Bar Hopping equals stakes record in Breeders Crown sophomore trot
October 29, 2016,by Lou Monaco, for the Hambletonian Society
East Rutherford, NJ — The duo of Tim Tetrick and Jimmy Takter has done it again. Bar Hopping, the 4-5 favorite, kicked off cover and won by 1-1/2 lengths to capture the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
Split times were :28.3, :56.2 and 1:24.1, with the mile time of 1:51.4 equaling the stakes record of Father Patrick, established in 2014 (also trained by Takter).
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Bar Hopping was a 1:51.4 winner in the Breeders Crown for sophomore trotting colts and geldings.
It was Bar Hopping’s sixth win in his last seven races, and the 30th career Breeders Crown victory posted by Takter. Bar Hopping, who won $250,000 for his efforts, paid $3.80. He is owned by Christina Takter, Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. Bar Hopping now has lifetime earnings of $1,163,033.
“I felt really good (going into the race),” said Tetrick. “Last week he raced really well; we opened him up a little bit and he trotted a big mile. Today, off cover, he really responded well.”
“My horse has raced against (Southwind Frank and Marion Marauder) all year, and a couple of times he drew bad and could never get into the race when they raced hard, but we still got checks,” continued Tetrick, who captured his third Crown win of the weekend with the son of Muscle Hill-Cocktail Hour. “Those are great horses that he has beaten and my horse is right there with them.”
Southwind Frank, driven by Yannick Gingras, finished second. Double L Lindy, driven by Åke Svanstedt, finished third and Lagerfeld, who dueled with Sutton at the top of the stretch, finished fourth.
“They’re all very special to me. Any time you win one of those big trophies, they are very, very hard to get,” Tetrick concluded. “That’s why we (start) qualifying in May and we work so hard to get to those big races. It’s very, very special.”
Marion Marauder, the most recent Trotting Triple Crown winner, finished last of the ten.
“He just wasn’t up to par,” said trainer Paula Wellwood. “There’s no doubt that he’s sick. I think he’s probably got a viral infection. It’s one of those things. That’s horse racing. You take the good with the bad. I knew when he got out there that he wasn’t himself. Going to the half, you could really see it. He’s done for the year. He deserves a little R&R.”
- Ariana G rallies late to capture Breeders Crown freshman filly trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) came out of the clouds to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old trotting fillies by 1-1/4 lengths on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
- Someomensomewhere upsets, gives Miller first Crown (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Someomensomewhere, by Somebeachsomewhere from the Western Hanover mare Omen Hanover, angled towards the center of the track into the stretch and rallied by pacesetter and 1-2 favorite Roaring To Go to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly pace on Saturday (Oct. 29) in 1:51.2 at odds of 17-1.
- Walner sets track and stakes record in Breeders Crown freshman trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Walner (Tim Tetrick) was the easiest kind of winner in the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a track and stakes record 1:53 by 4-1/2 lengths on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
- Huntsville brushes, repels two in freshman Crown final (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Huntsville ($3.60) used a bold middle move to secure command in a fast pace before heading off two challengers—including rival Downbytheseaside—to capture the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:49.1, missing the stakes record by a fifth of a second.
- Broadway Donna rides again, captures Crown filly trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Broadway Donna and David Miller continued to sail through the division by earning an easy win in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting fillies at the Meadowlands in 1:53.1.
- Call Me Queen Be lights up the toteboard in Crown filly pace (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
October of 2016 has been quite a month for Scott Zeron — first, a Trotting Triple Crown with Marion Marauder, and now his first ever Breeders Crown title. Zeron sustained a first-over push through the far turn with Call Me Queen Be ($27.80) to duel down Jugette winner L A Delight for a 1:49.4 score in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday at The Meadowlands.
- Racing Hill impressive in Breeders Crown pace (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
In an impressive and record fashion, the last Breeders Crown winner of the season is Racing Hill. Racing Hill took the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and held off 60-1 Manhattan Beach to capture the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings in a stakes record of 1:48 on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.