Ella Christina pulls the upset in the 3-Year-Old Filly Pace elimination
October 20, 2017,by Gerry Connors, for the Breeders Crown
Anderson, IN — The Western Ideal filly Ella Christina pulled a big upset in the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Pace elimination Friday night (Oct. 20) at Hoosier Park. She stormed home from seventh at the top of the stretch to post a 1:51 victory and return $72.00 to her scattered backers after going off at odds of 35-1.
Dean Gillette photo
Ella Christina upsets the field at 35-1 to capture the 3-Year-Old Filly Pace elimination in 1:51.1.
The favorites were all in the early mix, as Caviart Ally left from the rail, putting Agent Q in behind her, then let Idyllic Beach go near the :26.2 quarter, only to retake in early backstretch. Nearing the :55.2 half, even-money favorite Blazin Britches came with a big burst but could not clear the leader on the turn and started to back off past the 1:23 three-quarters.
Caviart Ally led into the stretch with Idyllic Beach entering the passing lane and Agent Q swinging wide to challenge. This group, however, was joined late by Ella Christina, who was angled out by driver Tim Tetrick to storm down the center of the track around Agent Q to edge Idyllic Beach by a head with Agent Q another length back.
This division drew 11 entrants, and under the Breeders Crown rules at Hoosier, which starts nine across and a trailing 10 horse, the top two horses accepting byes automatically got into next week’s final. The remaining nine raced Friday to eliminate one horse.
Tequila Monday and Obvious Blue Chip were the two fillies getting byes into the championship event.
Ella Christina will draw a post between one and five as a result of her victory while the rest go into an open draw. Behind Idyllic Beach and Agent Q in order were Carol’s Z Tam, Caviart Ally, Inverse Hanover, Blazin Britches, Jaye’s A Lady, and Terrortina, who failed to make the final.
The winner tallied for the seventh time this season for trainer Nick Surick, whose Nick Surick Stable LLC co-owns the winner with J. L. Benson Stables Inc., William Daggett Jr. and Lawrence Vukovic.
- Darlinonthebeach and Nike Franco N win Crown Mare Pace eliminations (Friday, October 20, 2017)
Darlinonthebeach, with Brett Miller in the sulky, won the first of two Breeders Crown eliminations for mare pacers in 1:49.3 at Hoosier Park on Friday night (Oct. 20). Nike Franco N cruised to victory in the second elimination.
- Rainbow Room and Youaremycandygirl take Crown eliminations (Friday, October 20, 2017)
Rainbow Room, with David Miller in the sulky, won the first of two eliminations of the Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly pace at Hoosier Park on Friday night (Oct. 20) in 1:52.3. Youaremycandygirl won the second elimination in a time of 1:51.
- Overdraft Volo reigns supreme in Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot elimination (Friday, October 20, 2017)
Overdraft Volo drafted nicely in the pocket until the head of the stretch, moved out to the lead, then held off the late move of favored Ice Attraction to win the single Breeders Crown elimination for 3-Year-Old Trotting Fillies in 1:53.3 at Hoosier Park Friday night (Oct. 20).
- Phaetosive sets new track standard, Manchego rolls in Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot eliminations (Friday, October 20, 2017)
Despite not having raced for 32 days, the Explosive Matter-Phaeton filly Phaetosive ($4.60) set a Hoosier Park track record for freshman filly trotters in winning the first of two Breeders Crown eliminations Friday night, stopping the timer in 1:53.3. Manchego kept her perfect record intact in the second elimination.
- Caviart Ally looks to rebound in Breeders Crown final (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)
After letting a lead slip away in her elimination, Caviart Ally will try and be a little less zealous and a lot more powerful down the stretch in Friday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old female pacers at Hoosier Park.
- Final fields drawn for Friday, Saturday Crown events (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)
Post positions for the final four Breeders Crown races were drawn Monday night (Oct. 23) along with induction ceremonies for the Indiana Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Hoosier Park. Hannlelore Hanover drew post 4 in the Open Trot final.