Wiggle It Jiggleit supplements to Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands
October 17, 2016,by Moira Fanning, for the Hambletonian Society
Cranbury, NJ — Defending Horse of the Year Wiggle It Jiggleit has been supplemented for $50,000 to the $421,000 Breeders Crown Pace, setting up another epic showdown with arch-rival Always B Miki, winner of last year’s Crown title for older pacers at Woodbine Racetrack.
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Wiggle It Jiggleit has been supplemented to the $421,000 Breeders Crown Pace.
Wiggle It Jiggleit, owned by George Teague Jr. Inc. and Teague Racing Partnerships LLC, is the richest harness horse this year with seasonal earnings of $1,624,337, and will meet up once again with the fastest Standardbred of all–time, Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Christina Takter’s Always B Miki, who lowered the world pacing mark to 1:46 on Oct. 9 at Lexington’s Red Mile.
The two have electrified the sport battling in the open ranks this year and the adage “In harness racing, it all comes down to the Breeders Crown” may never hold truer. The pair has met seven times in open stakes competition with each horse winning three — Shamballa beat them both in the U.S. Pacing Championship, though Wiggle It Jiggleit finished second and Always B Miki fourth in that match-up.
One of four Breeders Crown events slated for the Meadowlands on Friday (Oct. 28), the Crown Pace will be featured in a one-hour live broadcast on Sports Net New York from 9-10 p.m. (EDT).
Though owner George Teague and trainer Clyde Francis had not been inclined to supplement their extraordinary 4-year-old gelded son of Mr Wiggles, the ease with which he racked up his 38th career win in 50 starts in a $250,000 Invitational at Yonkers last Saturday changed their minds.
Wiggle It Jiggleit was the lone supplement to any Crown event by the noon deadline of Monday (Oct. 17).
“The main reason I wanted to do it was because it’s good for the business,” said Teague from his home base of Harrington, Del. “People like to see him race and these two together, they may meet another time, but for him to be in the Breeders Crown it’s really good for the business more than anything.
“This horse just gets stronger and sharper as the year goes on,” marveled Teague. “When he trained before the Yonkers race I thought he was sharper than he was in April and May. He’s never taken a week off all year and never had a bad race either.”
Regular entries for eligible trotters and pacers are due by 9 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 18) at the Meadowlands race office.
The contestants for the 12 Breeders Crown finals will be determined through elimination races this Friday and Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Eliminations for all open events will be raced on Friday (post time 7:15 p.m.) and eliminations for all 2- and 3-year-olds will be Saturday (post time 7:15 p.m.).
Elimination winners draw for inside post positions one-five for the finals.
For more information go to www.Hambletonian.com or www.playmeadowlands.com. Follow Breeders Crown news and updates on Twitter @Breeders_Crown, using #BCrown16 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BreedersCrown. Fans can also go to http://harnessracingfanzone.com, the Place for Harness Racing Fans to See, Share, Connect and Play.
- Wiggle It Jiggleit strolls in Yonkers 250G pacing invite (Saturday, October 15, 2016)
The post position gods made it difficult for Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague, $2.80). The opposition did not. Harness racing’s richest horse of 2016 had it easier than expected Saturday afternoon (Oct. 15), winning Yonkers Raceway’s $250,000 Invitational Pace.
- Take a 360° ride with Montrell Teague and Wiggle It Jiggleit (Monday, October 17, 2016)
Wearing a 360 Fly camera on their race bike, Montrell Teague and Wiggle It Jiggleit cruised to a 1:50.2 score in the $250,000 Invitational Pace at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday (Oct. 15).
- Breeders Crown eliminations in Grand Circuit spotlight (Wednesday, October 19, 2016)
The Grand Circuit heads to Meadowlands Racetrack this Friday (Oct. 21) and Saturday (Oct. 22) for Breeders Crown eliminations in nine divisions. Eliminations will not be required for the open pace, the open trot and the mare trot.
- Sisters take aim at ‘Crown-ing’ achievements (Wednesday, October 19, 2016)
Ariana G and All The Time have taken different paths to this weekend’s Breeders Crown eliminations at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Marvin Katz, who with Al Libfeld bred and owns both filly trotters, is simply grateful for the opportunity to see the sisters in action together again. If both fillies win their respective Breeders Crown finals, it would mark the first time in the history of the series that full siblings claim trophies in the same year.
- Roaring To Go is ready to reach for the Crown (Thursday, October 20, 2016)
With less than 72 hours to tick off prior to her appearance in a $20,000 elimination for the Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly pace on Saturday (Oct. 22) at Meadowlands Racetrack, trainer Kevin Lare thinks owner Frank Chick may be a bit weary of his weekly training updates in regards to Roaring To Go.
- Being cautious has paid off for Ken Jacobs with trotting colt Walner (Thursday, October 20, 2016)
It took a year for owner Ken Jacobs to find a hole with Walner — and that was a hole in the wind. Walner trotted a world-record 1:51.3 on Oct. 6 at Lexington’s Red Mile, a mark that came one year to the day after Jacobs purchased the colt for $90,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. It was Walner’s fourth win in five races this season and established the horse as one of the top Breeders Crown 2-year-old male trotting contenders.