Harness Racing: Breeders' Crown Finals Weekend

The Breeders Crown finals rule. The fall classics are again at The New Meadowlands to finish the division champion contests. Raring to take us through the overnight months is the never-ending TwinSpires H2W (horses-to-watch list) as well as we continue the Mohawk Miles search for longshots.

MOHAWK MILES
Thursday / Oct. 28
Mohawk

Each week we highlight some probable longshots from Mohawk Park in this feature section. If they do not win at first crack we add them to the H2W the following week as a bet-back while adding new possibilities to this Mohawk Miles section.

In Race 1 – Real Wicked – Off a sharp qualifier; ready to soar.
In Race 5 – Rose Run Why Not – Returns after 22-1 win with a surprise strike again.

MEADOWS
HI-5 FORCE-OUT
Friday, Oct. 29, the Meadows’ 11th race offers the $63k High-5 carryover pot to be dispersed (non-jackpot). Check the H2W below for five we suggest (in post position order) to be included.

BREEDERS CROWN FINALS
PROGRAM ONE
Friday / Oct. 29
Meadowlands

$600,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trot
Watching Cool Papa Bell make the final in his elim by rapidly closing sixth and getting third (he was our choice in an upset at 22-1) made the deal for me—the Cantab Hall colt had my vote for outside contender. Jim Campbell’s chance could come in the last lunges of this final; not that I know Campbell’s strategy from post 1 (again).

$600,000 Breeders Crown — 2-Year-Old Filly Pace
We have to call for a bet-back here as Treacherous Dragon draws the 4 post, especially since favorite Niki Hill was beaten in the elim by Queen Of Success (23-1) in a typical catbird-seat trip and this time will be bet way below her chances. Still, we do not expect 11-1 for “Dragon,” which is how she was measured in the elim. But her trip was far more impressive than “Queen” rolled. Dragon made a sweeping three-wide move and gained 4 lengths from there to finish fifth. Pelling’s filly will be all out here to muck up some “Pick” streams and once again have Niki Hill toppled.

$600,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot
We’ve followed Selfie Queen for a bit and were not surprised to see her in the thick of her elim (12-1 in a six-horse field is good stuff). She lost by 2 ticks, giving up the lead to the second choice. The probable favorite, Raised By Lindy, could certainly put in another giant mile but if “Selfie” gets her by just a whisker, we cash over the other public choice, Libitalexis (elim winner). Exactas sans “Lindy” for price and purpose should be Ake Svanstedt’s duo—Jiggy Jog S and Ebbies Lady.

$600,000 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Brett Pelling’s Hammering Hank almost caught Monte Miki. Tonight he will; Pelling should pick up two championships (see 2yo filly pace). In fact, we are going to recommend an exacta without the big-favorite “Miki,” using I Did It My Way. Finishing third in his elim, this Captaintreacherous colt was 26-1 and raced better than the four behind him. Jeff Cullipher has a slim shot winning with his colt but we have a good shot cashing a strong exacta with Miki third or worse.

BREEDERS CROWN FINALS
PROGRAM TWO
Saturday / Oct. 30
Meadowlands

$600,000 Breeders Crown — 3-Year-Old Filly Pace
Test Of Faith comes in from a bye and could compromise a Grace Hill repeat. Nifty Norman’s other filly, Fire Start Hanover, will be all out again (she finished second against “Grace”), but beaten second-choice Blue Diamond Eyes could wind up a strong overland. Off of her performance for second over last week in the solo elim and factors we cannot forecast that may come her way, Fire Start Hanover could be the upset bettors kick themselves for not playing. In the wake of unknown elements we still like improvement from Think Of Galaxies to involve herself in the late mix.

$300,000 Breeders Crown — Mare Trot
The odds were so uneven in last week’s elim that the public’s third choice was 21-1. No one would criticize anyone passing on an Atlanta-When Dovescry battle again but if the third choice is as close as last week then an upset is the bet. Our early choices for that scenario would be Refined and Ramona Hill. Finishing third at 30-1, Refined chased live cover and gained enough to almost steal second from When Dovescry, and Ramona Hill was in a dead-heat for fifth while eating up real estate going two- and three-wide to make up 7 lengths.

$600,000 Breeders Crown 3 Year Old Colt Pace
There is just too much speed from too many fast horses to pick one that will be faster than the others, that is, one that will thwart duels and/or shuffling and/or mid-race challenges to hold on. If, then, we look at the elims (and knowing all of these colts from their soph campaigns), we must find the “last horse pacing” in the stretch after what may be an exhausting three-quarters. Enter Rockyroad Hanover. He is not the best of this division but this is a stunning set-up for the opportunity to shine. Ecclesiastes 9:11 forecasts such situations correctly daily in all of horseracing —“The race is not given to the swift or to the strong", but to the one who endures to the end. That is the scenario we choose.

