John Berry: Random thoughts on the Breeders Crown

The 2023 edition of the Breeders Crown is in the books…

A dozen races featuring the best of the best in their respective harness racing classes vying for riches, of course, but, in addition, possible future fame as a stallion or a broodmare with resulting foals solidly cementing a place in history.

The coveted 2:10 two-year-old lists and 2:05 three-year-old lists are long obsolete, replaced by juveniles that can travel as many as 80 to 100 lengths faster and sophomores that can go even faster than that!

The Breeders Crown is one of the most defining events in our sport.

There are 12 winners that can claim a crown in their respective divisions.

But, in my eyes, there were others that didn’t claim a crown this year but gave very subtle hints of future greatness that shouldn’t be overlooked.

So, this Mane Attraction focuses on both the champions and some others that performed very well in de”feat” or, in this case, the “hoof!”

Counting down from my picks as the top five performances…here goes!

#5…KARL (Tactical Landing), in the event for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, making that awesome quarter brush from several lengths back in fourth to the top at the half and then using a :26.4 finale to secure the win in 1:51.4, as well as two-year-old trotting colt or gelding of the year. Prior to this Breeders Crown event, it was a toss-up between Karl and T C I but the latter simply couldn’t stay with Karl in the lane making the words “it All Comes Down to the Breeders Crown” so true.

One other item of note (in my eyes)…Greenspan—finishing fifth—had an extremely tough journey (probably close to a mile and 30 yards) still trotted his final panel in :27…so I’m keeping a close eye on him to do some damage as a three-year-old.

#4…GEM QUALITY (Captain Crunch) put in a superb effort in winning his BC event for juvenile pacing colts and geldings…out in :26 before yielding and being shuffled a tad, then coming home in :26.1 to finish in 1:50, a new lifetime mark—winning like a 2 to 5 shot should (but he was 23 to 1!)

Captain Albano certainly wasn’t embarrassed in defeat, especially after brushing to the half in :54.2 showing horses aren’t machines.

Also, the second fastest closer in the race, Captain Luke, (post seven) paced his final quarter in :26.3 and hardly passed anything finishing eighth.

#3…BYTHEMISSAL (Downbytheseaside) with that two-move mile gutting out the win in the Open Pace in 1:48 over a tracked labeled sloppy. Winning the war-briefly-on the backside before yielding with a half in a scorching :53.2, the four-year-old found a seam once they straightened away and used a :26 kick home (remember, the track was sloppy) to score.

Also, Lou’s Pearlman is a must mention, having the “nerve” to go first up (at 45 to1) around the final bend and kept chugging along as a “troika” developed mid-stretch and finished second.

The entire field in the event was clocked in 1:49.1 or faster with two horses pacing heir final quarters in :25.3—one being fifth and the other seventh.

#2…SYLVIA HANOVER (Always B Miki), in a race that had tinges of an It’s Fritz-Cam Fella rematch of many years ago, showed her heart and courage—once again—in winning her Breeders Crown event for three-year-old pacing fillies.

In, seemingly, a very competitive field, Sylvia brushed up halfway through the mile to stick a nostril in front of Twin B Joe Fresh at the :54.4 half but the latter appeared to “put her away” around the final bend with a :26.3 panel putting up a time at the third station in a demanding 1:21.2 with Sylvia now a couple of lengths behind.

But, as she has done so many times in her career, she was, again, relentless in the final stages, bursting to the front and then holding off the late dancing Charleston to score by a neck in 1:49.2.

Always B Naughty, pacing her last 3/4s in 1:21.1, closed wickedly for third with the fastest closing Beach Cowgirl, flying at the end, fourth—her last quarter in :26.4—fastest of all.

#1…CONFEDERATE (Sweet Lou) earns the top spot with an incredible mile in 1:48.1 in the pace for three-year-old colts and geldings. featuring a final quarter over a sloppy racetrack in :25.4, absolutely annihilating the competition with a final half-mile of around :52.3…his long winning streak stretching to 10.

With 12 wins in 13 starts this year, Confederate has earned $1,544,929 this semester and $1,988,629 lifetime.

Of course, all Breeders Crown winners deserve accolades so, in terms of BEST FINISH, the award goes to the TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT with four of ‘em across the track in that one—the winner being WARRAWEE MICHELLE (Walner) by a head over Soiree Hanover who, in turn was a head up on Buy A Round with Drawn Impression another neck back in fourth—that entire quartet clocked in 1:53.4.

In fact, the first seven in there were less than two lengths apart at the wire Buy A Round, lolly-gagging a bit at the start, trotting her last 3/4s in 1:23.4.

It was quite the duel.

The THREE-YEAR-OLD TROT FOR COLTS AND GELDINGS earns the SECOND TIER AWARD as TACTICAL APPROACH (Tactical Landing) won his two biggest stakes—The Hambletonian and Breeders Crown—from the 10 post…this one from the second tier.

Away seventh, he started wending his way forward on the backstretch, took command in the lane and never was really threatened thereafter.

Up Your Leo and French Wine deserve some ink, too, as the former, the leader early on, was shuffled way back before finding a seam late to finish second while the stout closing French Wine was next.

Also of note, Dire Straits, dead-last seemingly forever, had severe trot in the stretch—:26.4—and deserves watching.

BOND (Southwind Frank) earns the award for a TRIPLE MOVE mile with speed off the wings, yielding, retaking half-way through, outkicked during a :27.1 third panel and then wearing down stablemate Special Way in deep stretch to take the marbles in 1:51.2.

By the way, giving a subtle hint was Bravo Angel S, dawdling way back before showing some :27 trot in the lane…at 99 to 1 on the board and almost twice that in reality!

The GARDEN TRIP AWARD goes to SOUTHWIND TYRION (Muscle Hill) getting the trip of a lifetime from Ake in the Open Trot.

Getting away off the wings with alacrity before yielding to Logan Park a few strides into the mile, Southwind Tyrion was calm, cool and collected and even stayed chilly as the chalk loomed along side. But after finding room to roam, a :26.4 finale sealed the deal and, by far, his biggest payday in his racing history.

The CARBON COPY AWARD goes to MAX CONTRACT (Huntsville) in the Open Mares Pace.

This four-year-old, scratched sick from a $250,000 race at Dayton on September 30, returned to the wars for the Breeders Crown Elimination and was only “used” for about 3/16s of that mile to score a handy win in 1:50.3—last quarter :26.

It was just about the same story in the Breeders Crown itself as began gnawing away about 5/16s from the wire before rolling home in :26.2 to score in 1:50.2 over the late charging S liver Label with Kobe’s Gigi just another neck back.

One other note…Valar Dohaeris, from the outside post, paced her last quarter fastest of all—:25.3—and bears future watching.

Finally, last, but most certainly not least, JIGGY JOG S (Walner) earns the title in the REMARKABLE EQUINE CATEGORY.

Out and going after M-M’s Dream forged her way to the front, JIggy Jog S was out and churning taking charge at the third station and holding off her main nemesis at the wire in 1:51.1.

This grand mare is now 17-for-34 lifetime with earnings of $2,078,779.

She has missed only one single check during her career and capped her mile in the Breeders Crown with a :27 finale.

One other note, keep an eye out for Warrawee Xenia, who had a very difficult journey but closed in :26.3—fastest of all.

That’s my take…and now you know, “It All Comes Down to the Breeders Crown!”

May The Horse Be With You.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink