This Is The Plan beats stablemate in BC elim

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Ron Burke pupil This Is The Plan fired off stablemate Cattlewash’s helmet coming for home and landed his nose in front at the beam to win the $25,000 elimination for the Breeders Crown Open Pace on Saturday (Oct. 23) at The Meadowlands.

Driver Yannick Gingras fired the 6-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding off the car but took a spot in fourth while Warrawee Vital clicked the first quarter in :27 with Cattlewash in the pocket. Nicholas Beach brushed for the lead out of third approaching a :55.1 half, and maintained his speed to the final turn as Cattlewash started to float off the pegs.

By three-quarters in 1:22.3, Nicholas Beach held a shrinking lead as Cattlewash laid pursuit to the pacesetter heading for home. This Is The Plan stalked Cattlewash’s attack before Gingras moved to strike into the eighth pole. With each stride, This Is The Plan bore down on Cattlewash and, with enough momentum, got by at the line in a 1:49.3 mile. Enavant rallied through traffic to take third and Warrawee Vital popped by Nicholas Beach to snag fourth.

“[Cattlewash is] a nice horse too. This Is The Plan is sharp, still. People think he may be a little on the backside, but Allywag is just so sharp,” Gingras said after the race. “Today, without Allywag in there, he took advantage of it. [All] credit goes to the Burke Brigade. They do a great job of keeping horses, not only for a year, but able to come back year after year.”

This Is The Plan scored his sixth victory from 22 starts this season and his 20th win from 91 starts in his career, earning $2,553,469. Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Lawrence Karr own the $19.40 winner.

THIS IS THE PLAN REPLAY

Workin Ona Mystery, Nicholas Beach and Ruthless Hanover also advance to the $600,000 final, joining bye recipients Allywag Hanover, Catch The Fire and Ocean Rock.

YAY FOR YANNICK: Yannick Gingras was once again the big dog in the driver’s colony yard, winning four times on the program. During the course of the weekend, the 42-year-old native of Quebec took seven trips to the winner’s circle, five of them in Breeders Crown events. On Friday night, it was trainer Domenico Cecere supplying three winning horses for Gingras, and on Saturday, it was his go-to conditioner Ron Burke supplying a trio of victories.

A LITTLE MORE: All-source handle totaled $1,971,951. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m. with the four Breeders Crown Finals for 2-year-olds. On Saturday, the four divisions for 3-year-olds and four divisions for older horses will take place. There is a special early post time of noon for Saturday’s card. … The post-position draws for the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot and 3-Year-Old Colt Pace will take place Tuesday at Hogan Equine at Pheasant Hill Farm in Dr. Patty Hogan’s veterinary clinic in Cream Ridge, NJ. The draw will be shown live at 2 p.m. both on The Meadowlands’ Facebook page and YouTube channel.

For full race results, click here.

For all updates to final fields for the Breeders Crown

by Ray Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown