EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ Maven beat the boys and the 3-year-old pacing colts
put on a spectacular shows on Saturday night as the Breeders Crown eliminations
concluded at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
The
fields are now set for the 12 season-ending championships here next Friday and
Saturday.
Maven
joins a stellar lineup for the Open Trot while Always B Miki and Limelight
Beach were impressive winners set to clash in the 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding
Pace.
The
first five finishers in the 2 and 3-year-old eliminations advanced to next
week’s finals. The winners draw for posts 1 to 5.
In
the Open Trot elimination, the top six earned spots into the final. Commander
Crowe, Creatine, Intimidate and Market Share got byes into the final.
The
connections of Maven earned the right to draw for post 1 to 5.
ELIMINATION
FOR THE $500,000 OPEN TROT
Maven,
a two-time Breeders Crown winning mare, trotted a huge mile to beat the boys
from post 10.
It
was her debut in the Takter barn, following the purchase by Herb Liverman for
$750,000 one week ago.
And
it wasn’t an easy trip, racing wide every step before launching a three-wide
bid turning for home. Maven and Gingras fought their way to the front and
fended off a late challenge from Your So Vain.
The
classy 5-year-old earned her 29th win in 52 starts.
“She
was out both turns and she was parked with cover,” Gingras said. “The trip
worked out ok, but it was obviously not ideal. But from post 10, that was
probably as good as we we’re going to get. She was tired down the stretch, but
she showed what a great horse she is.”
Flanagan
Memory was third. Wishing Stone, Archangel and Arch Madness also secured spots
in the final.
ELIMINATIONS
FOR THE $531,250 3-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING PACE
The
Roll The Dice Stable, along with partners Bluewood Stable and Val D’Or Farms
gambled $62,500 to supplement Always B Miki to the Breeders Crown.
So
far, so good.
Always
B Miki, the 1-2 favorite, continued his form spree with another victory in 1:50.
Always
B Miki took command midway down the backstretch and paced strongly to wire
under
pressure with David Miller in the sulky
“He’s
been real sharp, he raced great again tonight,” Miller said. “When I asked him,
he took off and paced right to the wire pretty strong.”
JK
Endofanera was second, a neck behind the winner with Let’s Drink On It third.
Somesizesomestyle was fourth with Luck Be Withyou fifth.
Always
B Miki might have turned in the race of his life in The Meadowlands Pace in
July, closing furiously to finish second with a 25 3/5 final quarter.
He’s
been a monster since then. This was the ninth win in 10 starts since The Pace
final for the Joe Holloway trainee.
He’s
Watching, The Meadowlands Pace winner, finished last in the first elimination.
Limelight
Beach, second to Always B Miki in the Monument Circle final at Hoosier Park,
bounced back to win the other elimination in 1:49 3/5 with a gate-to-wire
effort.
Limelight
Beach, with Gingras at the lines for trainer Ron Burke, fired right into action
from the outside post in the eight-horse field.
The
Little Brown Jug winner rolled to his fifth win in the last seven starts for
trainer Ron Burke.
The
biggest challenge came from Mcwicked, who dug in gamely to get second after a
long first-over bid.
“I
was confident my horse had a good quarter left in him but he definitely gave me
a little scare,” Gingras said of Mcwicked.
Limelight
Beach, the 4/5 favorite, held on by a half length for Burke Racing, Weaver
Bruscemi, M 1 Stable and Wingfield Brothers.
Doo
Wop Hanover was third followed by Somestarsomewhere and Capital Account.
ELIMINATIONS
FOR THE $500,000 2-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING TROT
Trainer
Jimmy Takter dominated, winning both eliminations with Pinkman and French
Laundry.
In
the first elim, Takter qualified three for the final.
Pinkman,
the 6-5 favorite, held off stablemate The Bank by a half length in 1:54 1/5.
For
good measure, Takter’s Walter White was fifth.
Pinkman,
with Gingras at the lines, improved to 5 for 7, including the Valley Victory
final at Woodbine. He is owned by Christina Takter, the Fielding
brothers, Joyce McClelland and Herb Liverman.
Guess
Whos Back and Habitat finished in a dead heat for third, putting both colts in
the final.
Brett
Miller guided French Laundry, 7-2, to his seventh win in 11 starts. The winner
of the
Kindergarten Stakes at Vernon Downs tipped three-wide turning for home
and held off a strong late by Muscle Diamond by a head in 1:55 1/5.
Suit
and Tie was third with Piercewave Hanover fourth. Uncle Lassie got fifth,
giving Takter five of the 10 finalists.
The
French Laundry ownership team is Christina Takter, the Fieldings, Marvin Katz
and Al Libfeld.
The
draw was conducted later that evening with French Laundry landing the rail. The
rest of the field in post position order: Walter White, Habitat, Suit and Tie,
Pinkman, Muscle Diamond, Guess Whos Back, Uncle Lasse, Piercewave Hanover and
The Bank.
ELIMINATIONS
FOR THE $500,000 2-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING PACE
Go
Daddy Go edged Lost For Words by a neck at the end a stirring stretch battle in
the first elimination.
The
5/2 second choice, Go Daddy Go popped the pocket turning for home and continued
a relentless march to his fourth win in 13 starts.
The
colt, a homebred for Hall of Fame trainer Bob McIntosh, seems to be peaking at
the ideal time.
“I
campaigned Ponder, his sire and he was double tough,” McIntosh said. “This colt
is incredible for the long year he’s had. He’s feeling better now than any time
this year.”
John
Campbell was the driver, completing the colt’s Hall of Fame connections.
Campbell is the all-time leader with 45 Breeders Crown final victories.
Franzo
closed strongly up the pylons to get third, followed by Sicily and Soto.
Traceur
Hanover scored at 22-1 in the other elimination for driver Andy Miller and
trainer Corey Johnson.
In
The Arsenal, the 3-5 favorite from post 10, looped the field to grab the lead
before the quarter pole. Traceur Hanover, the relentless first-over challenger,
collared the leader in midstretch and went on to win by three quarters of a
length over Lyons Levi Lewis.
In
The Arsenal was third, followed by Cooperstown and Tomy Terror.
Traceur
Hanover, owned by Richard Berthiaume, improved to 4 for 13 with the career-best
1:50 3/5 victory.
