With two in Breeders Crown, Dubois believed in Infinitif

from the Breeders Crown

Toronto, ON — There are 11 trotters entered in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old males on Saturday (Oct. 24) at Woodbine Racetrack. Most are by marquee stallions well known to aficionados of U.S. pedigrees. To have two starters — in a field of 11 — is an incredible achievement for Infinitif given that of the remaining nine trotters in the field, only two are not by Muscles Yankee, Muscle Hill and Donato Hanover, all Hambletonian winners and high-priced stallions.

Gerard Forni photo

Infinitif made more than $500,000 in purses racing overseas, primarily in Italy.

The stallion Infinitif, a son of Breeders Crown champion Pine Chip from the Coktail Jet mare Island Dream, was moved to Ontario from Kentucky in 2011 by Frenchman Jean-Pierre Dubois before being exported to Sweden that same year. Dubois, considered a bloodstock genius, has been out front in mingling the bloodlines of French and American trotters, with extraordinary results.

Infinitif made more than $500,000 in purses racing overseas, primarily in Italy, and was brought to the U.S. by Dubois in 2008. Though he raced only once, he did take a mark of 1:53.1 in a qualifier over The Red Mile surface. An advocate of racing and breeding, Dubois then set Infinitif back to Europe where he continued racing for another year.

Despite his very limited stud book — with a total of just 47 registered foals — Infinitif’s offspring have earned more than $1.8 million. Nonetheless, Dubois nominated his stallion to the Breeders Crown program. Two from his last crop of 12 trotters will start in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters.

Ontario Sire Stake star Dont Rush, a son of Infinitif-Color Me Pretty, has earned $488,895 for trainer and co-owner Dustin Jones. The colt is a result of a free breeding to Infinitif given to Jones by Dubois. He starts from post eight in the Crown event, carded as the eighth race on Saturday.

Infiniti As, from the Donerail mare Yankee Jeannie, starts from the second tier in post 11 and is 20-1 on the morning line. With more modest earnings of $47,383, Infiniti As has been improving for trainer Anette Lorentzen since he was gelded.

Though both are longshots in a division dominated by the $2.3 million winner Pinkman, their presence in the sport’s elite events is enough.

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