East Rutherford, NJ — Emoticon Legacy and Maximus Mearas S emerged the victors from a pair of $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday afternoon (Oct. 18) at The Meadowlands.
In the first of the division’s contests to qualify for next week’s Breeders Crown final, Emoticon Legacy (Louis Roy) – one of four across the track leaving the gate – settled into the catbird seat by the :27.4 first quarter and never left the inside path. He saved ground through middle fractions of :55 and 1:24 before passing race-leader Meshuggah (Scott Zeron) and first-over challenger Hidalgo (Dexter Dunn). Emoticon Legacy slid up the pylons to the win by 2-1/4 lengths in a 1:52.3 mile.
The Luc Blais-trained colt earned a lifetime mark in winning his fourth race from six starts this season. The victory raised the colt’s bankroll to $155,656. Owned and bred by Serge Godin’s Determination, Emoticon Legacy is a son of Walner out of the Kadabra mare Emoticon Hanover.
“He’s still a little green,” said Roy after the race. “He doesn’t do well racing in front. I was hoping to get room on the inside because he was trotting well and I know he has a pretty good kick in the end.”
Emoticon Legacy paid $7.60 to win.
Making the final from elimination one were Meshuggah, finishing second; Hidalgo in third; Memento Mori (Anthony MacDonald) in fourth and Tactical Dynasty (Yannick Gingras), who secured the last berth as the highest-earning fifth-place finisher from both eliminations.
Prohibitive favorite Super Chapter (Dunn) was beaten by 7-1 outsider Maximus Mearas S with a strong stretch move by driver Scott Zeron late in the stretch of the second Breeders Crown elimination.
Maximus Mearas S left swiftly off the gate before giving way to an early brush from the eight-hole leaving Happy Jack B (Ake Svanstedt). Maximus Mearas S stayed right behind that one while Monserrate (David Miller) followed in third. Super Chapter, fourth after the :27.2 first quarter, fired to the outside to pass them and take full command of the race towards a :56.3 half. Though Super Chapter opened real estate from the rest to three-quarters in 1:24.4, Maximus Mearas S left the cones for an all-out attack that Zeron pushed until his steed had enough to get to the wire first by a head.
“He lacks experience,” Zeron said after the race, “[but] mine maintained his tail today.”
Lucas Wallin trains the son of Chapter Seven out of the Cantab Hall mare Darling Mearas S. Maximus Mearas S earned a new speed mark with the 1:52.4 victory.
“He’s graceful with good strides,” Zeron said, “and now it’s just a matter of how fast he really can go.”
Maximus Mearas S spiked his bankroll to $84,795 in his first season of racing for owner Kjell Magne Andersen. His breeder is Snogarps Gard Inc. and he paid $16.40 to win.
Also getting berths in next week’s championship final were Super Chapter, finishing second; Blank (Andrew McCarthy), getting the show spot; and fourth-place finisher Go Dog Go (Todd McCarthy).
Elimination winners Emoticon Legacy and Maximus Mearas S earned draw protection between posts one through six for the Breeders Crown Final next Friday (Oct. 25). The nine finalists from Friday’s eliminations will join Maryland, earning a bye with his victory in the Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park earlier this year, in the final.
Below is the draw for the 2-year-old Breeders Crown Final for trotting colts (elimination winners italicized)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer
1 – Meshuggah – Scott Zeron – Marcus Melander
2 – Maryland – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
3 – Maximus Mearas S – Scott Zeron – Lucas Wallin
4 – Emoticon Legacy – Louis Roy – Luc Blais
5 – Hidalgo – Dexter Dunn – Ron Burke
6 – Super Chapter – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander
7 – Go Dog Go – Todd McCarthy – Carter Pinske
8 – Blank – Andrew McCarthy – Marcus Melander
9 – Tactical Dynasty – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke
10 – Memento Mori – Anthony MacDonald – Jason McGinnis