by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — It’s not often one sees a chestnut colored horse win in the Breeders Crown, if only because it’s not often one sees a horse with that feature pulling a sulky. But if Go Daddy Go can win the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male pacers, his chestnut complexion will be the only uncommon factor in the victory.

The other principles have certainly been there before.

Go Daddy Go is driven by John Campbell, the all-time leader in Breeders Crown winning drives with 45. He’s trained by Bob McIntosh, who’s second among trainers with 15 Breeders Crown victories.

The colt, who won his elimination by a neck over Lost For Words and drew post five for the final, is the 5-2 morning line favorite.

“It’s a wide open field,” McIntosh said. “I don’t see any one-to-five horses in there. It’s going to come down to racing luck, I think. But I wouldn’t trade places with anybody, let’s put it that way.”

Campbell feels a good effort from Go Daddy Go would be business as usual.

“I think he’ll race well,” Campbell said. “He just doesn’t put in bad races. He’s a real solid colt, he’s fun to be around, and he’s pretty to look at. He’s better chasing horses down and he’s (starting) from the middle of the pack, so maybe that’s going to be a good opportunity for us as well.”

Iron Horse Photo

Go Daddy Go has won four times this season, with earnings of $340,567.

Go Daddy Go was bred by McIntosh and is from the same family as Dragon’s Lair, who upset Nihilator in the first Breeders Crown for 2-year-old male pacers in 1984. Go Daddy Go has won four of his 13 races, including the Battle of Waterloo in early August, a Metro Pace elimination (finishing fifth in the final) and his Breeders Crown elimination. A total of nine top-three finishes includes a second place in the Governor’s Cup.

Only two chestnuts have ever won Breeders Crown trophies, Imageofa Clear Day and Imperfection, both in the 3-year-old filly trot. Interestingly, Go Daddy Go is not the only Breeders Crown favorite that is chestnut. Open Trot favorite Commander Crowe, aka “Le Grand Blond,” might be harness racing’s best known chestnut, at least for now.

“He’s received little press, but he hasn’t done anything wrong all year,” McIntosh said about Go Daddy Go, who he owns with Dave Boyle. “He was good in the Metro. He kind of caught a tough trip first up and held on for fifth, but I really feel he’s gotten better as the season has progressed.

“He’s one of those rare 2-year-olds that’s getting stronger and bigger as the year goes on. I jogged him (Tuesday) and he was bucking and kicking, so he came out of the elimination good.”

McIntosh liked what he saw in Go Daddy Go from the start.

“Sometimes you’re really fooled, but I had faith in him from before (last) Christmas,” the trainer said. “I said to my wife then, ‘I might be wrong, but I’ve trained a few good ones and I think this is one of them.’ He was just very professional and had a great gait, a flawless gait. He had a big set of lungs. He just always gave me the feeling.”

And as history has shown, McIntosh — not to mention Campbell — know all about having that feeling.

$500,000 2-YEAR-OLD-COLT PACE
1. Cooperstown, Matt Kakaley, Ron Burke, 20-1; 2. Traceur Hanover*, Andy Miller, Corey Johnson, 7-2; 3. Lyons Levi Lewis, Ron Pierce, Ron Burke, 8-1; 4. Franzo, Scott Zeron, Jimmy Takter, 20-1; 5. Go Daddy Go*, John Campbell, Bob McIntosh, 5-2; 6. Sicily, George Brennan, Nik Drennan, 20-1; 7. Tomy Terror, Corey Callahan, John Butenschoen, 8-1; 8. Soto, Brett Miller, Jimmy Takter, 30-1; 9. Lost For Words, David Miller, Brian Brown, 9-2; 10. In The Arsenal, Brian Sears, Kelvin Harrison, 4-1.

* Elimination winner