After watching her father become the most successful trainer in Breeders Crown history, Nancy Johansson will make her own name in harness racing's championship series with a serious roster of top-notch talent set to compete this weekend at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Johansson, who boasts Breeders Crown victories with JK Shesalady in 2014 and Captain Crunch in 2018, sends out six starters over the 2019 Breeders Crown weekend -- one on Friday and a quintet on Saturday. Of those six starters, three were elimination winners.
NANCY JOHANSSON - 2019 BREEDERS CROWN FINAL STARTERS
Tall Dark Stranger - Two-Year-Old Colt Pace
Kissin In The Sand - Open Mare Pace
Manchego - Open Mare Trot
The Ice Dutchess - Three-Year-Old Filly Trot
Dont Letem - Three-Year-Old Colt Trot
Captain Crunch - Three-Year-Old Colt Pace
"The Breeders Crown is kind of like the last man standing, because they've all raced a tough season at this point, and it's a question of who's tough enough to endure the entire season and is still around," Johansson said in an interview with TROT's Rachel Oenema at the Breeders Crown draw. "It's a very prestigious race to win, I've been fortunate enough to win two Breeders Crowns in four years of training horses so hopefully I can add a couple this week!
"It would be great but it's a challenge to get it done, there are lots of great horses and drivers and trainers and a lot of things have to come together to be able to do that."
The trainer with the most Breeders Crown wins in Johansson's Hall of Fame father, Jimmy Takter, who picked up his 34th win with Tactical Landing in 2018 before retiring from training.
In an interview recorded on Tuesday, Johansson discussed her chances for Breeders Crown success as she and every other trainer will shoot to make a dent in Takter's series-leading total.
Breeders Crown finals for two-year-olds will be contested on Friday at Mohawk. The finals for three-year-olds and older horses will be showcased on Saturday. Racing will begin at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) on both nights. The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Breeders Crown.
Friday
► Entries
► Program Pages (courtesy of TrackIT)
Saturday
► Entries
► Program Pages (courtesy of TrackIT)