by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — Erv Miller was about ready to abandon future breeding plans for the mare Broadway Passion, as her first four foals had earned roughly $14,000 combined, but Miller decided to keep her around after she produced her fifth foal, Crime Of Passion.

“We only have about four mares and she (Broadway Passion) didn’t make it on the racetrack, but was real good-gaited,” explained Miller, who also conditions the now 2-year-old gelding Crime Of Passion. “At the time the Broadway Express mares were making really good broodmares so we decided to keep her. We bred her a few times and were almost at the end of our rope with her. She had three or four other horses that were average to say the best about them, but then this one (Crime Of Passion) came along and he really looked the part.

“He’s a nice, medium-sized horse and was real good-gaited right from the day we broke him, so we thought we would give her a little more go and we still have her. She actually had a couple more and has a nice yearling this year.”

Crime Of Passion, a son of Armbro Mackintosh, sports a career record of 15-6-4-3 and has earned $172,023 while racing primarily on the Indiana/Illinois circuit. Bred by Omer Miller and Ervin Miller Stable Inc., he is owned by that duo, as well as Leland Mathias.

Balmoral Park photo

Crime Of Passion was a 1:54.3 winner in the American-National.

Crime Of Passion, who established his lifetime mark of 1:51.2 on August 18 at Springfield and has been piloted by Miller’s son, Marcus, in all but one of his races, captured the $25,800 Hanover Stake at Balmoral Park on July 16, the $40,000 Governor’s Cup at Du Quoin on August 28, a $15,000 Orange and Blue elimination on Sept. 10 at Balmoral Park and most recently the $121,100 American-National at Balmoral Park on Nov. 12. He also finished second in his $7,000 Mini Me elimination as well as the $77,000 final held at Balmoral Park on July 30 and the $47,650 Circle City Pace at Indiana Downs on Oct. 29.

His next engagement will be the $127,800 Abe Lincoln Stake, which is carded as the eighth race at Maywood Park on Friday (Nov. 18). Crime Of Passion will begin his journey from the 11 hole and is listed at 5-1 on the morning line.

“They have 11 in the race and since they score eight on the gate, we are in the second tier behind the three horse (Heavenly Beaches),” Miller said. “He’ll probably have to be parked for the mile and hopefully he’ll have decent cover, because if the cover doesn’t go anywhere and he’s parked, it’s going to hurt him. I’ll leave it up to Marcus when he races him, but I would just expect him to not see the rail very much.”

Besides being physically talented, Crime Of Passion possesses the necessary mental capabilities to do his job well.

“He has a great attitude,” Miller said. “He was a little bit hot when we first started racing him, but as many times as he raced, he’s started to learn and figured it out. He’s more seasoned and you don’t have to be as cautious with him as you did early in the year.”

During his short career, Crime Of Passion has really not performed well in only one race, which was the $241,000 Orange and Blue final on Sept. 17 at Balmoral Park (a ninth place finish), but he did have an excuse.

“He picked a bad one not to race good,” Miller said with a laugh. “Right after that he had an abcess come out of a foot, but once we got that fixed he’s been good ever since. He raced real good in the American-National and I thought he raced really good two starts before that in the Circle City. I think he’s best off cover and that’s how he got the job done in the American-National, but in the Circle City he was first up. I thought it was a great effort.”

After his start, Crime Of Passion will begin a vacation and when he returns, prepare for his sophomore campaign.

“He’ll race in the Abe Lincoln and then he’s done for the year,” Miller said. “We’ll turn him out, let him mature, hopefully, and bring him back as a 3-year-old. We’ll make him eligible for most of the races in the Midwest like we did this year.”

$127,800 Abe Lincoln Stake-2-year-olds
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-ML
1-Fridaynightflight-Todd Warren-Roger Welch-5-2
2-Caviart Key-Dan Noble-Steve Carter-3-1
3-Heavenly Beaches-Robert Smolin-Joe Seekman-20-1
4-Memory King-Michael Oosting-Erv Miller-30-1
5-Peck Blue Chip-Sam Widger-Joe Seekman-15-1
6-M T Nester-Josh Sutton-Tom Simmons-50-1
7-Wahine-Peter Wrenn-Leo Grummel-10-1
8-Dick Mctracy-Kyle Wilfong-Joe Seekman-12-1
9-Uncle Smoothie-Brian Carpenter-Nelson Willis-12-1
10-Star Recruit-George Brennan-Steve Carter-9-2
11-Crime Of Passion-Marcus Miller-Erv Miller-5-1