Milton, ON — Driver Yannick Gingras set up shop in the winner’s circle to launch the Breeders Crown elimination weekend festivities on Friday (Oct. 18) evening at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

A pair of eliminations for the 2-Year-Old Filly Trot and a single elimination for the 2-Year-Old Colt Trot were contested. 

Gingras drove Synergy (Father Patrick-Southwind Sauna) to a 1:55 win in the C$32,500 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot elimination. 

Synergy upset his Breeders Crown elimination with a 1:55 victory on Friday (Oct. 18). New Image Media Photo.

The field left evenly except for Chestnut Hill (David Miller), who galloped off the gate while mid-pack Beads (Paul MacDonell) went to the front as the rest of the field found early spots. Back Of The Neck (Brian Sears) sat behind the leader into a :27.2 first quarter while Synergy sat in fourth. 

Synergy was in a good spot going into the half as favorite Amigo Volo and outsider Horse Trader jumped, leaving a big lead for Beads and a clear path for Synergy on the inside through a half in :57

By the 1:25.4 three-quarters, Beads was being chased strongly by Third Shift (Ake Svanstedt), who went four-wide into the stretch, along with Rome Pays Off (Tim Tetrick charging up the middle and Synergy riding the rail.

Those three left Beads behind and as Third Shift dueled with Rome Pays Off, Gingras glided by them to win by a length in 1:55.

 Synergy (Father Patrick—Southwind Sauna), is trained by Per Engblom. The colt was bred by Southwind Farms and is owned by Brittany Farms, John Fielding, Herb Liverman and David Anderson.

Third Shift nosed Rome Pays Off for the place. Chestnut Hill recovered from the early break and finished fourth.

The top-seven finishers from the elimination advanced to the final to join the trio of Capricornus, Port Perry and Real Cool Sam, who all took byes to the final.

Moon Bridge, Beads and Amigo Volo finished fifth through seventh to qualify for the next Friday’s (October 25) $600,000 final.

Synergy paid $36.90 to win.

Sister Sledge (Father Patrick-Behindclosedoors) regained her winning form and in the process ended the undefeated reign of Hypnotic AM (Brian Sears) in capturing the first of two C$32,500 eliminations of the Breeders Crown for juvenile trotting fillies.

Sister Sledge was one of three Breeders Crown elimination winner for Yannick Gingras. New Image Media Photo.

Gingras guided Sister Sledge to the lead in the early stages and released 1-5 favorite Hypnotic AM and driver Brian Sears well before the :27.2 opening quarter marker. Those two continued in that order through middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:24.4 as only Violet Stride (Tyler Buter) attempted to rally on the outside without cover but couldn’t get reasonably close to the top pair.

In the homestretch Gingras tipped the daughter of Father Patrick to the outside and Sister Sledge rolled right by the favorite to score by a length. Hypnotic AM entered the Crown elimination unbeaten in seven prior starts but had to settle for second here. Shishito (Dexter Dunn) saved ground most of the way and finished third with Violet Stride and Madame Sherry (Tim Tetrick) earning final berths.

Burke Racing Stable, Jason Merillo, J & T Silva, Purnell & Libby and Weaver-Bruscemi LLC share partnership in Sister Sledge now an eight-time winner in 10 starts as a freshman.

“I rushed her a bit out of the two hole at The Red Mile,” said Gingras, “And she got rough. Here I waited a bit and she was strong.”

Trainer Burke was frustrated with a second and third-place finish in Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile but found the answers he was looking for.

“We decided to change her bridle after the Pennsylvania Championship,” Burke said of the mistake. “She’s as good a filly as there is out there.” 

Sister Sledge returned $13.80 to win.

It was Gingras once again putting the end to another unbeaten streak in the second C$32,500 Breeders Crown elimination for juvenile trotting fillies when he guided Ms Savannah Belle (Muscle Hill-Stubborn Belle) to victory with previously flawless Ramona Hill (Andrew McCarthy) had to settle for third.

Ms Savannah Belle went to the lead early from post eight to win her Breeders Crown elimination. New Image Media Photo.

Ms Savannah Belle started from post eight but Gingras was quick to energize her at the outset grabbing the early lead then yielding to Indiana-based filly May Baby before the :27.3 opening quarter was clocked.

Ms Savannah Belle stayed close up in the pocket as May Baby carved out lively fractions of :56, 1:24.4 for James Yoder. Gingras wasted little time and angled Ms Savannah Belle to challenge into the homestretch and the daughter of Muscle Hill took off quickly rolling past the leader and drawing clear from other rivals to post a 1:53.2 clocking.

Wine Rack Hanover (Sylvain Fillion) rallied along the inside after a pylon-sitting trip for second just ahead of Ramona Hill who went a long way on the outside without cover in a difficult grinding effort. May Baby (James Yoder) settled for fourth after doing the early leg work and Peaceful Way champion Dip Me Hanover (David Miller) rallied late for the final berth

Sent off as a 4-1 offering Ms Savannah Belle returned $10.60 winning for the fourth time in 8 career starts for owner-breeder Al Libfeld and trainer Per Engblom.

“We decided to race her just the first week at The Red Mile and get her ready for this,” said Engblom following the victory. “I think she’ll be even better next week.

“She had some bad luck early she drew outside (post 10) in the Doherty and raced well there.”

Ms Savannah Belle paid $10.60 to win.

Post positions for the 2-Year-Old Colt Trot and 2-Year-Old Filly Trot finals were drawn following the eliminations. Elimination winners drew for inside post positions one through five.

$600,000 2-Year-Old Colt Trot
1 Beads
2 Synergy
3 Moon Bridge
4 Amigo Volo
5 Chestnut Hill
6 Rome Pays Off
7 Third Shift
8 Capricornus
9 Real Cool Sam
10 Port Perry

$600,000 2-Year-Old Filly Trot
1 Hypnotic Am
2 Sister Sledg
3 May Baby
4 Dip Me Hanover
5 Ms Savannah Belle
6 Wine Rack Hanover
7 Madame Sherry
8 Shishito
9 Violet Stride
10 Ramona Hill