Check Six and Western Fame resolute in sophomore Crown eliminations
October 22, 2016,by James Witherite for The Breeders Crown
East Rutherford, NJ — Pace made the race in the first $25,000 Breeders Crow elimination event for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, as Check Six ($12.40) had plenty left after rating a :56.2 first half-mile to parry a trio of late challengers in the evening’s sixth event at The Meadowlands.
Lisa photo
Check Six was determined to hold sway, prevailing by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:50.3 for his 13th career win.
The son of Somebeachsomewhere won the early duel with Dr J Hanover (Scott Zeron), but was relatively untaxed through a :28.1 first quarter-mile and under no pressure at all through a :56.2 half. The pressure came with just over a quarter-mile remaining, as Lyons Snyder (Brian Sears) offered a sustained yet mild challenge after he was flushed first-over.
Despite that threat and the presence of Adios and Messenger winner Racing Hill (Brett Miller) fanning off cover as well as Dr J Hanover chasing at the pegs from a cozy pocket trip, Check Six was determined to hold sway, prevailing by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:50.3 for his 13th career win.
Lyons Snyder was the runner-up over Dr J Hanover, while Racing Hill could only stay even with the top flight to take fourth. Fine Diamond (Matt Kakaley), while 4-1/2 lengths detached from the top quartet, rounded out the top five finishers.
“I don’t know if he’s an overachiever, but he did make a lot of money this year,” said winning driver Yannick Gingras. “There’s a couple of tough horses [in the division], and he’s right below the top ones, but he puts in a performance like this. Yeah, I think he can go with most of them.”
Ron Burke trains Check Six for the Burke Racing Stable, the Weaver Bruscemi partnership, William Switala, and James Martin.
Taking the lead early and cutting all of the fractions, Western Fame, with Mark MacDonald steering, continued his late season productivity with a win in the second $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination for 3-year-old colt pacers.
Trained by Jimmy Takter and owned by Brittany Farms, the colt led through fractions of :27.2, :56, 1:25 and won in 1:52. Fernando Hanover, who came first-over on the second turn to challenge Western Fame, took second, while Manhattan Beach nabbed the show spot.
Also qualifying for the final were Katies Rocker, fourth, and JJ Flynn, fifth.
Mark MacDonald said after the race that Western Fame is “extremely lazy” but when he leads he is “tough to get by.”
Western Fame paid $3.20 to win.
Betting Line, tapped to be the rail horse in the field, was scratched due to a spider’s bite. Also scratched was Stolen Glimpse, who was sick.
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Walner and Tim Tetrick were the unchallenged winners by three lengths in 1:53.3 in the first $20,000 elimination for the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old colt and gelding trot on Saturday (Oct. 22) at The Meadowlands.
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After settling in the mid-division from his outside post, Huntsville ($2.40) sustained first-over gains to wear down pacesetter Odds On Delray and draw clear by 2-1/4 lengths in his $20,000 Breeders Crown elimination for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday (Oct. 22) at The Meadowlands, carded as the evening’s second event.
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Pacing off the gate into fourth, Jimmy Takter trainee Pure Country was flushed first over heading to the half and sustained her uncovered bid to win the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown 3-year-old filly pace on Saturday (Oct. 22) at the Meadowlands in 1:51.
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- All The Time is back and will face Broadway Donna in Breeders Crown final (Saturday, October 22, 2016)
All The Time (Yannick Gingras) trotted down the middle of the track in the final eighth to take the lead and win in 1:55.1 by a half-length in her $25,000 elimination race for the $500,000 Breeders Crown 3-year-old filly trot on Saturday (Oct. 22) at the Meadowlands.
- Sutton is an upset winner; Bar Hopping is odds-on victor in Breeders Crown eliminations (Saturday, October 22, 2016)
Trained by Julie Miller, Sutton (Donato Hanover-I Wanted Wings) sat in the pocket before edging up the pylons to win at 6-1 in the first of two $25,000 eliminations for the Breeders Crown 3-year-old colt and gelding trot on Saturday (Oct. 22) at the Meadowlands in 1:54.2.