Ron Burke, after winning with Hannelore Hanover, finished with a 17 1-3-2 slate. That may not seem like two big nights, but look at the odds of his competitors after Hannelore: 125-1 (5th), 54-1 (6th), 169-1 (5th), 36-1 (2nd), 28-1 (5th), 158-1 (7th), 10-1 (4th), 92-1 (7th), 43-1 (3rd) 33-1 (4th), 29-1 (8th), 9-2 (2nd), 60-1 (2nd), 3-1 (3rd), 28-1 (4th) 72-1 (8th). No second choices, a pair of third choices, and the average odds of his last 16 starters was 58-1.

Always B Miki, if he is voted Horse Of The Year, will be the third different horse for Jimmy Takter and the fourth time he’s won it. All three will have slayed a Triple Crown winner in being so named: 1997 Malabar Man over Western Dreamer; 1999 Moni Maker over Blissfull Hall (Moni Maker also was 1998 HOY) and 2016 Always B Miki over Marion Marauder???

Rail fails

Like the rail do ya? Not this past Breeders Crown weekend. Post one not only didn’t win a Breeders Crown event, it did not hit the board either: 7-4-10-8-8-7-8-5-9-6-10-8.

Odds on was good

Eight of the 12 Breeders Crown favorites won. All eight were odds on — the highest price $3.80. Three of the favorites that got beat were also odds on, meaning that only Lyons Snyder at 2.20-1 in the sophomore colt pace (10th) was higher than even money.

The average win price for the night was $8.90. The average odds of the runnerup was 14-1.

Hot in Hoosier

Next year is not a bad year to be heading to Hoosier Park for the Breeders Crown — it will be the 31st site the Crown has visited — especially considering we are looking at the strong likelihood of a 1-2-3 finish in the HOY balloting among Always B Miki, Wiggle It Jiggleit and Hannelore Hanover — all Hoosiers.

Six bombs nearly landed

57-1 60-1, 132-1 31-1 43-1 and 36-1 all hit the board this past weekend. But get this. Of the 117 horses competing — 60-or 51.3 per cent — were higher than 30-1 odds.

You might not believe this one

Seven different drivers won a Breeders Crown race in 2016. But only one of those did not also drive at least one 100-1 shot (David Miller). The other six did and that doesn’t include John Campbell, who was an ultra-competitive third with a 132-1 shot.

Brian Sears (Flanagan Memory) was 183-1 with Bettor Be Steppin (8th). Yannick Gingras (three wins) was 132-1 with Melmerby Beach (8th) and 176-1 Lindwood Beach Girl (9th). Brett Miller (Racing Hill) was 102-1 with Luck Be Withyou (7th) and 126-1 Winter Harbor (7th). Scott Zeron (Call Me Queen Be) was 187-1 with I’m So Fancy (8th) and 177-1 with Broadway Idole (9th). Tim Tetrick (3 wins) was 120-1 with Mach It So (5th) and Marcus Miller (Someomensomewhere) was 125-1 with J J Flynn (9th).

The Beach’s Crown

For the second straight year, Somebeachsomewhere was the leading money-winning sire in the Breeders Crown with his progeny earning $1,479,520 this year. That total represents 51.6 per cent of all the pacing money he could possibly have won — and he didn’t have a horse in the mare pace. Somebeachsomewhere was the only sire to win three Crown races (Muscle Hill won a pair).

Nice night for Millers

David Miller followed up his five-Crown record night in 2015 with two winners and 10 checks. It was a nice Breeders Crown for other “Millers” with Erv getting on the board, Marcus debuting with Someomensomewhere at 17-1 and holding on and Brett winning for the second straight year — this time in a three-year-old Breeders Crown record 1:48 (Racing Hill). Andy Miller was fifth with Sutton, the elimination winner among the three-year-old trotting colt set.

Campbell’s quality drives

John Campbell had four Crown drives, but he got the most from them. He was second with L A Delight at 7-2, third with 132-1 shot Sunshine Delight in the freshman female trot and third with defending older trotter champion J L Cruze at 20-1. Campbell only missed a check with Celebrity Eventsy, who was eighth.

Takter v. Burke

Jimmy Takter’s slate — three wins, a second and three thirds

Ron Burke’s slate — one win, three seconds and two thirds.

Sears, say what!?!

The average odds for Crown drives by 2017 Hall of Fame inductee Brian Sears was 46-1.

Feast or famine for Tetrick

Tim Tetrick had a natural hat trick with Wallner $2.40, Huntsville $3.60 and Bar Hopping $3.80 — all three odds on winners. Oddly, Tetrick did not hit the board in his other nine assignments: 4-5-5-6-6-6-5-9-7.

Kakaley bargains

Matt Kakaley is my new value shopper. He did not have a single drive that was less than 36-1, yet he managed quite well considering. Miso Fast at 43-1 was 3rd; Manhattan Beach at 60-1 was 2nd, Skinny Dipper at 62-1 was 10th, Waitlifter K at 35-1 was 8th, Classical Annie at 125-1 was 5th, Sassa Hanover at 36-1 was 2nd, All Bets Off at 54-1 was 6th, Rockette at 158-1 was 7th and Snowstorm Hanover at 92-1 was 7th.