Walner sets track and stakes record in Breeders Crown freshman trot
October 29, 2016,by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications
East Rutherford, NJ — 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.
The record had been 1:53.2, shared by Pinkman (2014) and Manofmanymissions (2010).
Walner (Chapter Seven-Random Destiny) is trained by Linda Toscano and owned by Ken Jacobs. Moonshiner Hanover (Scott Zeron) was second and Sortie (Andy McCarthy) was third.
The early pace was set by Moonshiner Hanover who got to the :28 first quarter alone on the lead, after an early break by Giveitgasandgo (Corey Callahan) left the second spot temporarily empty.
Walner was up front to take away the lead at the three-eighths, and he was in front at the :57 half. Jake (Sylvain Filion) tried to overtake the leader from fifth and got up to third at the 1:26 three-quarters, with Moosnhiner Hanover second inside him along the rail.
When the field straightened for home, Walner got mild urging from Tetrick and the two put distance between themselves and the field for an unpressured win in record time.
“He can do it either way,” said Tetrick. “He’s got a ton of ability and he’s very special. I just wanted to get around there safe and make sure I didn’t mess it up. I knew I had a good horse, so if I got him in there with decent fractions I knew he would be hard to catch.”
“I was nervous this time because I expect big things from this colt,” said trainer Linda Toscano. “He’s a good colt, he has a great attitude. He loves his job.”
Chris Beaver, the co-owner and trainer of Moonshiner Hanover was thrilled with his second place finish.
“That was like a win.” Beaver said. “That was great. He’d been getting on the right line down the stretch a little bit and I’ve been trying to rig him off that. I put a softer head pole outside and a line pole inside and a Murphy inside to try to rig him off the right line a little bit. He’s staked to the Valley Victory so if he’s good we’ll head up there.”
- 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.
- Someomensomewhere upsets, gives Miller first Crown (Saturday, October 29, 2016)
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.
- 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.