Favourites defeated in rookie male trot Crown elims

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Emoticon Legacy (Walner) and Maximus Mearas S (Chapter Seven) emerged the harness racing victors from a pair of $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday afternoon (Oct. 18) at The Meadowlands.

In the first of the division’s contests to qualify for next week’s Breeders Crown final, Emoticon Legacy – one of four across the track leaving the gate – settled into the catbird seat by the :27.4 first quarter and never left the inside path. He saved ground through middle fractions of :55 and 1:24 before passing race-leader Meshuggah and first-over challenger Hidalgo. Emoticon Legacy slid up the pylons to the win by 2-1/4 lengths in a 1:52.3 mile.

The Luc Blais-trained colt earned a lifetime mark in winning his fourth race from six starts this season. The victory raised the colt’s bankroll to $155,656. Owned and bred by Serge Godin’s Determination, Emoticon Legacy is a out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover.

“He’s still a little green,” said winning driver Louis Roy after the race. “He doesn’t do well racing in front. I was hoping to get room on the inside because he was trotting well and I know he has a pretty good kick in the end.”

Emoticon Legacy paid $7.60 to win.

Making the final from elimination one were Meshuggah, finishing second; Hidalgo in third; Memento Mori in fourth and Tactical Dynasty, who secured the last berth as the highest-earning fifth-place finisher from both eliminations.

Prohibitive favorite Super Chapter was beaten by 7-1 outsider Maximus Mearas S with a strong stretch move by driver Scott Zeron late in the stretch of the second Breeders Crown elimination.

Maximus Mearas S left swiftly off the gate before giving way to an early brush from the eight-hole leaving Happy Jack B. Maximus Mearas S stayed right behind that one while Monserrate followed in third. Super Chapter, fourth after the :27.2 first quarter, fired to the outside to pass them and take full command of the race towards a :56.3 half. Though Super Chapter opened real estate from the rest to three-quarters in 1:24.4, Maximus Mearas S left the cones for an all-out attack that Zeron pushed until his steed had enough to get to the wire first by a head.

“He lacks experience,” Zeron said after the race, “[but] mine maintained his tail today.”

Lucas Wallin trains the colt out of the Cantab Hall mare Darling Mearas S. Maximus Mearas S earned a new speed mark with the 1:52.4 victory.

“He’s graceful with good strides,” Zeron said, “and now it’s just a matter of how fast he really can go.”

Maximus Mearas S spiked his bankroll to $84,795 in his first season of racing for owner Kjell Magne Andersen. His breeder is Snogarps Gard Inc. and he paid $16.40 to win.

Also getting berths in next week’s championship final were Super Chapter, finishing second; Blank, getting the show spot; and fourth-place finisher Go Dog Go.

Elimination winners Emoticon Legacy and Maximus Mearas S earned draw protection between posts 1 through 6 for the Breeders Crown final next Friday (Oct. 25). The nine finalists from Friday’s eliminations will join Maryland, earning a bye with his victory in the Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park earlier this year, in the final.

A LITTLE MORE: Dexter Dunn had the hot hand, leading the driver colony with four wins on the card. His shortest-priced winner went off at 5-2. … Ron Burke led the trainers with three walks down victory lane. … All-source handle on the 13-race program was $1,562,648. … Live racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. with 11 Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old and older horses. Some of the featured performers include Kentucky Futurity winner Sig Sauer, Little Brown Jug champ Captain Albano, Hambletonian winner Karl and the current leader in the Horse of the Year race, Twin B Joe Fresh. … If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) from 7:30-11 p.m.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Frank Cotolo, for The Meadowlands