by Moira Fanning, publicity director, the Breeders Crown

Campbellville, ON — Ron Pierce is still riding the crest of the wave that propelled him to a career best season and Hall of Fame honors in 2004. He is likely to do what John Campbell did in 1991, hit the $100 million mark in Breeders Crown competition.

He’s about $270,000 shy of that amount going into a big purse weekend. Pierce is scheduled to drive Timesareachanging, Mr Muscleman and Mystical Sunshine in three of the four events.

Brian Sears ($9.7 million), off a record setting Meadowlands moneywinning season of $7.4 million, is $1.8 million in front of Pierce ($7.7 million). The duo is very likely this year to set the record for the most COMBINED money won for the two top drivers in history — which is $25 million-plus set in 2001 by John Campbell-Michel Lachance ($14.2 million-$10.9 million).

The top two drivers in North America in 2004 — the ONLY two past $10 million — won eight of the 12 Crown events last year — four each for Pierce and Sears. This year, they are again 1-2 — in reverse order — and on pace to do even better this year with $17 million between them entering Crown elimination weekend.

Drive, he said

$1.00 of every $8.00 Pierce earned in 2004 came in the Breeders Crown. From 1989-2002, Ron Pierce had five Breeders Crown wins. In 2003 and 2004 he had six.

Three drivers won three Crowns with the same horse: John Campbell won with Mack Lobell in 1986, 1987 and 1988. Bill Fahy drove Jenna’s Beach Boy to consecutive Crown titles in 1994, 1995 and 1996. Eric Ledford drove Eternal Camnation to Crown wins in 1999, 2001 and 2003.

The last driver under 30 to win a Breeders Crown is Eric Ledford, 29, in 2001 with Eternal Camnation at the Meadowlands. The youngest driver ever? 20-year-old Ryan Anderson, born 6-21-80, captured the Three-Year-Old Filly Pace with supplemental entry Popcorn Penny to become the youngest driver to win a Breeders Crown. He displaced Richie Silverman, who is still the youngest reinsman ever to drive in a Breeders Crown event; at age 19 (born: 11/4/65) he finished seventh with Armbro Desire in the Two-Year-Old Filly Pace at Maywood on October 19, 1984. In 1999 Silverman also became the driver to go the longest between Breeders Crown wins when he won the Two-Year-Old Colt Pace with Tyberwood — 13 years after his 1986 triumph with Masquerade — which made him the youngest driver to win a Breeders Crown race at 21.

Hall of Famer Delvin Miller became the oldest trainer and driver ever to participate in the Breeders Crown when he piloted his own Meadow Love to a sixth place finish in the Two-Year-Old Filly Trot at Canterbury Downs in 1986. Miller was 73-years-old at the time. Miller also finished fifth in the 1989 eliminations for the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Trot at Pompano Harness Track with Castleton Magic, failing to make the final. He was 76-years-old.

John Campbell and Mike Lachance are the only two drivers to win Breeders Crowns in three different decades.

John Campbell is the only driver with a Crown win in EACH of the past four seasons.

The last time the Breeders Crown was held at Mohawk (2000), Trevor Ritchie won his first three Crowns in the same night — all with trotters — Syrinx Hanover, Aviano and Banker Hall.

Ron Waples is the ONLY driver to pay over $50 in the Breeders Crown FOUR times: Village Jiffy-$60.60; Delphi Lobell-$53.00; Glow Softly-$67.40; and Twelve Speed-$132.00.

Double your pleasure

Bob McIntosh is the only trainer to win three events in one year, taking the 1993 Horse Pace at Mohawk Raceway (Staying Together), and at Freehold Raceway, the Two-Year-Old Filly Pace (Electric Slide) and the Three-Year-Old Filly Pace (Immortality). His five starters in ’93 Crown competition resulted in $524,859 in purses and three trophies.

Training Doubles In A Single Night:
Per Eriksson (1991 Pompano Harness) Giant Victory (3CT) and King Conch (2CT)
Bob McIntosh (1991 The Meadows) Delinquent Account (MP) and Camluck (OP)
Bruce Nickells (1991 Pompano Park) Hazleton Kay (2FP) and Miss Easy (3FP)
Ron Gurfein (1992 Pompano Park) Imperfection (3FT) and Baltic Striker (3CT)
Bob McIntosh (1993 Freehold) Electric Slide (2FP) and Immortality (3FP)
Joe Holloway (1996 The Meadowlands) She’s A Great Lady (MP) and Jenna’s Beach Boy (OP)
Brett Pelling (1996 Yonkers Raceway) Mystical Maddy (3FP) and Armbro Operative (3CP) and (2003 The Meadowlands) Forever Starlet (2FT) and I Am A Fool (2CP)
Jimmy Takter (1996 Mohawk Raceway) Armbro Prowess (2FT) and Malabar Man (2CT)

Who’s your daddy?

Western Hanover is the sire of the fastest ever MALE and FEMALE performer in Breeders Crown history — 1:48, Western Ideal, 2000 and Always Cam, 1:49.2, 2004. Western Hanover has sired the winner of the freshman Pacing Crown four times — NO other sire has done it more than twice.

Western Hanover (1997-2001) and Baltic Speed (1988-1992) are the ONLY two sires to have a winner in the Breeders Crown five STRAIGHT years.

