Dunn, Melander, and Eldorado Scioto Downs all shine as the 2026 Breeders Crown concludes

by Dave Briggs

Dexter Dunn surpassed Hall of Famers Mike Lachance and Yannick Gingras on the list of career Breeders Crown driving victories and trainer Marcus Melander solidified himself as one of the finalists for the Trainer of the Year award as Eldorado Scioto Downs wrapped up the 2026 series on Saturday (Oct. 24) with the eight finals for sophomores and older horses.

The Columbus, OH track was heralded for doing an impressive job in its first time playing host to all 12 Crown finals, and had a huge helping hand from El Niño, which helped deliver a rare perfect Breeders Crown weather weekend.

Dunn recorded three Crown victories on Saturday — with Tactical Moni, Twin B Joe Fresh, and Brandon Blvd – to make it five for the weekend and 28 lifetime to surpass both Lachance and Gingras, who have 27 apiece. In just his sixth year competing in the series, Dunn now sits fifth in Crown driving victories behind John Campbell (48), Brian Sears (35), and both David Miller and Ron Piere with 30 each. He currently leads North America in purse earnings with more than $14 million and is the likely favorite to claim the Driver of the Year award.

Though his star older trotting horse Super Chapter finished seventh in the open trot, Melander still won two Breeders Crowns on Saturday – with Tactical Moni and Nezuko Kamado S – to make it three for the weekend and push his career Crowns to 10. He also won with 2-year-old trotting filly Birr Castle on Friday.

The only other trainers to score more than one Crown victory over the weekend were Andrew Harris – Seaside Ubeaut on Friday and Brandon Blvd on Saturday – and Brett Pelling with Miss Jum Jabber and Dandy Ideal, both on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Brandon Blvd made a strong case for Horse of the Year votes with an impressive performance in the 3-year-old pacing colt division.

Interestingly, given its name, the series crowned 12 different breeding groups this year, including four homebreds and one more for Brittany Farms (Twin B Joe Fresh) to give it 32 lifetime, second only to Hanover Shoe Farms (36).

Here is a brief recap of all eight of Saturday’s races:

RACE 3 – OPEN TROT

In the first Crown race of the night, bettors inexplicably let Indiana-sired 4-year-old gelded trotter On To Norway go off as the fourth choice at 13-1 in the $600,000 Grade 1 open trot and he promptly posted a 1:50 mile, despite never seeing the rail and tangling with favourite and leading Horse of the Year candidate Super Chapter, who faded in the stretch to finish seventh.

On To Norway’s victory gave trainer Ron Burke his 25^th career Crown triumph.

It was the 39^th lifetime victory in 48 starts for the son of Muscle Massive out of One Class Act, who pushed his seasonal earnings to $926,750 and his career haul to $1,587,131 for the Burke Brigade team of Burke, Frank Baldachino, Black and White Stable, and Michael Rosenthal.

Bred by Bennett Farms Inc of Michigan, On To Norway was driven to victory for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., who celebrated his third career Crown win.

RACE 4 – MARE TROT

The Moni Maker Stables’ homebred Tactical Moni, a granddaughter of Moni Maker, gave driver Dunn his first Crown victory of the night, third of the weekend and 26^th lifetime with a 1:51 victory in the $400,000 Grade 1 mare trot.

As for Tactical Moni, it was her second victory in seven starts this year. The 4-year-old daughter of Tactical Landing out of the Self Possessed mare All Our Moni increased her seasonal earnings to $269,491 and her lifetime total to $515,291.

In 2025, during her sophomore season, Tactical Moni posted a record of 10-1-0 in 13 starts for her connections and trainer Melander. The Moni Maker Stable is comprised of Frank Antonacci, David Reid and K R Breeding LLC.

Tactical Moni’s dam, All Our Moni is a daughter of the tremendous 1998 Breeders Crown champ and Hall of Famer Moni Maker, who earned nearly $5.6 million lifetime.

RACE 5 — 3YOFP

In the $665,500 Grade 1 Crown for sophomore pacing fillies, $72,000 supplemental entry Miss Jum Jabber proved she was worth the investment, posting a 1:49.4 victory for owner and trainer Pelling.

