by Ken Weingartner, for the Breeders Crown

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Market Share won Saturday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot by a nose over Mister Herbie in a stakes-record 1:51 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

Arch Madness finished third.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Market Share won the Breeders Crown Open Trot by a nose over Mister Herbie on Saturday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

Wishing Stone went off stride at the start, enabling favorite Intimidate to grab the lead and take the field to the first quarter in :26.4 and half in :54.3. Market Share was second and Mister Herbie third.

As the field neared the final turn, Mister Herbie launched a first-over bid and was able to take the lead from Intimidate as they hit three-quarters in 1:22.1. Market Share followed Mister Herbie into the stretch, then moved inside and grabbed the front midway down the lane.

Mister Herbie fought back and the two hit the wire together in a photo finish.

“(When Wishing Stone made a break) it definitely changed things,” said Tim Tetrick, who drove Market Share to the victory. “When I looked over and saw (Intimidate) leaving hard it kind of surprised me and I wanted to get out and behind him. If Wishing Stone doesn’t run, he’s in that spot.

“It worked out. I got to edge out on the last turn and follow (Mister Herbie). I fought (Mister Herbie) all last year with Chapter Seven and he’s still tough to beat. He’s a great horse.”

Market Share is trained by Linda Toscano, who won a Breeders Crown for the third consecutive year, and owned by Richard Gutnick, TLP Stable and Bill Augustine. He has won four of 11 races this year and earned $725,356. Lifetime, the son of Revenue S-Classical Flirt has won 19 of 36 races and banked more than $2.76 million.

“He’s just a nice little horse,” Tetrick said. “He shows up and gets the job done. He likes the big-money events; I guess the others (earlier this year) weren’t big enough for him.”

Market Share is the first Hambletonian champ to win the Breeders Crown at age 4 since Mack Lobell in 1988.

“He’s been the victim of bad post positions (this year) and hasn’t gotten his trips,” Toscano said. “It worked out perfectly tonight; he likes to be close and he likes a target.”

Driver Jody Jamieson was pleased with the performance of his mount, Mister Herbie.

“My horse raced super. When we got to the lead I thought we were a winner, but Market Share is tough and we got beat fair and square. That’s a big trip that my horse went and we had the wind in our face all the way down the stretch. You always like to win — and especially win away from home — but I’m very pleased with my horse’s effort.”