by Lou Monaco, for the Breeders Crown
Cranbury, NJ — Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Giveitgasandgo is certainly creating his own VIP experience leading up to this weekend’s Breeders Crown.
Trained by John Butenschoen, Giveitgasandgo had won seven straight races prior to finishing third in last week’s Breeders Crown eliminations, in which he qualified for the $600,000 2-year-old colt and gelding trot final this Saturday (Oct. 29) at the Meadowlands.
Scheduled as race six on the stacked 13-race card, Giveitgasandgo starts from the rail in the 10-horse field, with Corey Callahan in the sulky. Post time is scheduled for 8:40 p.m. (EDT).
“He’s a very nice colt that’s done everything we’ve asked of him so far this year,” said Callahan, who is seeking his first Crown trophy. “Last week was his first start on a big track for me and it was a great acclimating mile for him. We drew a great spot and think he’ll give a good showing of himself in the final.”
The Yankee Glide-Mazda Hanover ridgling is owned by Harmony Oaks Racing Stable, David Miller, Lawrence Means and VIP Internet Stable.
VIP Internet Stable, based out of Piscataway, N.J., is a racehorse syndication group that was started by co-partners Ed O’Connor and Tom Janes in 1999. The concept was that anyone from any location could now get involved with harness racing ownership, with the goal of offering fractional ownership in order to get as many people as possible involved in the game.
“In 2009 we were fortunate enough to take an interest in a horse by the name of River Shark. This eventual million-dollar earner took us to various stakes events (including the Little Brown Jug) and got us interested in the excitement surrounding 2- and 3-year-old stakes racing,” Janes said. “At the time we were also introduced to John (Butenschoen). John had relocated from the struggling Illinois horse program to Pennsylvania. He enjoyed the baby game, so we started buying a few pieces of yearlings with him and some of his partners.”
From there, the relationship between the two expanded and grew.
“We then started getting seven to eight yearlings with John each year and were again introduced to the exciting world of stakes racing. We started winning a sire stakes leg here and there as well as a few other events. The interest and excitement continued to build when in 2012 we won the $250,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes with Duel In The Sun. That continued in 2013 when we won the $260,000 PA Sire Stakes with Allstar Partner,” Janes said. “We fell a little short in 2014, but finished a close second in the PA Sires with Tomy Terror, and last year we were back in the loop with a nice trotter by the name of Hititoutofthepark, who has earned over $300,000 for us.”
Enter Giveitgasandgo in 2016.
“We took an interest in Giveitgasandgo at last year’s Lexington Sale where he was purchased for $32,000. John looks at hundreds of horses prior to the sale and then provides his owners with his overall ratings based on several factors. We then walk the sale grounds with John and review his top selections as well as any that we might like. We’ve had some luck with some fairly priced Yankee Glides in the past, so certainly were keeping an eye on any that John had rated as an ‘A’,” Janes added.
Back track to two weeks ago at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino, where Giveitgasandgo had a statement performance. In the $103,800 Keystone Classic 2-year-old colt and gelding trot, Giveitgasandgo (with driver Scott Zeron) won his seventh straight in a career-best 1:54.4, eclipsing the old stakes record of 1:55.2 set by Keystone Activator and Pilgrim’s Taj and equaling Sutton’s track record.
Thus far, he has set the fastest time on a five-eighths-mile track in the division this year and for his efforts, raised his earnings to $266,640.
“We are of course thrilled to have Giveitgasandgo in the Breeders Crown. Our members are extremely excited to own a piece of such a nice horse and many of them have only dreamed of owning a horse like this and we’re excited to give them that opportunity,” Janes said. “We realize that it’s going to be very tough going up against Linda’s (Toscano) horse, Walner. However, Giveitgasandgo is pretty talented and has been prepped nicely for this.”
Breeders Crown Final- 2-year-old colts & geldings-Bill Weaver Memorial Trophy
1. Giveitgasandgo–Corey Callahan–John Butenschoen-5/1
2. Walner*–Tim Tetrick–Linda Toscano-7/5
3. Snowstorm Hanover–Matt Kakaley–Ron Burke-15/1
4. Sortie*–Andrew McCarthy–Noel Daley-8/1
5. Dover Dan–Scott Zeron–John Butenschoen-15/1
6. Sir John F–Matt Kakaley–Jimmy Takter-20/1
7. Moonshiner Hanover–Scott Zeron–Chris Beaver-12/1
8. What the Hill–David Miller–Ron Burke-8/1
9. Fly On–Andy Miller–Julie Miller-12/1
10. Jake–Sylvain Filion–Luc Blais-6/1
*Asterisks indicate elimination winners
- Walner and Sortie win Breeders Crown 2-year-old colt trot eliminations (Saturday, October 22, 2016)
Walner and Tim Tetrick were the unchallenged winners by three lengths in 1:53.3 in the first $20,000 elimination for the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old colt and gelding trot on Saturday (Oct. 22) at The Meadowlands.