The daughter of Bettor’s Wish out of Treacherous Reign went over $1 million lifetime with the victory and gave Pelling his 14^th career Crown win as a trainer to surpass Chuck Sylvester in total wins.

For winning driver Andrew McCarthy, it was his seventh career Crown triumph.

It was the 14^th win in 19 career starts, all in 2026, for Miss Jum Jabber, who now has earnings of exactly $1,013,889 and is definitely in the discussion for year-end divisional honors.

RACE 6 — 3YOFT

Melander posted his third Crown victory of the weekend when Hambletonian Oaks champ Nezuko Kamado S won the $665,500 Grade 1 Breeders Crown for sophomore trotting fillies in a 1:51.1 track record.

The Courant Inc homebred daughter of Chapter Seven out of Zefira Kronos IT stamped herself as one of the leaders for year-end divisional honors, and gave driver Scott Zeron his second Crown victory of the weekend and 22^nd lifetime.

Ultra-consistent Nezuko Kamado S, sent off as the favorite, is now 8-1-0 in 12 starts in 2026 and 14-3-1 in 23 lifetime outings. She has earned $927,555 this year and $1,476,619 lifetime.

RACE 7 – MARE PACE

A year after being scratched out of the Breeders Crown, superstar Twin B Joe Fresh posted at 1:48.1 Crown triumph in the $443,000 Grade 1 mare pace.

She, too, solidified the lead in her division for year-end honors.

Driven to victory by her part-owner Dunn, Twin B Joe Fresh posted her second career Crown victory to go with the one she earned in 2024 in the mare pace at The Meadowlands.

For trainer/part-owner Chris Ryder, it was his 10^th lifetime Crown triumph.

Twin B Joe Fresh, who is also owned by Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak, is now 43-12-3 in 63 career starts. The 6-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe out of Fresh Breeze, has career earnings of $3,513,920. She is 7-3-1 in 14 starts this year for earnings of $651,441.

For Dunn, it was the second Crown win of the night, fourth of the weekend and 27^th lifetime.

RACE 8 – 3YOCT

Trainer and co-owner Annie Stoebe posted her first career Breeders Crown victory when Diabolic Hill posted a mild 6-1 upset in the $664,500 Grade 1 event for sophomore trotting colts.

Hometown hero Big Ranger led the field into the stretch, but finished third after being passed by both Diabolic Hill and Nix Nacken.

Diabolic Hill, a Muscle Hill colt out of Crysti Dream, bred by AM Bloodstock of Sweden, went over $1 million in career earnings with a 1:50.4 career best victory orchestrated by Todd McCarthy.

The colt now has earnings of $1,081,167 lifetime and $574,531 this year for Stoebe and her partners Mario Mazza and AC Crawford Racing Stable.

RACE 9 – 3YOCP

Brandon Blvd was ultra-impressive in the $664,500 Grade 1 Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old pacing colts, setting a 1:48 track record with Dunn in the bike for trainer Harris.

The Ohio-sired son of Downbytheseaside out of Alexis Faith improved to 17-5-1 in 24 lifetime starts and 10-3-1 in 13 2026 outings. He has earned $1,513,695 this year and $1,903,092 lifetime for the Punisher 11 Stable of Bill Pollock, Bruce Areman, and Harris, who were the only owners to win two Crowns on the weekend after taking the 2-year-old pacing filly title with Seaside Ubeaut on Friday.

RACE 10 – OPEN PACE

Pelling wrapped up the Crown events by winning his second of the night when Dandy Ideal posted a 1:47.3 victory in the $662,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown open pace.

Hall of Famer Tim Tetrick drove the son of American Ideal out of OK Heavenly – bred by Stephen Dey and Dandy Farms – to victory for owners Susan Oakes and Alan Johnston.

It was Tetrick’s 24^th lifetime victory and upped Dandy Ideal’s career earnings to $1,674,507. The 4-year-old is now 23-6-2 in 41 career starts.