by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — The journey of 2-year-old trotter Pine Credit and 25-year-old driver LeWayne Miller will continue in Friday’s Breeders Crown eliminations at Woodbine Racetrack. Where the road goes from there is uncertain.

Pine Credit will compete in the single Breeders Crown elim for the 2-year-old male trotters, facing nine rivals from post three. Also in the field are Murmur Hanover, Your So Vain, Caveat Emptor, Fashion Blizzard, Its Payday Friday, Royalty For Life, Wheeling N Dealin, Majestized, and Show Ticket.

Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Dontyouforgetit and PASS runner-up Major Athens received byes into the final based on earnings. They will be joined by the elim’s top eight finishers.

Pine Credit, a son of Credit Winner out of the mare Ms Piggy Pine, has won five of 11 races and $135,352 this year for trainer Erv Miller and owners Ervin Miller Stable, Harvey Eisman and Mary Jane Anderson. LeWayne Miller, a newcomer with 111 career wins as a driver, has been in the sulky for Pine Credit’s most recent six races, and all five of his victories.

Most recently, Miller and Pine Credit teamed to win a division of the International Stallion Stakes by three lengths over Theraputic in 1:54.3 at The Red Mile in Lexington. They also won the Historic-Harriman Cup on Sept. 6 at Vernon Downs in New York.

“It’s like a dream come true being able to do this, especially this early in my career,” said Miller, who grew up Amish in Indiana, where he raced ponies, and began working for trainer Erv Miller (no relation) in 2009. “I always wanted to do it, but I never thought I’d be doing it this soon.

Nigel Soult photo

Pine Credit trotted to a personal best 1:54.3 score in his International Stallion Stake division.

“I’m very excited to get to drive in the Breeders Crown. I’m just glad Erv and the owners have faith in me and are giving me a chance in it.”

It remains to be seen whether Pine Credit gets to compete in the Breeders Crown final. First, the colt needs to advance from his elimination. Second, he must give a good performance. Otherwise, it is possible Pine Credit could race in the $200,000 Kindergarten Series final on Oct. 26 at Vernon Downs.

“He won pretty convincingly in the International (Stallion Stakes) and by doing that we thought we would give him a shot,” Erv Miller said. “It’s hard to decide when the money is already out there for the Kindergarten and he’s made the final and they’re going for a pretty nice chunk of money there too. We don’t want to give up something to go for something we can’t get.

“We’re just going to see how he goes this week. If he goes real well, which we think he will, we’ll probably stay for the Breeders Crown final. The owners are pretty excited about being in the Breeders Crown. If it seems like that’s our best option going forward, then we’re going to give it a shot.”

It might have seemed unlikely to consider the Breeders Crown at all after Pine Credit went winless in his first five starts, going off stride in three. Then LeWayne Miller took the lines for a New York State Fair race at Vernon Downs and won with the colt in 1:59.3 and the rest is history.

“I went with him for a while just jogging him every day and kind of got a feel for him,” LeWayne Miller said. “He was making breaks every now and then and Erv wanted me to drive him (at Vernon) and get him around there. We just clicked. We just kind of hit it off from there.”

Erv Miller saw potential in LeWayne Miller from the beginning.

“Even training and watching him, I knew he had a real good hand for a horse,” Erv Miller said. “He’s been driving at Tioga Downs for us and he does a good job getting some confidence up in the horse. He did a good job (with Pine Credit) and we felt we couldn’t take him off. We’re going to give him a try there (at the Breeders Crown) too. He’s a really good kid and he’s doing a real good job for us.”

LeWayne Miller is thrilled with his opportunities in Erv Miller’s stable.

“He’s like a father to me, and a coach,” LeWayne Miller said. “Everything works out well.”

Miller will prepare for his Breeders Crown experience by watching replays of previous Breeders Crown races, particularly last year’s races because the event was held at Woodbine. Miller has never raced at Woodbine.

“Drivers drive a little differently up there, so I want to study it a little bit,” Miller said.

“I definitely hope people start noticing me more,” he added. “Hopefully I can do well in the Breeders Crown; I think that would help a lot.”