by Ken Weingartner, for the Breeders Crown

Campbellville, On — For many people, breeding and owning a horse like Pure Ivory would be an experience that comes along once in a lifetime.

Except, that is, for the people connected to Pure Ivory, who bred and owned a horse almost exactly like her 10 years ago.

Ken Weingartner photo

Pure Ivory gets a kiss for luck.

Pure Ivory, a 4-year-old trotting mare, is among the finalists in Saturday’s (September 1) $250,000 (C$270,000) Breeders Crown Mare Trot at Mohawk Racetrack. She was bred by Diane Ingham and Harry Rutherford of Mount Pleasant, Ontario, and is owned by Jerry Vanboekel, Stephen Condren, Brad Maxwell and Rutherford.

Many of the same people owned famed trotting mare Elegantimage, who, too, was bred by Ingham and Rutherford. The similarities between the two horses, both trained by Maxwell and driven by Condren, are striking.

Both won O’Brien Awards at ages 2 and 3 as the best female filly trotters in Canada; the only others to accomplish that feat are Armbro Keepsake and Peaceful Way. Elegantimage, who raced from 1996-1998, won 20 of 41 career races, with seven second-place finishes and three third-place efforts. Pure Ivory has won 22 of 42 lifetime starts, also with seven seconds and three thirds. Elegantimage earned C$955,368; Pure Ivory has banked C$1.4 million.

And neither won a Breeders Crown, although both were second as 3-year-olds. Of course, Pure Ivory has a chance to change that parallel Saturday.

“I thought Ivory was going to get lucky last year,” Condren said. “It would be nice. She deserves to get lucky enough to get a Crown trophy. If we don’t, it’s not the end of the world, either. I don’t think it validates anything. They say it all comes down to the Breeders Crown, but I think a lot of them prove themselves before the Breeders Crown.”

Pure Ivory finished third in her Crown elimination race, which was won by Snazzy Millie. She is winless in nine starts this season, but has two second-place finishes and a third in her last three races.

“It’s tough as 4-year-olds,” Maxwell said. “She got off to a slow start and this is a great bunch of mares. She’s racing great; she’s just not getting the job done to get the wins. Probably as a 5-year-old (that will change). It’s tough. We’re just racing her so many times this year to get her prepared for her 5-year-old season. I think you have to season them as 4-year-olds to race them at 5.”

Pure Ivory will start from post four in the Crown final. Snazzy Millie, Mystical Sunshine (the other elim winner) and Passionate Glide will be inside her.

“I’m happy with our position,” Condren said. “She drew pretty good and if everything works out right, she can play with them. The mares that won the eliminations look real handy, but I know we can go with them. If we’re on our game, I think we’ll be very respectable.”

As for the comparisons with Elegantimage, Condren said Pure Ivory shared athleticism and a high turn of speed with her counterpart.

“And they both were able to make money,” Condren added with a laugh. “I guess that’s a pretty good similarity.”