by Karen Briggs, WEG media

Campbellville, ON — Rumorsliesnalibies, a repeat winner in both of his divisions of the first two legs of the Bridger Series for 2-year-old trotting colts, came up short on Thursday night, August 23, in the $45,220 final, while 6-1 shot Windsong Espoir cruised to an easy victory in 1:57.1 at Mohawk Racetrack.

Windsong Espoir, who skipped the first leg of the Bridger Series on August 9, but was third to Lancer Springs and Kangamangus in his first lifetime start on August 16, enjoyed a pocket trip behind Lancer Springs and moved to the lead in the stretch under urging from Steve Condren. Conway AS and Jack Moiseyev grabbed second money while Lancer Springs (Luc Ouellette) faded to third. Randy Waples and Rumorsliesnalibies, meanwhile, could not overcome post position eight and were fourth.

A son of Kadabra, out of the Balanced Image mare Diamond Image, Windsong Espoir is trained and co-owned by Brad Maxwell along with Jerry Vanboekel and William H. Loyens. He paid $8.10, $5.30, and $3.40 for the win, with a 4-5 exactor worth $68.20.

Best of the best contest Breeders Crown

On September 1, Mohawk Racetrack will play host to North America’s upper echelon of older trotters and pacers in the Breeders Crown. Four open events, with a combined purse value of C$1.8 million, will showcase the best of the best — and this year, that’s some very impressive company indeed.

So dominant are some of the entries, in fact, that they have scared off all but the most elite competition, making for compact fields of nine (for the C$540,000 Breeders Crown Pace) and seven (for the C$784,000 Breeders Crown Trot). No eliminations will be necessary for these two open divisions, but Friday, August 24, will feature two elimination races apiece on the distaff side.

A total of 14 pacing mares will face off in races four and six at Mohawk, and a baker’s dozen of trotting females will meet in races two and three, with the top five finishers in each race advancing to the September 1 final.

With fields chock-full of million-dollar bankrolls, international honors, and world records, there’s no doubt that Friday’s series of C$40,500 eliminations will feature some of the most thrilling racing action to come to Mohawk this year.

Watch Darlin’s Delight, second in her last two Breeders Crown attempts, tackle free-wheeling Free, winner of two of the last three Open Mare Handicaps at Chester Downs, as well as Mark Silva-trained millionairess Marnie Hall, in the first Open Mare Pace elim.

Free was supplemented to the Breeders Crown to the tune of $37,500 by owner Joe Alflen of Redondo Beach, California, who acquired the mare in May 2007.

In the second of the two pacing mare elims, two more million-dollar earners will meet when two-time Breeders Crown pacing champion My Little Dragon duels with Invitro, ranked the fastest older mare in Canada. Don’t discount Four Starzz Meliss, who, like Free, was supplemented to the Breeders Crown by owners John Nother and Jennifer LaLonde.

There’ll be just as much racing excitement in the elims for trotting mares, with fields jam-packed with past Breeders Crown champions.

In the first of the two splits, 2005 freshman Breeders Crown winner Passionate Glide will be up against Brad Maxwell trainee Pure Ivory, a winner of $1.2 million, and Queen Serene, winner of the Perretti Matchmaker Stakes, to name only two.

In the second elimination, defending Breeders Crown champion Mystical Sunshine will face off against 2005 Mare Trot winner Peaceful Way, who has earned a staggering $2.7 million over a five-year career, and 2006 3-year-old titlist Susie’s Magic.

Elimination winners may pick their post positions, the draw for which will take place live on TV after the Friday eliminations, for all four Breeders Crown final races.

Catch the action on Friday night at Mohawk. Post time for the Breeders Crown elims will be 7:40 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 8:20 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.