Breeders Crown analysis and selections for Saturday’s card 

by Brett Sturman 

Here’s how I see all 3-year-old and older Breeders Crown divisions tonight (Oct. 24) at Scioto Downs playing out. 

RACE 3: $600,000 OPEN TROT 

It’s been a dream 4-year-old season for SUPER CHAPTER and to finish it off in the Breeders Crown he’ll have to overcome a difficult post 8. To date this season, he’s three-for-three against EMOTICON LEGACY but tonight’s strategic edge does go to the latter. The last time these rivals met was three weeks ago at Dayton and in that race Emoticon Legacy took a bold first-over challenge to Super Chapter before being turned away late; a different type of trip could produce a different result for Emoticon Legacy who cruised last week as the heavy favorite in his elimination. ON TO NORWAY starts immediately to the inside of Super Chapter, and is responsible for handing that one both his losses this year, both coming by the same margin of a neck in back-to-back weeks at The Meadowlands in July. Those were epic battles, but since then On To Norway has uncharacteristically most recently broke stride in three of his last four. Which “Norway” shows up in the Breeders Crown; the more recent one, or the won that won 27 races in a row with a 1:48.3 world record? ANTOGNONI S looked sharper earlier in the year but was still favored most recently three races ago against On To Norway; grinded well throughout his mile last week with an overland journey from post 8. FRENCH WINE seems like a longer chance but did win this race last year; lands the rail off a first-over try last week. GO DOG GO chased Emoticon Legacy last week when making his first start since Sept. 5; his very best would make him an interesting price play. 

Selections: Emoticon Legacy, Go Dog Go, Super Chapter 

RACE 4: $400,000 OPEN MARE TROT 

It feels like she’s done it quietly, but WARRAWEE MICHELLE has put together one of the more accomplished careers of any trotting mare, ever. Now standing at $1.8 million in career earnings, yet another Breeders Crown win would push her over the $2 million lifetime mark. After beginning her 5-year-old season 0-for-seven though, at times, still racing quite well despite the record, she’s now captured two straight including the Dayton Oaks Derby by over four lengths and is once again the one to beat. TACTICAL MONI dominated in her Breeders Crown prep race over the Scioto track last week and it was her first win in five starts since moving barns to Melander. Lands the rail and retains Dunn; could be peaking. R DUTCHESS was super against most of these four races back at The Meadowlands but hasn’t been able to replicate that success on smaller Ohio ovals in her last pair; live cover would aid her chances. WALSPEA has loads of speed but is a wild card from post 9. She wasn’t able to stave off Warrawee Michelle two back on the lead at Delaware; far tougher spot here. YO TILLIE is better than her most recent; seeks to rebound with second tier start. WOMAN OF PASSION showed speed last week and now gets Lasix. 

Selections: Tactical Moni, Warrawee Michelle, Yo Tillie 

RACE 5: $664,500 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACE 

What a turn this division has taken in the second part of the season. The likes of LOUA DIPA and BE PERFECT BG have given way to a newer, different set of contenders for this Breeders Crown final. SANGRIA SUMMER has been on a tear since August, and a win now will solidify her status at the top of the division. She went right down the road last week to post the faster of the two elimination wins, hers coming in 1:49.3. I’m sure James MacDonald will want to be on the front with her, but the same could be said for the two immediate horses to her outside; will be interesting to see how this early part of the race takes shape. HOPE HILL was the other elimination winner, hers coming in a time of 1:50 flat, and improved to a perfect three-for-three on the barn change from Virgil Morgan to Engblom. In that race, she defeated Indiana standout WHOOMP who had to come first over prior to the half and fought on gamely against the heavily backed Hope Hill. DARLIN’S ANGEL comes out of that same elimination and wasn’t quite able to close through the passing lane but has been right there against the top fillies all year long; nice work by trainer Juan Cano and driver Lauren Tritton throughout. MISS JUM JABBER received a less than enthusiastic drive last week as the 3-5 favorite and things won’t be any easier now from post 8; should now offer far greater odds than anything she’s offered all year. 

Selections: Sangria Summer, Hope Hill, Whoomp

RACE 6: $664,500 3-YEAR-OLD FILLY TROT 

I previewed this race somewhat in Wednesday’s edition where the breeding behind elimination winner LITTLE ROAD was featured. Looking objectively beyond Little Road, this is one of the more seemingly wide-open Breeders Crown races. NEZUKO KAMADO S just held last week to notch her first win since the end of August. The Hambletonian Oaks champion has been at the top of this group going back to last year and looks to capture a Breeders Crown that eluded her as a 2-year-old. CUSTOM is a highly intriguing price play coming from post 7 for Engblom and Bartlett with a 12-1 morning line. An NJ Classic winner three back in a career-best 1:51.2, she was motoring home last week when stacking wide from last around the final turn in her elimination to just miss against Nezuko Kamado S; up to Bartlett to find a way into it but I do think she’s good enough. SHE’S MONI has been just that of late, parlaying early speed into three straight wins. Two back she won the Kentucky Filly Futurity and then came right back last week in her elimination to notch the win over a late charging BUSY MISS LISSY S who was uncovered from fourth but lands the outside post for the final. VICTORIANAS SECRET lands an inside post coming off a defeat last week as the beaten favorite. SETYOURSIGHTSHIGH hasn’t won since her Hambletonian Oaks elimination on Aug. 1 but closed well last week and obviously dismiss Melander and Dunn at your own peril. STORYBOOK LOVE won this division’s Breeders Crown last year. 