- Changes in routine get Lady Shadow back to the winner’s circle (Monday, October 24, 2016)
After looking like a mere shadow of herself two weeks ago, this lady appears to be back in form entering the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace final Friday night at the Meadowlands. Lady Shadow, an O’Brien Award winner in Canada at ages 3 and 4, entered the Oct. 9 Allerage Mare Pace in Lexington with eight firsts and a second in her previous nine races before finishing eighth. After some tweaks by trainer Ron Adams, Lady Shadow rebounded last Friday to win her Breeders Crown Mare Pace elimination by 7-3/4 lengths in 1:48.4 over a track rated “good” because of rain.
- Alagna on Tori Hanover and his nine Breeders Crown finalists (Tuesday, October 25, 2016)
Tori Hanover began her career with a bang, but not in the best sense of the phrase.
- Per Henriksen seeks fourth Breeders Crown title with Muscle Hustle (Tuesday, October 25, 2016)
Trainer Per Henriksen is old enough to know that you’re never too old to take a shot in the Breeders Crown. The 70-year-old native of Norway, who is based out of Norwood, Ontario, is back in this year’s Breeders Crown presented by Mullinax Ford at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on Saturday night (Oct. 29), seven years since he last raced in the championship event.
- Breeders Crown 3-year-old colt pace is ‘most important race’ for Burke (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)
Ron Burke will send high-profile stars Hannelore Hanover and Southwind Frank into Breeders Crown action this weekend, but neither horse will be in the event the trainer considers the most important to his stable. Burke, who has 17 horses spread throughout nine of the dozen Breeders Crown races at the Meadowlands, considers Saturday’s $500,000 final for 3-year-old male pacers integral to a successful weekend. Burke has four horses in the event, led by one of last week’s elimination winners, Check Six.
- Bee A Magician seeks third Breeders Crown title on Friday (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)
Several months ago it might have seemed a long shot to see Bee A Magician in the Breeders Crown, but now that she’s there she is one of the favorites. Bee A Magician, who didn’t race competitively for nearly five months because of a tendon injury, is the 2-1 second choice in Friday’s (Oct. 28) $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot at the Meadowlands. Hannelore Hanover, who has won 15 of 18 races this season, is the 8-5 morning line favorite.
- Smedshammer duo aim for Breeders Crown glory (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)
Trond Smedshammer is going against his philosophy not once, but twice this week. So far, it seems to be working out. Smedshammer has qualified two Purple Haze Stables horses for the $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old filly trotters, as Chezatter and Hillarmbro will both compete in this Saturday’s final at the Meadowlands.
- Father-son team looks to zero in on Breeders Crown with Shamballa (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)
It’s been a great year for Rick and Scott Zeron and what would make it even better is winning a Breeders Crown race, something the father-and-son have yet to do in their illustrious careers.
- Downbythesesaside seeks to cap his stroll on the shore with a Crown (Friday, October 28, 2016)
Nearly any conditioner who bears the responsibility of preparing a world champion for what could be a defining moment in his career normally discusses the merits of his colt. In typical Brian Brown fashion, however, he reveals why Downbytheseaside may not be the horse posing for pictures in the Meadowlands winner’s circle on Saturday (Oct. 29) after his performance in the $600,000 Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
- McIntosh and Campbell look for more Breeders Crown magic (Thursday, October 27, 2016)
Forget about holiday protocol, Bob McIntosh is jumping right over Halloween and American Thanksgiving. “It will be a little bit of Christmas if we get the right trip,” said McIntosh, referring to his horse L A Delight in Saturday’s (Oct. 29) $500,000 Breeders Crown for 3-year-old female pacers at the Meadowlands.
- Breeders Crown win would be sweet “revenge” for Durham (Thursday, October 27, 2016)
It is with a sense of emotion that Jeff Durham is going into the Breeders Crown for the first time following the passing of his father, who was instrumental in his career, earlier this month. His father, Jack, had been in failing health the last 10 years and passed away at the family home in Omemee, a couple hours east of Toronto ON. He was 71.
- “This is what it’s all about” (Friday, October 28, 2016)
Jimmy Takter needs few words to sum up tonight’s Breeders Crown Open Pace at the Meadowlands, which features a continuation of the rivalry between Takter’s Always B Miki and George Teague Jr.’s Wiggle It Jiggleit. “This,” Takter says, “is what it’s all about.”
- Sir John F may turn into Mr. Holland’s opus in Breeders Crown freshman trot (Friday, October 28, 2016)
Veteran trainer Herb Holland is happy to be a member of harness racing’s dream team.