from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Eliminations for $4.7 million in Breeders Crown events continued on Saturday night (November 17) at the Meadowlands, with 3-year-olds taking the center stage this time.

And it was Arch Madness who turned in the most shocking performance of the night by handing Donato Hanover his first loss of the season in the first of two eliminations for the $610,000 3-year-old colt trot.

Arch Madness (#1) powered by Donato Hanover in their elim.

Arch Madness, with Brian Sears at the lines, dueled with Donato Hanover through the stretch and edged past him in the final strides for a neck victory in 1:52.2. The victory validated owner Barry Goldstein and Marc Goldberg’s decision to pay $62,500 to supplement Arch Madness to the Breeders Crown. The Trond Smedshammer trainee improved his record to nine wins in 20 starts this season.

“This horse has been super sharp,” Sears said. “Since Lexington, he’s just been getting better and better and it was quite a duel down the lane but my horse just pinned his ears back and kept digging. Who knows what’s going to happen next week, but we’re glad to get the victory tonight, that’s for sure.”

Donato Hanover’s winning streak was snapped at 19 races. The frontrunner for Horse of the Year honors had not lost a race since making his career debut.

“The five weeks off really hurt him,” said driver Ron Pierce. “He didn’t get much of a qualifier at Gaitway. He wasn’t quite up to that fast of a mile. I kind of figured it would take me awhile to get to the lead. That’s the way I’ve been racing him all year, floating him away from the gate. We had a soft middle half, but the other horse has been racing every week.”

John Campbell steered his own Flirtin Man to a new mark of 1:54.4 in the second of the eliminations for sophomore colt trotters. Please Poppy closed along the pylons to finish second, while Standpoint nabbed the show spot.

Also advancing to next’s final were Prayer I Am, Photo Maxx, Bayside Volo, Laddie and Great Success.

Always A Virgin and Tell All continued their battle for divisional honors as each won his elimination for the $550,000 3-year-old colt pace.

Always A Virgin was a 1:51.1 winner for Brian Sears.

With Brian Sears at the lines, Always A Virgin hustled to the lead down the backstretch and held off Southwind Lynx by a half-length to take the first of the two elims in 1:51.1. Ohio invader Won The West rallied for third. Golden Seven and Running Book also moved on to the final from the first elim.

Always A Virgin, trained by Joe Holloway, counts the Messenger, Cane Pace, New Jersey Classic and Oliver Wendell Holmes among his accomplishments this season. He has now won 13 of 19 races this season.

In the second elim, Tell All dug in gamely to hold off Watta Hotshot by a head in 1:50.4. Driven by Jody Jamieson and trained by Blair Burgess, Tell All has now won 18 of 21 starts, including the North America Cup and Little Brown Jug.

Southwind Tempo scored in 1:51.3 for Toby Lynch.

Southwind Tempo and Hana Hanover continued their reign as the top two of the sophomore class in the first of two elims for the $500,000 3-year-old filly pace.

Southwind Tempo drafted behind Hana Hanover well into the stretch before popping out of the pocket and blowing by in 1:51.3. Driver and co-owner Toby Lynch steered Southwind Tempo to her 16th win in 20 starts this season. Me And My Baby, Little Miss Dragon and Art’s Fantasy also advanced to next week’s final.

In the second elim for filly pacers, Artcotic and Brian Sears nailed the pacesetter Real Velocity at the wire in 1:51.4. The George Teague, Jr. trainee has hit the board in eight of 18 starts this season. Mind Boggling and Elusive Prey also advanced as the respective third and fourth-place finishers. Captiva Island and Lady Mattgalane finished in a dead heat for fifth; a ruling on which filly will advance to next week’s final will be made prior to Tuesday’s draw.

Falls For You and Michelle’s Angel were victorious in their elims for the $500,000 3-year-old filly trot.

Photos by Lisa Photo

Falls For You upset Pampered Princess in a time of 1:54.3.

Driven by Brian Sears and trained by Trond Smedshammer, Falls For You upset the favored Pampered Princess by a half-length in 1:54.3. Southwind Serena nailed the show spot. The ultra-consistent Falls For You has hit the board in 11 of 15 starts this season and counts the Kentucky Filly Futurity among her eight victories.

Michelle’s Angel was an impressive wire-to-wire winner in the second elim for Sears and trainer Richard Norman. She rolled to a length victory over Apecs in 1:54.2. Vulcanize held third after being caught first-over.

Sing Me To Sleep, Wishful Me, Danae and Loch Katrine also moved on to the 3-year-old filly trot.

Post positions for all four Breeders Crown 3-year-old championships will be drawn on Tuesday afternoon, November 20.

All eight championship finals — worth a combined $4.7 million — will be contested next Saturday, November 24 at the Meadowlands.