by John Zimich, publicity director, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Jim Morrill, Jr., no stranger to racing fans at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and a perennial top driver here, will be displaying his talents in seven Breeders Crown races on Saturday (Oct. 9).

“I’m excited about it,” said the veteran Morrill. “It’s great that the Hambletonian Society chose our track to host this big event. I’m certainly looking forward to my seven Breeders Crown drives.

“Most people know me for driving here and on the New York Sire Stakes circuit. I really didn’t know what to expect as to getting named to drive these top horses. I feel I have some live ones.”

One of those ‘live’ ones is See You At Peelers in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies. She’ll be leaving from the No. 1 post in her race. See You At Peelers, trained by Jimmy Takter, comes into the race undefeated, having won 12 straight and a Crown elimination race at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs with a time of 1:51.3. Leaving alongside her will be Idyllic, another undefeated distaff pacer who will take a winning streak of seven straight into the race.

“I feel See You At Peelers is my best shot at getting a Crown,” noted Morrill. “Both my horse and Idyllic are nice fillies. I’m hoping my filly shows up with her A game.”

Jim Morrill, Jr.

Will Morrill have the pre-race butterflies before the Breeders Crown races?

“Of course I will,” he responded. “Everyone does but once you’re on the track they go away and it’s all business. These are the best horses in the world and I’ll be giving it my best shot.

“You’re hoping the horse you’re driving is 100 percent physically and you don’t make any crucial mistakes on the track during the race. Next you have to have some luck.

“It’s going to be real exciting with thousands of people watching.”

Morrill knows the five-eighths-mile racetrack quite well since he’s been a regular at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs for the past several years and one of its top drivers.

Bruce Saunders, trainer of top 3-year-old pacer Rock N Roll Heaven, recently paid Morrill one of the highest compliments. He said Morrill is the greatest ground-saving driver in the sport.

Last year at the Meadowlands, Morrill drove Won The West to a victory in the Breeders Crown Final for open pacers with a world record time of 1:47. That’s the fastest time ever recorded by any pacer in Crown history.

Morrill also has another Crown victory to his credit with those 22 starts in the year-end series. He’s hoping to add another one or two Saturday.