On A Streak rewrites Breeders Crown record

ANDERSON, Ind. — On A Streak and harness racing driver Bob McClure surged down the stretch to overcome pacesetter Captain Corey and then held off In Range by three-quarters of a length to win Friday's (Oct. 30) $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male trotters in a stakes record 1:52.4 at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Venerate finished third.

McClure left quickly from post four with On A Streak and led heading to the first turn before yielding the top spot to Captain Corey and driver Ãke Svanstedt through a :26.4 opening quarter.

Venerate, the 4-5 favorite, and driver Andy Miller began a bid for the front with a first-over move from fifth up the backstretch, but were unable to pass Captain Corey as they hit the half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:24.1. In the stretch, McClure angled the pocket-sitting On A Streak to the inside and took the lead en route a 9-1 upset.

"My colt is so handy," McClure said. "Getting him off the gate, I wanted to leave and hopefully follow Ãke or Andy, or even both. When I saw Ãke look over and try to take off on Andy, I thought it looked really good.

"Andy's horse seemed like he was coming (in the stretch), so I just tried to get into the passing lane and get my horse re-motivated. It's not easy for 2-year-old trotters to dive into the passing lane and try to advance; it's not really taught to them. But he's such a professional that, as soon as he saw open air, he took off."

On A Streak, a son of Cantab Hall out of Habit's Best, has won two of nine races this season and $646,184 for owner Determination and trainer Luc Blais. He was bred by Fredericka Caldwell.

The colt's previous victory came in the William Wellwood Memorial at Woodbine Mohawk Park in September.

It was the first Breeders Crown title for McClure and fourth for Blais.

"To win a Breeders Crown is always special," Blais said. "It's the end of the year, it's a long season, and when you win that, you're fresh for the winter."

The previous stakes record of 1:53 was set by Walner in 2016.

On A Streak paid $20.80 to win.
 

by Ken Weingartner, for the Breeders Crown