Toronto, ON – On Friday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, driver Patrick Ryder will have the opportunity to duplicate Marcus Miller’s accomplishment of winning his first Breeders Crown start with a horse trained by his father. Ryder will get behind Bettor Be A Star, conditioned by his dad, Chris, in the $700,000 (USD) final for 2-year-old pacing fillies.
“My wife and I had joked about driving in the Breeders Crown, but to be honest, I never really imagined that it would be a reality,” Ryder said, referring to Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown stakes manager Nadia Tarnawa. “It sounds cliché, but this is literally a dream come true. And to drive one for your dad, it’s great. It’s just so special.”
Bettor Be A Star finished third in this past weekend’s single Breeders Crown elimination for freshman pacing fillies, which was won by Loua Dipa (the 1-5 morning-line favorite in the final) in 1:49.3. Bettor Be A Star was eighth on the pylons after three-quarters of a mile but rallied with a :27.1 last panel after Ryder found room to the outside. Only second-place finisher I’m A Lou Lou came home faster.
“It worked out even better than I could have ever imagined, to finish third with a lot of pace,” Ryder said. “I know this filly is a nice filly, and she’s gone with those types of horses the last few weeks in the Grand Circuit races at Lexington, but just with it being my first time driving at Mohawk, and having never driven in the Breeders Crown before, I was really thrilled to be third.”
Bettor Be A Star headed to the Breeders Crown off consecutive third-place finishes at The Red Mile in divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes, both Grade 3 events. For the year, the daughter of Bettor’s Wish-It Can Happen has hit the board in seven of nine races, winning two and earning $65,378 for owner Ryder Stable.
“I love the young horses,” said the 30-year-old Ryder, who launched his driving career in 2021 and assists his dad every morning at the stable. “It’s my favorite part about training, developing the young horses and watching them go from not knowing what they’re doing to being professionals on the racetrack. I like to think that I do a good job with the young horses. So, for this to be a 2-year-old filly, it’s really cool.”
Ryder was a little anxious about driving at Woodbine Mohawk Park for the first time last week but some of his fellow drivers helped him settle in.
“I wasn’t so much nervous about driving in the Breeders Crown, it was more so not knowing the track,” Ryder said. “Dexter (Dunn) and Scott (Zeron) were really helpful to me up there. They made me feel so much more comfortable. They really helped me feel at home. And the valet up there, Chris, made me feel like I was just one of the other guys.”
Ryder is happy to have that first-ever Mohawk drive under his belt and is looking forward to the second on Friday. Bettor Be A Star, a 103-1 longshot in the elimination, will leave from post one, her same starting spot as last week, in the final.
“If you can keep her covered up, she will follow all day long and come home really good for you,” Ryder said. “She’s got such a quick turn of foot. Some horses take a little bit to get going. She’s just so handy.”
As grateful as Ryder is for his first Breeders Crown opportunity, he’s even more thankful for the backing of those around him.
“My dad doesn’t say anything to me (about how to drive),” Ryder said. “He just makes me feel confident and knows that I know what to do. He understands that it’s very fluid out there.
“And I definitely couldn’t do it without all of my wife’s support. She’s so good as far as us having a family and sacrifices so much to help me succeed driving. She’s just wonderful.”