What many people recall from the 2011 Breeders Crown at Woodbine was the travel trouble that stranded numerous drivers in New Jersey and resulted in a number of last-minute driver changes.

One of those drivers not originally scheduled to drive in the sophomore pace provided one of narrowest margins of victory in this division's history.

"I think this was one of her best races of the year," said the winning driver in a post-race interview.

"She really had to gut it out and she was here when I called on her late and I was very proud of her tonight. The fractions were going to be stiff and didn't want to get her in a speed duel and have her get tired before the wire."

With Somebeachsomewhere already shut down for the season, the Breeders Crown for two-year-old colt pacers would be captured by another of the talented colts from that crop.

Santanna Blue Chip and Jody Jamieson sat the two-hole behind Sand Shooter and David Miller, hoping to get towed into a Breeders Crown victory and hoping to find room in the stretch.

Artistic Fella and Tim Tetrick did all the dirty work on the front end in the $540,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace at Mohawk.

With a half-length lead at the top of the lane, the stretch battle was on with Artistic Fella, Mister Big and Lis Mara sitting one, two and three respectively.

In the 2001 $968,502 Breeders Crown for two-year-old colt pacers, Western Shooter and John Campbell looked to upset even money favourite and Metro Pace winner Mach Three with Randy Waples aboard.

Following a thrilling stretch duel, the colts paced across the wire nearly in tandem.

Supplemented to the Breeders Crown, Rons Girl was aiming to be the first Alberta-bred winner in series history.

Standing in her way were divisional starlets Galleria, a previous Breeders Crown champion, and French Panicure, the mare that beat her in the Lady Liberty earlier that year.

The Breeders Crown series returned to Mohawk in 1999 and the two-year-old colt pacing division featured a number of strong contenders: among them were Metro winner The Firepan, Breeders Crown elimination winner Astreos and Ontario Sires Stakes standouts Intrepid Seelster and Twin B Champ.

Just hitting his stride was Tyberwood, a late-blooming son of Western Hanover for trainer Gary Machiz.

At the time North America's newest racetrack, Colonial Downs hosted the eight two- and three-year-old events for the first (and only) time in 1998.

Artiscape was the defending Breeders Crown champion, winning the year before at Mohawk, so the pressure was on him to repeat. His rivals ensured a second Breeders Crown would not be easy.

With Charlie Ten Hitch, the colt many considered to be the best in the division, not eligible to race in the Breeders Crown, the race looked to be a match-up that consisted of late bloomer Mr Chin, well-bred colt Super Pleasure and high-priced yearling Carry The Message.

A fast but fractious colt from the U.S. Midwest, Crystas Best, would have a habit of breaking early in the mile but recovering superbly. In his Breeders Crown elimination, he did just that -- finishing third after a break at the gate. How would he behave in the final?

With divisional standout and eventual U.S. Horse of the Year Armbro Goal out of the picture, the Breeders Crown for three-year-old colt trotters became a showdown between Firm Tribute and the Continental Farm entry of Supergill, Southern Newton and Continental Spirit.

With a five-length lead heading for home, Firm Tribute looked to have things well in hand. Berndt Lindstedt and Supergill had other ideas.