By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A pair of
undefeated sensations topped a total of 71 two-year-old entrants dropped into
the box Tuesday morning to create a total of nine eliminations as the Breeders
Crown makes its return to The Meadowlands for the first time since 2016 on
Friday night.
The action will feature 2-year-olds
of each sex and gait, with all eliminations going for a purse of $25,000. All
four $600,000 finals will take place Friday, Oct. 29. Post time for both Friday
race cards is 6:20 p.m.
The filly trot attracted a total of
15 entrants, making it necessary for a pair of splits. Mohawk Million, Peaceful
Way and Jim Doherty winner Venerable, unbeaten in eight starts in 2021, will
attempt to win a ninth in a row for trainer Nifty Norman and driver Dave
Miller.
The top five finishers from each elim
will move on to the final, with the winners drawing for post positions 1-5.
Elimination One – Race 5 (horses
listed in post position order): Ebbies Lady, Shestheluckyone, Brickhouse Babe, Selfie Queen,
Lilbitalexis, Venerable, Jaya Bae.
Elimination Two – Race 6 (horses
listed in post position order): Jiggy Jog S, Mrs Taylor, Joviality S, Valentina Blu, Delilah
Hanover, Raised By Lindy, I’m Happy Hanover, Palermo Hanover.
Niki Hill will attempt to run her
unblemished record to seven wins in as many starts in the lone elim for filly
pacers. The Chris Ryder student won the She’s A Great Lady as the 1-9 favorite
in a lifetime-best equaling 1:50.2 in late September and her connections opted
to not take the bye to the final. Don’t Fence Me In and Lyons Serenity accepted
byes and go straight to next week’s final.
The top eight finishers from the
elimination will qualify for the championship dash with the winner drawing post
position 1-5.
Elimination – Race 12 (horses listed
in post position order): Captain Cowgirl, Sea Silk, Boudoir Hanover, Gotthegreenlight, Galleria
Hanover, Queen Of Success, Niki Hill, Yes And Yes, Frantasy Hanover,
Treacherous Dragon.
A total of 23 colt and gelding
trotters will be split into three elims. Duly Resolved, who’s won half of his
10 starts this season and finished second in the other half, will venture away
from his home track of Woodbine Mohawk Park for the first time in his career for
trainer John Bax.
The Ray Schnittker-trained King Of
The North, the William Wellwood and Peter Haughton champion, suffered an
interference break as the second choice in the wagering in the Mohawk Million
but managed to rally and cash a fifth-place check.
The top three finishers from the
three elims plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings
will qualify for the final. The winners will draw for post positions 1-5.
Elimination One – Race 1 (horses
listed in post position order): Southwind Domino, S I P, Testing Testing, Letsdoit S,
Temporal Hanover, Majestic J, Keg Stand.
Elimination Two – Race 8 (horses
listed in post position order): Cool Papa Bell, Slay, Duly Resolved, Classic Hill, Gigondas,
World At War Deo, Rebuff, Pretender.
Elimination Three – Race 10 (horses
listed in post position order): Fast As The Wind, Branded By Lindy, Threepointbluechip,
Double Deceiver, Periculum, Robertsin, Global Pandemic, King Of The North.
The colt and gelding pace attracted a
total of 21 who will be split into three elims. Monte Miki, the Mark Evers
trainee who pulled off a 15-1 upset in the Metro Pace after racing in 10th
at the half, is one of a handful to watch in a highly competitive field.
True Blue Lindy (the Pennsylvania
Sire Stakes winner), Pebble Beach (who won the Kentucky Sire Stakes title in
1:48.4) and Gulf Shores (the Ohio Sire Stakes champion) are others with solid
resumes.
The top three finishers from the
three elims plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings
will qualify for the final. The winners will draw for post positions 1-5.
Elimination One – Race 7 (horses
listed in post position order): Lous Sassin, Caviart Camden, Hammering Hank, Market Based,
Monte Miki, Gentle Giant, Fourever Boy.
Elimination Two – Race 9 (horses
listed in post position order): True Blue Lindy, Beach Glass, Six Feet Apart, Birthday, The
Boss Said, I Did It Myway, Nautical Hanover.
Elimination Three – Race 11 (horses
listed in post position order): Atlas Hanover, Early Action, Pebble Beach, Gulf Shores,
Loukes Perry, River Ness, Fulfullnmydestiny.
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