by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, NJ — “Redemption for Father Patrick. He is blessed with a Breeders Crown,” called out track announcer Ken Warkentin as Father Patrick hit the wire to win the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting colts by a neck in a stakes record time of 1:51.4 on Saturday at the Meadowlands.

With driver Yannick Gingras in tow, Father Patrick let his stablemate Nuncio lead the way off the starting gate before taking over the lead at the :27.2 quarter, with Nuncio tucked in behind him down the backstretch.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Father Patrick won by a neck in the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting colts, prevailing in a stakes record time of 1:51.4.

By the :56.1 half, Father Patrick was still on the lead, but E L Titan (Ron Pierce) was off the rail and moving toward the leader and he kept up that pressure around the turn to the 1:24.2 three-quarters.

They trotted together through the turn and to the head of the stretch, with Father Patrick keeping just enough room between himself and E L Titan in deep stretch for the win.

E L Titan was second and Nuncio, who was looking for late racing room along the rail, was third. Harper Blue Chip was fourth.

Father Patrick, a son of Cantab Hall-Gala Dream, is owned by the Father Patrick Stable and is trained by Jimmy Takter. He has won 12 of 17 starts this year, good for earnings of $1,693,081.

“He’s had a couple of unfortunate breaks throughout the year, but I always thought he was the horse to beat,” said winning driver Yannick Gingras. “Every time he steps foot on the racetrack I’m always very confident in him that he’s the best horse in the race, and he proved it tonight. The expectations were really high (and) we had high expectations.

“The Matron was a bad track, and the rail; obviously the Hambletonian, we want to forget about that one. I think everything else, he’s put up a huge performance.

“Jimmy has done a great job with him, keeping him sharp throughout the year and he showed up here tonight and showed what a great horse he is.”