USTA Photo

Cameras focus on the draw for the Breeders Crown three-year-old pace.

Invitro, a candidate for the same honor in Canada, drew post seven with Paul MacDonell to drive and is second choice at 5-1 in the eight-horse field.

The Three-Year-Old Filly Pace, going as race three, is one of eight finals for two- and three-year-olds on the $5.6 million [Cdn] $4.7 million [US] Breeders Crown championship card Saturday night at Woodbine, with a special first race post time of 7:15 p.m.

Hockey great Doug Gilmour, recently retired after 20 seasons in the NHL, was the guest drawmaster at the press conference held at Woodbine Tuesday afternoon.

Rainbow Blue, owned by trainer George Teague Jr. and his sister Brenda along with K&R Racing [brothers Kevin and Ron Fry] of Houston, Delaware, has been spectacular in her sophomore season, with her lone loss in 17 starts coming in the Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands. A mere $10,500 US yearling purchase, the daughter of Artiscape is closing in on $1 million in lifetime earnings.

“This is what everybody shoots for,” said Teague of his dream year. “That’s why I like going to yearling sales. You dream of a horse like this, but I never thought I’d have one of the best pacing fillies I’ve ever seen race. You just hope you have something that can race in the stakes and be competitive. I certainly don’t take her for granted – I appreciate it every day. I’ve truly been blessed.”

Invitro, owned by trainer Gordon Irwin of Cobourg, Ontario and Murray Ross of Norwood, Ontario, has won 11 of 16 of her sophomore starts and is likewise poised to become a millionaire. A homebred by Camluck, the aptly-named Invitro was conceived by in vitro fertilization and had a surrogate mare to carry the resulting embryo while her dam, Keystone Trinidad, continued to race.

Gordon Irwin said he and partner Murray Ross, who will return from vacation in Europe Friday night, are thoroughly enjoying their season with Invitro. “This is our first time, and it’s all thanks to her,” he said. “When I had her in Florida as a yearling, every time I called Murray I told him she was showing a lot of ability and I thought she was going to be the best we’d ever had.”

The $693,750 [Cdn] $555,000 [US] Three-Year-Old Colt Pace, carded as race nine on Saturday, was also drawn at the press conference. Geartogear, who captured his Breeders Crown elimination in 1:51.4 last Saturday, is the slight 8-5 choice. Quik Pulse Mindale, who won the other elim in 1:51 after being supplemented to the race at a cost of $62,500 [US], is second choice at 2-1.

The elimination winners earned the right to pick their post positions, then the remainder were drawn. Jill Arnold, wife of trainer Mike Arnold and caretaker of Quik Pulse Mindale, selected post three for the Jenna’s Beach Boy colt. Tony Morgan will drive.

Nat Varty, who trains Geartogear for Perfect World Enterprises of Old Wesbury, NY, picked post two for his elimination winner. “I’m glad the other colt drew first, because I wanted to be inside of him,” he said. “If you could select a way to win your elimination, we got it Saturday. He had an easy first quarter, and easy first half, and was wrapped up at the wire. He came out of it well. A Breeders Crown would cap off what’s been an unbelievable year for me.” Pierce drives Geartogear as well as Rainbow Blue.

In a night when a new pacing queen will be crowned, the six-year reign of the division’s diva will come to an end. Racing fans will bid farewell to Eternal Camnation, who won 47 races and $4,129,390 [Cdn] $3,748,570 [US] during six seasons on the track. She will lead the fourth race post parade before having her shoes pulled in a special retirement ceremony. The Cam Fella mare, who retires as the richest pacing mare of all time with a mark of 1:49.2, will embark on a new career as a broodmare next year.

Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Pace
Post Horse Driver Odds
1 Rainbow Blue Ron Pierce 3-5
2 Apple Krisp Luc Ouellette 25-1
3 Teds Girl Brian Sears 20-1
4 Armbro Bombay Jack Moiseyev 15-1
5 Glowing Report George Brennan 7-2
6 *L Dees Val John Campbell 7-1
7 *Invitro Paul MacDonell 5-1
8 Pantidepressant Dan Dube 20-1
* $62,500US/$78,631C Supplement to the Crown