Hambletonian Countdown~September 5, 2010

Copious Cast of ‘Crown’ Characters on Stage

By Frank & Ray Cotolo

The holiday weekend was strewn with stakes in North America and a long line of Breeders Crown eligibles took part in divisional action that kept bettors busy.

On Sept. 4 the highlights were all in Canada as Mohawk hosted top-pursed Grand Circuit action with the $1-million Metro Pace for frosh-colts headlinging.

The biggest frosh-pacing event of the season was taken by non-eligible Mystician, with another Crownless pacer completing the exacta. The eligibles were third and worse at the wire, including Great Vintage, Line Officer, Big Jim, Roll With Joe, Prodigal Seelster and Rollwithitharry.

The Metro Consolation, however, resulted in a "Crown"-eligible exacta, with Shadyshark Hanover upsetting at $19.40 and Foreclosure N closing long and hard to get second. Other members of the $100,000 race with Crown hopes were Up The Credit, Lookinforadventure, Ideal Joe and Rockstar Temper.

Crown-desiring Idyllic upset in the frosh-filly pacing sister to the Metro, the Shes A Great Lady, at $11. She defeated the top choice, Pretty Katherine and other e-listed gals: Strike An Attitude, Ms Malicious, Southwind Jazimin, Shyaway, Buck Stops Here and Rockratease.

The filly consolation "Lady" was a solid success for So Perfect, who was dismissed by the crowd, paying $15.60. She went for the outside at the half, stayed wide while getting to the lead and did not lose a step. The triple included two other eligibles, All Tucked Up in second and Jamaica Hanover for third. Also in the bunch were eligibles Swinging Beauty, Bon Ton Hanover, Ladystar and Tea Pot Hanover.

In a shocking turn of events, Shark Gesture broke stride in the Canadian Pacing Derby and Won The West took full advantage of his usual closing tactics to win the event for the older pacing division.

Soph-filly pacer Dancinwiththestarz won the $200,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship at The Meadows, also on Sept. 4.

Pilgrim’s Chuckie won the soph-colt trot division, featuring another dim performance by Cassis and another bad break for Pilgrim’s Taj. Hard Livin was also in the field.

We Will See took the soph-colt pace final, leaving behind Nova Artist, Fashion Heart and Pang Shui, the other Crown-hungry glamour boys.

In the soph-filly trot division Secret Magic, at 22-1, was second to the non-eligible winner, with Merger Blue Chip, Ally Gal-Ridge and Cantab It All out of it.

The Lou Babic events for frosh-colt-and-filly pacers at Freehold on the afternoon of Sept. 4. The Open presented a full field of Crown-aimers and was won by Joe De Fino. The 6-5 choice made one brush to the top before the half and controlled the $108,000 event. Howard’s Rock was second despite interference at the start and Gritty Millie Boy got third. Also competing were Joe Pa’s Pe III, Risk Factor, Rock Camroller and Arockin Hanover.

The filly "Babic" victor was Myluvmylife, second choice from I Kill Time, who placed. Kill A Rockingbird, Rocknroll Leah, Pot Limit and Show The World were the other eligibles.

Hambletonian-star Muscle Massive was at Mohawk since the demise of the World Trotting Derby in Illinois and he easily took control over a small field of Simcoe foes.

Familiar soph-colt trotters highlighted the chapters of New York Sires Stakes races at Yonkers on Friday, Sept. 3. These $69,000-plus events brought back some of the Hambletonian-Trail contestants and a pair of them, Crown-eligible, won.

Winning Fireworks was a big favorite, paying $3.80 in a field that included Folk Tail, Marion Monaco and RC Gallant Image.

And Celebrity Bluechip took home the main prize in another NYSS mile, celebrated as the favorite, paying $4.10. He defeated Shaq Is Back, who got second, as well as Waldorf Hall and Stimulus.

Whata Winner was second, defeated by a state-bred with no Crown hopes. That field also saw Big Stick Lindy and Classical Winner finish up the track. Also defeated in a division were Carbon Footprint, second, and Crown Man.

That night at Mohawk, the Champlain Stakes hosted frosh-colt trotters in a trio of features. Two were won by eligibles: Big Rigs ($8.40) and Pastor Stephen ($2.70). "Rigs" defeated Leader Of The Gang, who took second, as well as Pegasus Blue Chip and Attorney Hanover. In the "Pastor" victory, VC Chocoholic got third, with Air-Stewart and Celebrity Bombay finishing in the pack. The final split found Rarely Ordinary second, with Master Builder, Broad Bahn and Talespinner off the board.

That afternoon at Freehold, the $100,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes Championship for the frosh-colt-trot division had Winuendo finish second, with Muscleaneous out of it and an ineligible winning easily.

Some of the winners mentioned in this article were released in the wagering analysis of eligibles at our Youbet blog and other betting analysis can be found at our special Youbet Breeders Crown page.