$650,000 Breeders Crown — 3-Year-Old Filly Trot
Iteration at 35-1 was a smashing across-the-board coup when finishing second with some of the best place and show prices of the day. You’re welcome because an exacta with the favorite—one of our biggest profit plays, was also a crush ($2 exacta paid $94.40). To play her back in the win spot means we have to bank on maddening fractions and dueling and shuffling between Bella Bellini, Altar and Shirley Goodness. That warrants across-the-board action again but dowses a one-way exotic unless tuning out “Bella.” It may be better to go for the upset win and the place and show but it’s downright courageous to key Iteration second in exactas with the most-likely trio.

$650,000 Breeders Crown 3 Year Old Colt Trot
Favored Fly Light did not truly start racing in his elim until three-quarters when he angled three wide in an attempt to catch his stable mate Ambassador Hanover (the other Ake Svanstedt entry). “Light” gained only a length to finish fourth but raced a tick faster than the winning “Ambassador.” The speed is also a prevalent factor here, as well as the presence of three Ake entries. Of them, Delayed Hanover gets another shot for us. We finished third with him at 23-1 in the elim and won with him in a Hambletonian elim, while we steer clear of Ambassador, who may revert to his poor form this season—shoeless or not.

$330,000 Breeders Crown — Mare Pace
There was nothing so impressive about the trips of the top three finishers last week that takes away from the sterling trip JK First Lady took to finish fourth. Though Lyons Sentinel was first over, the raw 8 lengths gained by Nancy Takter’s mare is a stand-out sign that she could win as a result of a more stressful mile for the top three and at the least she could help the exotic prices soar. She was 33-1.

$650,000 Breeders Crown — Open Trot
What is there to say about Ecurie D DK? Ake Svanstedt’s expatriate was stupendous sans shoes and beat the likes of this field with no trouble at The Red Mile. All that can stop him from domination is a bad break, a grinding gallop. Then again, such bad steps could affect whomsoever else. This, then, is a win pass for us with “DK” over It's Academic (at double-digit odds only) cold.

$600,000 Breeders Crown — Open Pace
Allywag Hanover’s 1:46.4 win at The Red Mile was assisted by a 1:19.1 three-quarters but we cannot forget that it was the Brett Pelling pacer that started the fiery mile with a :25.4 first quarter leaving from post 10. That one move would’ve tanked any other pacer’s last half but “Ally” showed no affect from it and made a move in the stretch that included a change of paths to get the lead and win drawing away. He took a bye for the sole elim but kept in shape with a winning qualifier, coasting in 1:49.1 at The Meadowlands. Considering the competition, he won’t be a stand-out favorite, so a fair price will stand.

H2W Legend

Review our choices and confirm the wagers available at the prescribed track. H2W offers possible contenders researched from reviewing races. Horses’ names are listed beneath the name of the track with the date of their race and the race number (R6 ). If a + is in front of a horse’s name, it appears on the list for the second time (horses are listed twice only if, at first, they fail to win. An “ae” signals also-eligible. Types of wagers to make are based on your judgment.

H2W LIST

Batavia
10/29/21, Electric Chapel N R3; Movie Star R5

Dover
11/1/21, Rickybobbyinthehaus R3; Disco Soliel R8; Sporty Spook A R10; +Runhappy Ten ae R11; Always Close R12

Freehold
10/29/21, First Car R3

Dayton
10/28/21, Redskittle R2
10/30/21, +Indiana Cam R2; Do Work Son R4

Hoosier
10/28/21, +Danny Dancer R8

Monticello
10/28/21, +Just Say Joe R5

Meadowlands
10/29/21, Top Flight Angel R3; Deo Galileo R4

Meadows
10/28/21, +Sparklinlikeitis R11; Heart On My Sleeve R12
10/29/21, (Hi-5) Winning Is Sweet-Fourboltmane-Western Tyrant-Rangers Sureshot-Major Action R11

Mohawk
10/28/21, +Stormont Mabel R3; Kingofbrokenhearts R4; Ridinlikyastoleit R6; Kobra Kia R9

Northfield
10/30/21, Cinder Rock R7; Uptown Callie R10; With Wings R12; Rockin Farrari R14

Northville
10/29/21, +Big Daddy Blitz R4; +Lautner Seelster R6; +Vow To Wow R8
10/30/21, +How Tweet It Is R6

Oak Grove
10/31/21, +Edgewood Muscle R2; +Hayswood Ron R4; +Livin For A Dream R5

Philly
10/28/21, Armagedon Seelster R3

Plainridge
10/28/21, +Benny Is A Jet R10

Pocono
10/30/21, +Regal Son R12

Vernon
10/29/21, Dojea Gigi R8
10/30/21, +Some Royalty R7

Yonkers
10/28/21, The Charging Moa N R1; Pray The Rosary R9
11/1/21, Herrickroosevelt N R9