Columbus, OH – The connections of Storybook Love are dreaming of another storybook ending at the Breeders Crown.
At the 42nd edition of Standardbred racing’s premier championship showcase last year, Storybook Love, trained by Matt Bax and driven by Todd Ratchford, delivered a performance straight out of a Hollywood script.
In front of a packed hometown crowd at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the trio captured all the spoils in the Grade 1 $700,000 2-Year-Old Filly Trot final, with the rookie stopping the clock in 1:52.2.
“She won her elimination last year,” noted Bax, of the 33-1 upset engineered on Oct. 17, 2025. “Then we went into the final thinking it would be a longshot that she would win, but Todd gave her an outstanding drive and we ended up getting it done, the type of win you dream of almost your whole life.”
Ratchford, who, like Bax, captured his first Breeders Crown victory in his first appearance, still vividly remembers bringing Storybook Love, the highest-priced yearling on the third day of the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale at $210,000, back to the winner’s circle.
“Seeing all my family, picking up my son, and taking pictures with everyone, hugging my mom and dad and siblings, having everyone there and watching us cross the wire is definitely the first thing that comes to mind,” he said.
On Saturday (Oct. 24), Bax and Ratchford will have the chance to repeat that picture-perfect moment, this time at Eldorado Scioto Down in the $664,500 3-Year-Old Filly Trot final, with a horse who holds the distinction of being the only 2-year-old champion from 2025 to make it back to a Breeders Crown final.
“I think since that win last year, I have come to truly appreciate her versatility,” said Bax. “She gives you her best effort every start. When you are training these athletes down and they are giving you everything they’ve got every time, you develop a true appreciation for them and what they do.”
The daughter of Chapter Seven out of the Credit Winner mare Stirling Debutant is owned by Al Libfeld and Brad Grant. She heads into the final following a third-place finish in her Breeders Crown elimination on Oct. 17. One start earlier, she finished second at 26-1 in the Grade 1 Elegantimage at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 26.
“Things are really lining up,” said Bax. “She has a nice post (1) for the final on Saturday, she came out of her elimination really strong, so you put it all together and we’re very excited.”
Ratchford expressed his desire to return with Storybook Love for another shot at Crown glory immediately after the 2025 triumph.
“Last year, after the Breeders Crown, when I was being interviewed, I said that I want to be back with her next year, in the same position,” he said. “And that’s where we are.”
Bred by Alan and Larry Troyer, the brown filly will take on eight rivals this time, a formidable group of foes that includes Hambletonian Oaks winner Nezuko Kamado S, who set a divisional track record with a 1:51.2 mile in her Crown elim, and Kentucky Filly Futurity champion She’s Moni, also an elim winner.
Bax knows what to expect from Storybook Love when the starter calls the field.
“She is cool as a cucumber,” he said. “She puts her game face on and knows what she has to do. She loves being out there. When she’s in her stall, she’s a laid-back filly. She knows what a routine is and she likes things to be a certain way.”
Storybook Love, who has fashioned a record of 5-10-4 from 27 starts, along with $768,147 in career purse earnings, also knows her standing in the Bax barn.
“She wants her carrots in her stall each morning. She lets you know that she’s the queen, she’s the boss. Horses like her, they know they’re good and it gives them that little edge.”
Admittedly, Bax will do considerably more pacing than Storybook Love will be trotting on Saturday night.
“I’m not standing still, that’s for sure,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not going to pass those vibes onto her. She’s so relaxed. Maybe she can keep me calm.”
For now, nervous excitement is the prevailing theme for Bax.
The significance of another opportunity to capture Breeders Crown glory is not lost on the trainer, a lifetime winner of 130 races.
“Right now, I’m just so happy to be in this position, to have the opportunity for her defend her crown. I’m happy for the owners and for her, too. We know she is going to give it everything she’s got and hopefully, it all works out. You don’t always get moments like this, so you do want to enjoy it.”
Ratchford is embracing the moment, too.
The former standout hockey player suited up for the University of Windsor before embarking on a professional career in Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
Now, he is counting down the days until the Breeders Crown version of puck drop.
“It is a six-hour drive from Ontario to Scioto, so you are constantly thinking about it, like I did before the eliminations,” Ratchford said. “You try your best to keep your mind off it, but as soon as you get on the track, the nerves go away and you are focused on the task at hand.”
Having a steely-nerved teammate like Storybook Love is something Ratchford doesn’t take for granted.
“She is just a very cool horse. We are both very calm when it comes to our work. We don’t get flustered, I find. Every race, as soon as she turns to go to the gate, she stops, relaxes, takes a deep breath and soaks everything in. That goes back into me and then we both go from there. We’re just a good team.”
One that could very well be poised for another crowning moment.
“They work well together,” said Bax. “Todd knows her inside and out. He appreciates everything she has done for him and really respects her. Hopefully, we can all do it again this year.”