A few high-profile
trotters who weren't required to race in Breeders Crown eliminations
used the Saturday morning qualifiers as a prep for next week’s finals. The
morning was sunny, though crisp with temperatures in the mid 30’s and the
horses facing a fairly significant headwind in the homestretch.
Trotters opened the
card, so Jimmy Takter won. He steered Ferragamo, a two-year-old facing some
three-year-olds and swept by in the stretch to win in 1:57.2.
Father Patrick came out
for race two with trainer Takter driving for the first time all season. He
tracked Bluto through fair fractions and pulled pocket past the 1:25.2 three
quarters, closing out the 1:54- mile with a 28.3 final quarter. It took some
Takter encouragement in the stretch to hold off Don Dorado and Team Six who
were both gaining near the wire.
Vanity Matters went well
this morning, leading all the way for Dave Miller in 1:57- with a 28.3 final
panel. She held Cantabs Fortune at bay, moving away in deep stretch under her
own power as both fillies look forward to next week’s three-year-old filly
Breeders Crown trot final.
Commander Crowe took a
spin around the big track in anticipation of his third Crown appearance with
Trond Smedshammer baby sulky-sitting the beautiful chestnut champion for his
French connections. He cut the mile through even numbers ending the 1:54.1 mile
in 29 flat while using Lasix for the first time. Creatine, also getting
some work in toward next week’s championship, broke before the start but went
well after getting that out of his system.
Some classy older pacers
competed in the fifth, with millionaire veteran Real Nice holding sway for John
Campbell over the returning Lonewolf Currier and I Am Bonasera in 1:55.1 /
27.4. They all looked sharp and ready for action.
Breeders Crown eliminations resume this evening
at The Meadowlands with post time for the first race set for 7:15. Find all the
info you’ll ever need, including charts and replays for this morning’s races by
visiting The Meadowlands website.