Selections: Custom, She’s Moni, Little Road 

RACE 7: $443,000 OPEN MARE PACE 

Going from a wide open race to what should be more of a two-horse race, TWIN B JOE FRESH and FRANCENT N will square off once again, this time for Breeders Crown glory. Twin B Joe Fresh seems to have returned to her better self of late, and that includes her front-end elimination win last week. Her main rival, Francent N was raced off the pace in that race and had to come first-over from prior to the half and there’s no shame at all in chasing Twin B Joe Fresh home to finish second. Francent N did beat her in consecutive races at Woodbine Mohawk Park in a f&m open and then right back in the Milton; although Twin B Joe Fresh had a near impossible trip in that latter race. It could come down to driving strategy here between Louis-Philippe Roy on Francent N and Dexter Dunn on Twin B Joe Fresh. It seems like every Breeders Crown winner from last year has drawn the rail tonight, with THE LAST MARTINI being the latest, who dead-heated with Miki And Minnie last year as a massive longshot. UNREASONABLE was the 3-2 second choice last out to Twin B Joe Fresh at Dayton; will be going forward early in an attempt to overcome the outside post. 

Selections: Twin B Joe Fresh, Francent N, The Last Martini 

It’s been a dream 4-year-old season for Super Chapter and to finish it off in the Breeders Crown [open trot] he’ll have to overcome a difficult post 8. To date this season, he’s three-for-three against Emoticon Legacy but tonight’s strategic edge does go to the latter.

RACE 8: $664,500 3-YEAR-OLD COLT TROT 

BIG RANGER returned to Scioto last week when cruising in his Breeders Crown elimination and will look for similar home cooking in tonight’s final. With exception of the tougher trip two back in the Kentucky Futurity he’s been monstrous all season with trainer Lorentzon and depending on how things went Friday, Big Ranger could complete a rare family sweep if full sister Blue Ranger won her 2-year-old Breeders Crown. After not being able to find the winner’s circle through his first eight races of the year, DIABOLIC HILL has found a winning knack and enters the final with two straight wins. In his elimination win last week, he was able to close to the inside of APEX and notch a career best win; no reason he can’t do it again. Apex remains a tough one to figure since the Hambletonian. There was nothing wrong with his runner-up finish last week and is more than capable of winning the final; maybe could use a trip. INEXPRESSABLE is better than I would have given him credit for a few months ago. He led early last week before being placed back to fourth where he then came first-over to miss by less than two lengths; fast 1:49.3 winner two back. Another overachiever has been NIX NACKEN, moving all the way up from the NJSS-Silver leagues to be a Canadian Trotting Classic and Kentucky Futurity winner; picks up Wrenn as Zeron goes to Inexpressable. AMERICAN POWER has had his moments against these; could do worse than a Melander horse from the rail. 

Selections: Big Ranger, Diabolic Hill, Apex

This [open pace] seems like a wide-open race to close out the Breeders Crown festivities and you could make an honest case for almost anyone in here.

RACE 9: $664,500 3-YEAR-OLD COLT PACE 

The complexion of this race has changed following turn of events from last week’s elimination races. GENTLEMAN’S CLUB went from 26-1 elimination outsider to being one of the favorites for tonight’s final. Don’t forget this horse was a 1:47.4 winner the week prior to the Meadowlands Pace, and it looks like he’s arrived at the Breeders Crown as the “fresh” horse. He came first over from fourth last week to wear down Beau Jangles and prevail in a time of 1:48.3, the faster of the two eliminations by a full second. BRANDON BLVD finished second in his elimination and was the 1-9 favorite but that was the circumstance of the trip more than anything else. In that race, eventual winner MELILLO crawled to the half in :56.2 and it was all over from there, as Brandon Blvd attempted a three-wide move around longshot cover but had too much ground to make up. AL PAPI could be a sneaky play in here. He showed sharp :26.1 opening speed in his elimination, was shuffled, and was knifing through late with a ton of pace. SWEET LOVIN LOU was motoring from the back of the pack and arrived on the scene late in that elimination won by Gentleman’s Club; he’s been incredibly consistent since August and has already upset this year in the Cane. 

Selections: Al Papi, Gentleman’s Club, Brandon Blvd 

RACE 10: $662,000 OPEN PACE 

This seems like a wide-open race to close out the Breeders Crown festivities and you could make an honest case for almost anyone in here. From the rail out, WOMEN LAYER impressed last week when showing speed to secure a 2-hole trip and then moving past pacesetter BEST CHIP in the stretch. He’s gotten along well with Gingras in those last three starts and this one was a winner here last year in a fast 1:47.3; advantageous starting slot. Best Chip lasted on the front end to beat many of these a few back in the Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk but interestingly wasn’t able to sustain in his last pair at the five-eighths-mile Ohio tracks. Picks up a new driver in Jason Bartlett. DANDY IDEAL came off cover to just get up over PRINCE HAL HANOVER in his elimination; Tetrick ends up here over Best Chip. CALICOJACK HANOVER was right there at the end in his elimination in a blanket finish; goes third start for Burke. Prince Hal Hanover has been game in almost every race this year; lost a heartbreaker last week and will be an obvious short-priced contender. KEN HANOVER has come up short in his last three races, all at short prices and maybe just isn’t at his very best. ADMIRAL HILL and SURREAL IDEAL seem like longshots from the outward posts. ERVIN HANOVER cut a fast clip last week but still had things relatively his own way. Like Ken Hanover, he could be slightly off form and post 9 only adds to the uncertainty. 

Selections: Women Layer, Prince Hal Hanover, Dandy Ideal