by Ray Cotolo, for The Breeders Crown
East Rutherford, NJ — Someomensomewhere, by Somebeachsomewhere from the Western Hanover mare Omen Hanover, angled towards the center of the track into the stretch and rallied by pacesetter and 1-2 favorite Roaring To Go to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly pace on Saturday (Oct. 29) in 1:51.2 at odds of 17-1.
Taking command into the first turn, Someomensomewhere soon yielded for the pocket to Idyllic Beach (Yannick Gingras) through a :26.4 first quarter-mile. Roaring To Go (Brett Miller), getting away third, tipped off the pylons and brushed to the top before the half-mile, timed in :55. She maintained control around the far turn and through a 1:24 third quarter before being pursued by Idyllic Beach from the pocket, Someomensomewhere from third, and Agent Q (David Miller) from off cover.
Idyllic Beach reached a narrow lead through the stretch, but Someomensomewhere closed to her outside and grabbed the front. Despite Agent Q gradually gaining ground and drawing alongside Someomensomewhere in the final strides, Someomensomewhere showed the determination of a champion, maintaining a slight advantage in a photo finish. Idyllic Beach finished third and Roaring To Go was fourth.
Someomensomewhere, returning $36.00 to win, won her third race in 11 starts, amassing $407,771 in earnings for owners Nick Surick Stable LLC and KDM Stables Corp. She gave trainer Erv Miller his sixth career Breeders Crown win and driver Marcus Miller his first.
“(The trip) worked out, maybe not exactly as I hoped, but as good as it could,” said Marcus Miller. “The way everybody drew, she was really sharp tonight. David (Miller on Agent Q) does a good job but he couldn’t quite get by me tonight. I wasn’t sure and he (David) wasn’t sure (who won) either. We decided while we waited for the photo that we would be all right with a dead heat as long as they gave us both a trophy.”
“It’s unreal,” co-owner Nick Surick said. “I never want to sweat a photo like that again in my life . . . (winning is) a good experience.”
Although Roaring To Go could not sustain her bid, Kevin Lare was not upset she did not come home as the race winner.
“I’m not disappointed in the filly at all,” he said. “She had a great year. If this was Thursday we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. On Thursday she had a temperature of 103 degrees. I was up with her all night Thursday night and the groom was out there. She finally dropped the temperature and we got plenty of fluids into her, but she hardly ate anything Wednesday night and Thursday. We were questioning the whole time whether we were going to race her. I didn’t know until after I warmed her up. She ended up not coming home good, but she had a great year. There’s no shame to it. I know I’ve got a nice filly to bring back next year and we’re going to have a lot of fun. She’s all done for this year. I’m tickled to death with her year. It’s disappointing to a degree when you’re 3-5, but she was a $16,000 purchase and she paid a hundred times over. You’re disappointed because you didn’t win the Breeders Crown, but I guarantee she’ll be right back here knocking again next year. Hopefully we’re as good and 3-5 and don’t have a bad week.”
- Ariana G rallies late to capture Breeders Crown freshman filly trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Ariana G (Yannick Gingras) came out of the clouds to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old trotting fillies by 1-1/4 lengths on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
- Walner sets track and stakes record in Breeders Crown freshman trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Walner (Tim Tetrick) was the easiest kind of winner in the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings in a track and stakes record 1:53 by 4-1/2 lengths on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
- Huntsville brushes, repels two in freshman Crown final (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Huntsville ($3.60) used a bold middle move to secure command in a fast pace before heading off two challengers—including rival Downbytheseaside—to capture the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:49.1, missing the stakes record by a fifth of a second.
- Bar Hopping equals stakes record in Breeders Crown sophomore trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Bar Hopping, the 4-5 favorite, kicked off cover and won by 1-1/2 lengths to capture the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
- Broadway Donna rides again, captures Crown filly trot (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
Broadway Donna and David Miller continued to sail through the division by earning an easy win in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old trotting fillies at the Meadowlands in 1:53.1.
- Call Me Queen Be lights up the toteboard in Crown filly pace (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
October of 2016 has been quite a month for Scott Zeron — first, a Trotting Triple Crown with Marion Marauder, and now his first ever Breeders Crown title. Zeron sustained a first-over push through the far turn with Call Me Queen Be ($27.80) to duel down Jugette winner L A Delight for a 1:49.4 score in the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday at The Meadowlands.
- Racing Hill impressive in Breeders Crown pace (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
In an impressive and record fashion, the last Breeders Crown winner of the season is Racing Hill. Racing Hill took the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and held off 60-1 Manhattan Beach to capture the $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings in a stakes record of 1:48 on Saturday (Oct. 29) at The Meadowlands.
- A memorable evening for driver Marcus Miller (Monday, October 31, 2016)
Marcus Miller vividly remembers his first visit to a Breeders Crown winner’s circle a dozen years ago. There is no doubt he will never forget his most recent trip, either. The 27-year-old Miller on Saturday night teamed with his father, trainer Erv Miller, to win the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old female pacers at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Someomensomewhere won by a flared nostril over Agent Q, being declared the champion after a lengthy photo-finish review.