by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Rock N Roll Heaven, fresh off his world-record performance in the $604,100 Little Brown Jug, and $1 million Meadowlands Pace winner One More Laugh were among 12 horses entered in the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male pacers at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Two six-horse elimination races will be held Saturday, with the top four finishers advancing to the October 9 final. Also advancing will be the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.

Last week, Rock N Roll Heaven, who is in the second Breeders Crown elim, won the Little Brown Jug in consecutive heats. He won each heat in 1:49.2, a time that equaled the world record for a 3-year-old on a half-mile track and gave Rock N Roll Heaven the fastest two-heat combined time in history.

Trained by Bruce Saunders and driven by Daniel Dube, Rock N Roll Heaven has won nine of 14 races and $1.21 million this season. His other victories include the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine in August at Harrah’s Chester and the $220,000 Berry’s Creek at the Meadowlands in May. He also won the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship and was second to One More Laugh in the Meadowlands Pace.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Rock N Roll Heaven heads into the Breeders Crown off a record performance in the Little Brown Jug.

We Will See, who won the $200,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes title on September 4 at The Meadows and was second in the $1.45 million North America Cup in June at Mohawk, also is in the second heat. So is Fred And Ginger, who won the $300,000 Max Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs in May, and New York Sire Stakes champ He’s Gorgeous.

One More Laugh is in the opening elim. In addition to winning the Meadowlands Pace, the gelding won the $300,000 Cane Pace on September 6 at Freehold Raceway and the $294,965 Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway in June. He was second to Rock N Roll Heaven in the Battle of the Brandywine at Harrah’s Chester in August.

Trained by Ray Schnittker and driven by Tim Tetrick, One More Laugh finished third in his first heat of the Little Brown Jug. He advanced to the second heat, but was scratched. He has won five of 12 races and $1.08 million this year.

One More Laugh has made four lifetime starts at Pocono Downs, and gone off stride three times. He won one of the races in which he went off stride, giving him two victories at the track.

Rockin Image, who won a division of the Oliver Wendell Holmes, and $500,000 New Jersey Classic winner BG’s Folly also are in the first elimination.

Following are the elimination fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.

Elim One: 1. Valentino, George Brennan, Lou Pena; 2. Art N Charm, John Campbell, Kathe Troy; 3. One More Laugh, Tim Tetrick, Ray Schnittker; 4. BG’s Folly, David Miller, Sam DePinto; 5. Rockin Image, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter; 6. Kyle Major, Mark MacDonald, Casie Coleman.

Elim Two: 1. Rock N Roll Heaven, Daniel Dube, Bruce Saunders; 2. Shoobee’s Place, David Miller, Richard “Nifty” Norman; 3. Pang Shui, Dave Palone, Ray Schnittker; 4. Fred And Ginger, Brian Sears, Ron Burke; 5. We Will See, Brett Miller, Sam DePinto; 6. He’s Gorgeous, Jim Morrill Jr., Linda Toscano.

Showtime arrives for Breeders Crown 3-year-old filly pacers

The top two 3-year-old filly pacers in North America, Western Silk and Put On A Show, were among 12 horses entered in their division’s $500,000 Breeders Crown event at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Two six-horse elimination races are Saturday, with the top four finishers advancing to the October 9 final. Also advancing is the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Jugette winner Western Silk is among a dozen fillies entered in the Breeders Crown for sophomores.

Western Silk, trained by Casie Coleman and driven by Mark MacDonald, is coming off a victory in the $353,400 Jugette at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in central Ohio. She has won eight of 10 races this year, including the $646,020 Fan Hanover Stakes by a neck over Put On A Show at Mohawk Racetrack in June. Western Silk, who raced only in Ontario prior to the Jugette, and Put On A Show have not met since.

“I think I have the best filly in the world, and I have thought that since she began training,” said Tom Hill, who owns Western Silk with Coleman. “She beat all the top fillies like Put On A Show in the Fan Hanover and she was sick for that race. She has been consistent at both 2 and 3, but she still doesn’t seem to attract the attention she deserves.

“Now it will be on to the Breeders Crown and we will prove we are the best in the world at Pocono.”

Put On A Show, trained by Chris Ryder and driven by Tim Tetrick, won the $171,000 Nadia Lobell on September 13 at Lexington’s Red Mile. Other victories include the $226,355 Simcoe Stakes on September 5 at Mohawk, $350,000 Valley Forge at Harrah’s Chester in August and the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship in May at the Meadowlands. She has won 10 of 12 starts this year and earned $827,232. She has won 17 of 21 races and $1.55 million in her career.

Following are the elimination fields in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers.

Elim One: 1. Naughtytiltheend, Andy Miller, Erv Miller; 2. Higher And Higher, Jim Morrill Jr., Paul Reid; 3. Northwest Hanover, Brett Miller, Tim Pinske; 4. Put On A Show, Tim Tetrick, Chris Ryder; 5. Thesantafe Express, Matt Kakaley, Leo Iordan; Dancin Barefoot, Daniel Dube, Jimmy Takter.

Elim Two: 1. Panagler, Dave Palone, Robert McIntosh; 2. Cannae Cammie, Jim Morrill Jr., Paul Reid; 3. Rock N Soul, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke; 4. Hula’s Z Tam, Patrick Lachance, Lachance; 5. Slimsplace, Tim Tetrick, Tracy Brainard; 6. Western Silk, Mark MacDonald, Casie Coleman.