by Moira Fanning, Publicity Director, The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown

East Brunswick, NJ — Three-time Breeders Crown champion Eternal Camnation headlines a field of 11 pacing mares entered in the $300,000 Mare Pace, to be raced Saturday, July 31, at The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The field of elite mares has won $12,440,636 and made 257 trips to the winner’s circle over the course of their careers, resulting in multiple divisional honors and one Horse of the Year title.

Headliner Eternal Camnation, the richest pacing mare of all time with $3,593,458 in earnings, is seeking a record fourth Crown win. The seven-year-old daughter from the last crop of Cam Fella is the oldest in the field but remains at the top of her game, recently winning the Classic Final for the second straight year. Only trotting mare Peace Corps has won four crown titles.

“I sure hope it happens,” said Eternal Camnation trainer and co-owner Jeff Miller about a fourth Crown. “The draw is important even though there is a lot of speed in the race. You have to have position. There are about five mares in this race who can win it — look at Sure Sign and the kind of form she has been showing. Or Loyal Opposition. It will depend on who ends up with the trip, who has position in the stretch and who doesn’t get brutalized early in the mile.”

Archrival Bunny Lake, whose Breeders Crown win in 2001 propelled her to Horse of the Year honors, has tabulated more than $2.5 million for owners Skip and Wendy Spring and John Stark.

Also entered is defending sophomore Crown champ Burning Point, a 2003 Dan Patch winner; Sure Sign, winner of her last two starts; and Carolina Sunshine and Loyal Opposition, who share the fastest speed record in the field of 1:48⁴.

10 of the mares entered in the Crown final will compete in a prep race on Saturday, July 24 at the Meadowlands. Always Cam will race at her home track of the Meadows in a preferred handicap prior to shipping east for the Crown.

This is the 18th year edition of the Breeders Crown Mare Pace, a race that plays an important part in divisional voting. 12 of the Mare Pace champions have gone on to be voted best of their division at year’s end.

An open draw for post positions will take place at the Breeders Crown press conference to be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27 at The Charthouse in Weehawken, New Jersey.

The complete field, in alphabetical order is listed below.

$300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace

Mare–Driver Named For Crown final–Trainer
Always Cam –TBA –Bill Zendt
Animated Art –Mike Lachance–Noel Daley
Bunny Lake –John Campbell–John Stark, Jr.
Burning Point–Ron Pierce–Steve Elliott
Carolina Sunshine–Brian Sears–Ross Croghan
Eternal Camnation–Eric Ledford–Jeff Miller
Jasper Avenue– David Miller–Nat Varty
Loyal Opposition–George Brennan–Erv Miller
My Fantasy–John Campbell–Mark Silva
Odds On Charmaine–Tim Tetrick–Robin Schadt
Sure Sign–Yannick Gingras–Chuck Connor, Jr.