Lindy Lane looks for his third Crown credit with Hellava Hush — the year’s fastest trotter at 1:51 flat. The other two Lindy Lane credits came from double Crown winner Syrinx Hanover in 2000 and 2001.

In 10 of the last 11 years, Cam Fella or a son of Cam Fella has won at least one Breeders Crown.

Muscles Yankee and Mr Muscleman, father and son, are the ONLY father-son to each win in 1:52.2 or better.

In the new millenium, there have been 56 Crown events, 20 of those have been won by a horse SIRED by a Breeders Crown champion.

Only ONCE — trotter or pacer — has a sire picked up three Crown trophies in the same year. In 1985 Super Bowl progeny Sandy Bowl, Jefs Spice and Express Ride all won their Crown events.

Malabar Man holds a unique distinction in the Breeders Crown. He is the ONLY sire to have two winners in the same event who are full sisters: 2002-Pick Me Up and 2004-Flirtin Miss.

The Panderosa won the Breeders Crown in 2003 and 2004 with his first two crops. The last pacing sire to do this in the Breeders Crown? In 1995-1996 Precious Bunny did it with John Street North and Before Sunrise.

The Panderosa (Mypanmar, Ponder, Town Champion) is trying to sire a Breeders Crown winner in his first THREE crops. In 2003 Pans Culottes got the job done and last year Restive Hanover scored for dad. The ONLY other pacing sire to have a Crown winner in his first THREE crops? Cam Fella. His son Camtastic won in 1987 and 1988, while Goalie Jeff got the third credit for him in 1989. The Panderosa is vying to become the first pacing sire to do it with three DIFFERENT horses.

Did you know that?

20 years ago the first Crown events for older horses were held. There were no separate mare events, only two Open events. The first Breeders Crown Trot was won by Sandy Bowl (John Campbell and Team Nordin) over the mare Babe Kosmos (Dan O’Mara) and Doug Ackerman driving Crowning Point. Mike Lachance drove Division Street to victory over Armbro Cadet (D.R. Ackerman) and On The Road Again (Buddy Gilmour). Of the 15 drivers in the inauguaral open Crown events, only Campbell and D.R. Ackerman are back for the 20th anniversary.

Also in the first Crown Trot was five-year-old Garland Lobell, driven by Gilles Gendron. The five-year-old trotter made a break and finsihed last at 51-1. 15 years later as a Walnut Hall Ltd. sire he was responsible for the highest yearlings sold at auction in three of the last five years in the new millenium — $482,000 for Andover Hall in 2000, $450,000 for E L Stewart in 2001 and $500,000 for Courtney Hall in 2003.

Mr Muscleman is the first horse to post three 1:52 or better miles in the same month (June), something never before done by anyone. He trotted in five straight winning efforts of 1:52 or better — also unprecedented. Mr Muscleman now ranks 24th on the list of moneywinning trotters of all time with $2.46 million.

With a win in this year’s Crown, Mr Muscleman will be on course to join Peace Corps (1989, 1991) as the ONLY two horses (trotter or pacer) to ever have two million dollar seasons, but not consecutively. Mr Muscleman’s first was in 2003.

There have been 18 race miles by a trotter in the history of harness racing under 1:52, and four of those belong to Mr Muscleman. He holds the record for most miles of 1:52 or faster, with five. Fool’s Goal, with three, is the only other trotter with more than two.

Mr Muscleman’s sub-1:52 miles rank him tied for fifth (1:51.1 at Woodbine on June 4), tied for seventh (1:51.3 on June 24 and July 2 at the Meadowlands) and tied for 16th (1:51.4 on July 23 at the Meadowlands).

Cincinnati Kid is looking to become the first horse in Crown history to be second in the Breeders Crown at 2-3-4. The only horse to have three seconds — at any age in the Crown — is Scenic Regal.

All four favorites bit the dust in 2004 in the Breeders Crown in the older category: Fool’s Goal-fourth-1.90; Four Starzzz Shark-seventh-10 cents; Stroke Play-fifth-20 cents; and Burning Point-ninth-3.10. This was the first time that a 1-9 and a 1-5 shot lost in the Breeders Crown in the same year.

Boulder Creek is trying to do what only Red Bow Tie could do: win back-to-back older pacing Crowns. Cliff Siegel co-owned Red Bow Tie, who did this in 1998-99, and also co-owns Boulder Creek.

The last 67 Breeders Crown races have been held in either Canada (46) or the Meadowlands (21). Pompano Park still holds the record for most Breeders Crowns ever hosted at one track with 49.

In 2004, 11 of the 12 Breeders Crown events were won by a Meadowlands regular driver. Only Andy Miller (Restive Hanover) was not. In 2003, nine of the 11 were won by a Meadowlands regular driver (Eric Ledford-Eternal Camnation and Kevin Wallis-Burning Point were not).

The last time a Canadian pilot won the Breeders Crown? In 2002 when Chris Christoforou, Jr., Mario Baillargeon and Trevor Ritchie all won at Woodbine.

No Canadian-born trainer won a Breeders Crown race at Woodbine in 2004! They did manage to grab one earlier though, when Bob McIntosh took the Mare Trot at the Meadowlands.