by Jay Bergman, for the Breeders Crown

Cranbury, NJ — With elimination race winner Not Enough selecting the rail for Saturday’s $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, eight other positions were available.

The draw tipped to Dreamfair Eternal’s side with the standout Camluck-sired mare landing post four. On the far outside of the field we see Ginger And Fred (post six) with $1.28 million in life earnings, Southwind Tempo (post seven) with $2.3 million in life earnings and Tug River Princess (post nine) with $1.8 million in life earnings.

But as John Campbell has often been quoted as saying, “It’s just a starting point.”

The best and bravest of a fantastic group of pacing mares will leave the gate in search of a divisional crown. Dreamfair Eternal, with 11 wins in 17 tries this year is the obvious leader of the pack but even she has faltered in some of the big races this year.

Recently she’s been letter perfect for owner John P. Lamers and trainer Patrick Fletcher. She grinded to victory in the $364,560 Milton Stakes on September 25 at Mohawk, overpowering many of the mares she’ll face on Saturday in the process. Randy Waples has been her regular pilot and will be in the bike this weekend.

Elimination winner Not Enough won for the very first time this year last Saturday at Pocono with an impressive two-move effort. Driver Jim Morrill, Jr. confessed that he “pulled the earplugs early,” and that really fired up this 4-year-old daughter of Grinfromeartoear. Second trainer Toni Rose, watching from the sidelines, thought Not Enough “wouldn’t last” on the front end but she dug in gamely to hold off a classy group.

Trainer Jeff Webster was very happy with the performance of his two classy mares last week.

“They both raced great,” he commented after the eliminations.

Webster was perhaps less excited this week when Southwind Tempo and Tug River Princess landed outside in this world-class field.

Driver Tim Tetrick felt Southwind Tempo would be “better this week,” after the solid closing elimination mile. John Campbell thought his mare raced with tremendous heart. Fortunately she has enough early speed to overcome the outside post position.

Although she’s not been prominent in this year’s major stakes events, Chancey Lady enters the Crown with a real chance. Trainer Mark Kesmodel has speed-tightened her with some impressive miles at Harrah’s Chester and she could be a factor from post three with Andy Miller in tow.

The complete field in post order for the $300,000 Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace is: Not Enough (Jim Morrill, Jr.) 7-2, Voelz Hanover (Daniel Dube) 20-1, Chancey Lady (Andy Miller) 12-1, Dreamfair Eternal (Randy Waples) 2-1, Showherthemoney (Ron Pierce) 10-1, Ginger And Fred (Brian Sears) 5-1, Southwind Tempo (Tim Tetrick) 9-2, On The Glass (Yannick Gingras) 15-1 and Tug River Princess (John Campbell) 6-1.

Click here for a program page for the race.