Now’s the time for Watch Me Now in Breeders Crown

She has proven she can beat the best.

Now, it is time for New Zealand import Watch Me Now N (He’s Watching) to prove she is the best harness racing pacing mare in the Breeders Crown, which begins Friday with eliminations for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Watch Me Now N starts her personal quest Saturday in one of two $25,000 eliminations of the Mare Pace. A finish in the top five will advance her to the $400,000 final on Oct. 29.

For Watch Me Now N, the time is now.

Watch Me Now N, who finished third in the Milton Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park in September, is owned by Curtin ANZ Stables (Curtin Anz is New Zealand’s John Curtin, founder and CEO of Harnesslink) and trained by Tony Alagna. Her two victories this season include one over Test Of Faith, a returning Breeders Crown champion and the 2021 U.S. Horse of the Year, at the Meadowlands earlier this year.

That outcome helped Watch Me Now N enter the Breeders Crown with earnings of $72,681 in 2022. Her connections supplemented her to the Breeders Crown for $42,000.

Watch Me Now N will start her Breeders Crown elim from post one with Tim Tetrick driving and is 10-1 on the morning line. She will be joined in the open mare pace by Voelz Delight, Chase Lounge, Mikala, Amazing Dream N, So Much More, and 4-5 favorite Test Of Faith.

“She’s one of the few horses who has beaten Test of Faith,” said Steve Wolf, stable manager and corresponding officer for Curtin ANZ Stables. “She’s been sort of a yo-yo. Some races she’s been super. Some races she hasn’t been.”

Wolf said Watch Me Now N’s trainer Tony Alagna convinced owner John Curtin to supplement the horse into the Breeders Crown.

“I’m sure Tony feels she’s going to be competitive,” Wolf said. “Sometimes in horse racing you take chances and some risks. With that there are some rewards. It’s a privilege to race in the Breeders Crown.”

Watch Me Now N has two wins, a second and a third in 13 starts this year. In 38 lifetime starts, she has won 12 races, placed second four times, and finished third five finishes. She has earned $202,290.

Her last start was Oct. 9 in the Allerage Farms Mare Pace at Lexington’s Red Mile, when she finished fourth behind Test Of Faith, No Win No Feed A and Gia’s Surreal, 2-3/4 lengths off the winner.

In the second Breeders Crown elim for the Mare Pace, seven horses will vie for the five spots in the final. That group includes Gia’s Surreal, Fire Start Hanover, No Win No Feed A, Dabarndawgswatchin, Racine Bell, Easy to Please, and 5-2 favorite Grace Hill.

Test Of Faith is third in this week’s Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll.

“If Test Of Faith is good, nobody is going to beat her,” Wolf said. “Watch Me Now is one of the top five pacing mares in the country.

“I did not expect two divisions. It’s good for the sport. The reality is they could have looked for a filly and mare open and saved the $42,000 supplement fee.”

Racing begins at 7 p.m. (EDT) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

For complete Saturday race entries, click here.

by John Sacco, for the Breeders Crown