A total of 16 Ontario-sired performers will compete in the Breeders Crown races at the Meadowlands Racetrack, which have attracted the top harness horses from across North America and beyond.
There are a total of 12 divisions, divided by age, sex and gait, and the Ontario Sires Stakes is represented in all but one, the three-year-old pacing fillies’ division. There are elimination races being held tonight (Friday) and tomorrow night (Saturday) at the New Jersey track to determine the finalists.
Five of the divisions did not require eliminations and will go straight to the finals the following weekend. These include the Mare Trot which features reigning horse of the year in both Canada and the US and former OSS champion Bee A Magician. A four-year-old daughter of Kadabra, Bee A Magician was unbeatable last year at three, winning all 17 of her races for $1.5 million in earnings.
Owned by Mel Hartman of Ottawa, Ont. along with Herb Liverman and David McDuffee of Florida, Bee A Magician has $2.6 million earned lifetime. She will start from Post 3 in the Breeders Crown final on November 21 and will prep for the race tonight (Friday) at the Meadowlands in a free for all trot.
The other OSS performer in this group is quite familiar to Bee A Magician, as they battled for two years in the Ontario program. Charmed Life, a daughter of Majestic Son, has Post 6 in the Breeders Crown event. Owned by trainer Dave Menary of Rockton, Brad Gray of Dundas and Michael Geurriero of Puslinch, Ont., Charmed Life, a winner of $662,000 in her career to date, will also start in the FFA tonight against Bee A Magician, and will start from Post 8.
The division with the most OSS starters is the Open Mare Pace where three Ontario-sired distaffers are among the contenders. They are Camille (by Camluck), Voelz Hanover (Astreos) and Regil Elektra (Mach Three). They have drawn Post 1, 3 and 10, respectively, in the final.
Modern Legend, a son of Modern Art, will start from Post 2 in the final for open pacers on November 22. Owned and trained by breeder Dave Drew of St. Catharines, Ont., Modern Legend is one of seven starters in the final for this division. He’ll face the formidable trio from the Ron Burke stable led by the richest harness horse of all time and the defending champion, Foiled Again ($6.7 million) and his stablemates Sweet Lou and Clear Vision.
Between them, the Burke boys have won more than $12 million lifetime, but Modern Legend has already shown he can defeat them. In August at Mohawk Racetrack he captured the Canadian Pacing Derby, defeating the six other starters in his Breeders Crown final, Foiled Again, Clear Vision, Sweet Lou, State Treasurer, Thinking Out Loud and Bettors Edge.
The other two Breeders Crown divisions which did not require eliminations are for sophomore trotters and each features an OSS Super Final winner.
Harper Blue Chip, undefeated in the OSS this season, will face a tough group including Jimmy Takter’s duo of Father Patrick and Nuncio, but the Majestic Son colt has already shown numerous times this year he can roll with the best. Owned by the Landmark 6 Racing Stable of Kingston, David McDonald of Cornwall, David Reid of Glenburnie and George Judson of Athens, Ont., Harper Blue Chip comes into the event with a summary of 6-3-3 in 14 starts for $657,000 earned this year. The draw for this final will be made next Tuesday.
Riveting Rosie, who ended her OSS career with three straight victories, including the Super Final, will start from Post 8 in the Breeders Crown final for sophomore trotting fillies. The Canadian two-year-old filly trotter of the year in 2013, for owners Parkhill Stud, Peterborough, Don Allensen, Wyoming, Joe Parkinson and John Hayes, Sharon, Ont., Riveting Rosie has earned over $400,000 at both two and three and has $870,000 banked to date in her career.
Rosie’s trainer, John Bax, will also start two-year-old trotting filly Stubborn Belle in tonight’s eliminations where she’ll start from Post 7 in Race 12 with regular driver Paul MacDonell at the lines. A daughter of Taurus Dream, the filly has $497,000 banked to date.
The other elim for this group (Race 2) finds Danielle Hall, a winner of five OSS races this year including the Super Final, also starting from Post 7. Jody Jamieson will be up behind the Deweycheatumnhowe filly for his dad, Carl, who trains and co-owns along with Tom Kyron of Toronto.
In the elimination races on Saturday evening, the OSS is represented by Flanagan Memory and Arch Madness in the Open Trot; Jet Airway in the three-year-old pacing colt division; Go Daddy Go in the rookie pacing colts; and Infiniti AS in the two-year-old trotting colt tilts.
The Breeders Crown finals will go postward on November 21 and 22 and in many cases will determine the year-end champions.
(OSS)