Breeders Crown notebook

by Bob Heyden

Now 500 races into the Breeders Crown, clearly it has worked. It’s a focal point. You rarely have to look up the winners. It’s a measuring stick, a culmination, and even a coronation for a precious few. We’re 43 editions in and hoping for many, many more. Let’s take a look at some standout moments from the past.

WHAT’S 30 YEARS AMONG FRIENDS?

On Saturday, Odds On Mr Mamba will try to take down the sophomore Pacing Breeders Crown for Peter Wrenn. It’s one day shy of 30 years since Wrenn last won a Breeders Crown, when Personal Banner ended Moni Maker’s 18-race win streak on Oct. 25, 1996. Personal Banner paid $8.60 to win for owner George Steinbrenner. Yes, that Steinbrenner. It would be tough to top Steinbrenner’s weekend 30 years back, since the day after the Crown, the Yankees closed out the World Series defeating the Atlanta Braves for their first title in 18 years! Wrenn’s other Breeders Crown came two years prior with Yankee Cashmere in the 2YOFP, bred by Charlie Keller’s Yankeeland Farms. Thirty years between Crowns in 2026 would set a new mark.

SPEAKING OF 1996

Brett Pelling broke through in the Breeders Crown that year at Yonkers with Armbro Operative (3YOCP) and Mystical Maddy. “Maddy” won the 3YOFP from post 8. Miss Jum Jabber has post 8 this year in the 3YOFP for Pelling.

HAMMER TIME

Roger Hammer actually sent out a Breeders Crown favorite with Keystone Luther who raced twice in the series in 1993 and 1994. He’s back with supplemental entry Little Road who won her elim.

AGE OLD QUESTION

Ake Svanstedt has won all eight of his driving Breeders Crowns in the last five editions. He turns 68 on Nov. 18 and there’s only one other driver in the 21st century who won any Breeders Crowns after hitting 60. In 2015, John Campbell won with Wild Honey in the 3YOFT after turning 60 earlier that year. The last time a driver older than Svanstedt won a Breeders Crown was 69-year-old Carl Allen in 1998 with CR Commando in the 2YOCT.

ODD STAT OF THE DAY

Dexter Dunn has 23 Crown victories and Marcus Melander has seven, with just one in common, Maryland in 2024. Dunn has won for nine different trainers and Melander has won with five different drivers with only Brian Sears (three) having multiple scores. Dunn has a .405 Breeders Crown UDRS. No one else in Crown history with at least 20 drives has a better than .300 UDRS. Svanstedt is at .294.

HOW TOUGH IS IT TO WIN A CROWN?

The two active winningest $-drivers in the sport today, David Miller and Tim Tetrick, last won in the 2022 2YOCP and 2023 3YOCP, respectively.

POSSIBLE HISTORY FOR TWIN B JOE FRESH

If Twin B Joe Fresh wins it would mark the first time that a previous Horse of the Year won a Breeders Crown after their award-winning season (2024).

SWINGING BOTH WAYS

Luc Blais, and others, are trying to become the first conditioners to win a Breeders Crown in the same year on both gaits since Nancy Takter did it with Peaky Sneaky and Kissin In The Sand on the pacing end and with trotter Manchego.

LADIES’ NIGHT?

It’s been 24 years since Linda Toscano and Molly Can Do It got the Crown ball rolling for the ladies in 2002. Lauren Tritton will try and do the same for all the women in the bike with Darlins Angel.

ROGER THAT

Roger Welch sends out elim runner-up Whoomp in the final. Don’t forget that Welch was entrusted with Always B Miki in 2013 when the precocious youngster was just 2. Welch did some of his best work, great work really, helping the colt mature and learn his manners.

IT DOESN’T ALWAYS COME DOWN TO THE BREEDERS CROWN

In 1991, Precious Bunny and in 1994 Cam’s Card Shark both reset the single-season earnings record without a dime coming from the Breeders Crown. Precious Bunny was ineligible in a time where supplementals were scarce and Cam’s Card Shark didn’t race past Labor Day.

WHAT ABOUT HORSE OF THE YEAR?

Depending on what goes down in the Crown, can HOY be anyone other than Super Chapter or Brandon Blvd? I guess we’ll see shortly.