDERS CROWN 3-YEAR-OLD TROT
Muscle Massive won the $1.5 million Hambletonian. Lucky Chucky turned the tables in the $1 million Canadian Trotting Classic. On October 9, their battle will be renewed in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters. Nine horses entered the event, so eliminations are unnecessary. Joining Muscle Massive and Lucky Chucky in the field are Break The Bank K, Flex The Muscle, Hard Livin, Pilgrims Taj, Take My Picture, Temple Of Doom, and Wishing Stone.
Pilgrims Taj won last season’s Breeders Crown for two-year-old male trotters, beating Lucky Chucky by a length at Woodbine Racetrack. The only horses to win the event at two and come back to capture the race as three-year-olds are Muscle Hill (2009), Malabar Man (1997) and Mack Lobell (1987).
Lucky Chucky is coming off a victory in the Canadian Trotting Classic on September 18 at Mohawk Racetrack. He has won three consecutive starts – including a division of the Harry M. Zweig Memorial and the $500,000 Colonial – since finishing second by a half length to Muscle Massive in the Hambletonian.
Trained by Chuck Sylvester and driven by John Campbell, Lucky Chucky has won four of seven races this year and earned $1.25 million. He has won 13 of 19 career starts and banked $1.91 million. Campbell is the leading driver in Breeders Crown history, with 44 trophies and $19.7 million in earnings.
Muscle Massive has won five of 10 races this year and earned $1.14 million. He was third in the Canadian Trotting Classic after winning a division of the Simcoe Stakes two weeks earlier. His victories also include the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship. The colt is trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Ron Pierce. Takter ranks No. 2 in Breeders Crown earnings among trainers, with $5.23 million in purses, while Pierce is No. 3 among drivers, with $8.8 million.
Break The Bank K was second in the Canadian Trotting Classic and won a Simcoe division. Flex The Muscle has won five consecutive starts, including a division of the Old Oaken Bucket on September 23. Temple Of Doom set the world record for 3-year-old trotters on a five-eighths of a mile track when he won a Zweig division in 1:52.4 at Tioga Downs on August 29. Wishing Stone won the $150,000 American-National Stakes at Balmoral Park on August 28.
The draw for the three-year-old colt pace and trot finals will take place on Tuesday, October 5.
HPI will be airing the Breeders Crown eliminations this Friday and Saturday from Pocono Downs.
(with files from HRC)