by Moira Fanning, publicity director, the Hambletonian Society
Cranbury, NJ — The $6 million Breeders Crown events at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino attracted 166 entries for the championship finals on Friday (Oct. 27) and Saturday (Oct. 28).
Eliminations will be needed in every division with the exception of the $250,000 Mare Trot, which drew just five mares as defending Breeders Crown champion Hannelore Hanover opted in against the males in the $526,250 Open Trot.
The $250,000 Mare Trot with five entered will go straight to the final on Oct. 27. They are in alphabetical order: Caprice Hill, Emoticon Hanover, Flowers N Songs, Pasithea Face S and Pink Pistol.
An even split of the Breeders Crown events along gender lines means that eight distaff eliminations will take place Friday (Oct. 20) and 14 eliminations for the males on Saturday (Oct. 21).
Eliminations split at 12 entries. Because there are no trailers allowed in eliminations, if 11 horses entered, two received byes and there will be a single elimination to “qualify” the remaining eight horses for the final.
Hoosier Park scores nine across the starting gate and will have a trailer as the 10 horse in all finals.
Elimination winners, in an order determined by lot, will draw for post positions number one through five in the final. All other finalists, including bye horses, will be placed in an open draw for the remaining post positions.
Elimination fields with bye horses will be announced when finalized.
All 2-year-old finals will go for $600,000, which is the richest purse offered for that age group in the U.S.
Post time is 6:30 p.m. (EDT) for Breeders Crown elimination nights and 6 p.m. (EDT) for the finals.
There is a 24-hour retention barn for all eliminations and finals.
Hoosier Park, a seven-eighths-mile track that opened in Anderson, Ind., in 1994 and is now owned by Centaur Gaming, is the 31st racetrack to host the $6 million Breeders Crown, and the first new host track since The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 2010.
Breeders Crown Field Totals (166)
MT–5
MP–13
3FT–11
3FP–11
2FP–16
2FT–17
2CP–19
2CT–13
3CP–17
3CT–19
OP–12
OT–13
- Four supplement to $6 million Breeders Crown events at Hoosier Park (Monday, October 16, 2017)
The connections of four of the top horses in their divisions — Funknwaffles, Homicide Hunter, International Moni and Sintra — have supplemented to their Breeders Crown events at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Oct. 28.
- Four previous champions lead Breeders Crown female starters (Tuesday, October 17, 2017)
Four previous champions will be in action Friday (Oct. 20) as the road to this year’s Breeders Crown finals begins with eliminations for female trotters and pacers at Hoosier Park Casino & Racing. Eliminations for male trotters and pacers will be contested Saturday. Racing begins at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) both nights.
- Fear The Dragon leads male starters in Breeders Crown (Tuesday, October 17, 2017)
Breeders Crown eliminations for male pacers and trotters will be held Saturday (Oct. 21) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, with harness racing’s No. 1-ranked star, Fear The Dragon, leading the way. Eliminations for female trotters and pacers will be contested Friday. Racing begins at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) both nights.
- Breeders Crown eliminations lead busy Grand Circuit weekend (Wednesday, October 18, 2017)
The Grand Circuit heads to Hoosier Park this Friday (Oct. 20) and Saturday (Oct. 21) for Breeders Crown eliminations in 11 divisions. Eliminations will not be required for the mare trot.
- Key seeks return to Breeders Crown winner’s circle (Wednesday, October 18, 2017)
Bob Key has been a longtime participant in the Breeders Crown and an ardent supporter of the Grand Circuit. He knows what it takes to win at the sport’s top level and appreciates the opportunities for success. “This is what you’re shooting for,” said the 84-year-old Key, who has won twice in the Breeders Crown series and sends three horses to this year’s event at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
- Special Breeders Crown debut for John DeLong (Thursday, October 19, 2017)
When driver John DeLong makes his Breeders Crown debut Friday, it will be special. Of course, such an occurrence would be exceptional under any circumstances, but the fact his appearance will come with a homebred horse at his adopted hometown track makes the moment even more extraordinary. DeLong will drive Seventimesavirgin on Friday in the second of two Breeders Crown Mare Pace eliminations at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
- Team effort helping Hoosier Park rise (Thursday, October 19, 2017)
The Hoosier State, known much more for hoops than hobbles, has everybody on board as Hoosier Park, not a major player in the sport historically, now has management, government, patrons and horsemen all on the same page, as the seven-eighths-mile track continues to make its way toward the sport’s mainstream.
- Pasithea Face scratched from Breeders Crown (Thursday, October 19, 2017)
It has been announced that Pasithea Face has been scratched from the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot.
- Breeders Crown victory took Stohlers to the “Extreme” (Friday, October 20, 2017)
It’s hard to believe that one race could make such an enormous difference, but to Trent Stohler, being part of Extreme Velocity’s upset victory in the 1997 Breeders Crown Mare Pace was a life changing experience.Stohler will start Rock On Ladys in an elimination of the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace on Friday (Oct. 20) at Hoosier Park, but the memory of his first Crown experience is still fresh, 20 years later.
- Lost In Time’s Breeders Crown appearance could bring restitution and retirement for Mulinix (Friday, October 20, 2017)
Lost In Time is certainly following in his world champion father’s hoofprints, as he hails from the same barn as A Rocknroll Dance, possesses a similar demeanor and has thrived in an identical program.