by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — This weekend, Peter Wrenn returns to the Breeders Crown finals for the first time in 21 years. He hopes to create a few more memories in the event, which is Friday and Saturday nights at Wrenn’s home track, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.

Wrenn has won two Breeders Crown trophies in his career, the second of which came in 1996 when he guided Personal Banner to victory by a head over Moni Maker in the 3-year-old filly trot at Vernon Downs. It was Moni Maker’s only loss in 20 races that year.

He got his first Crown with Yankee Cashmere in 1994 at Woodbine Racetrack.

Hoosier Park photo

Peter Wrenn’s 9,913 career wins are 13th in North American harness racing history.

“It’s always a good thing,” Wrenn said about driving in the Breeders Crown. “It’s been a while since I’ve been on that circuit. Being back part of it is kind of a cool thing.

“And Hoosier is really taking this to a different level. They’re trying their best to make it a showcase. So far I think they have. I don’t know what the weather is going to be, we can’t control that, but they’re trying to control everything else. They’re trying to make it an A-1 show.”

Wrenn, a native of Detroit, won multiple driving titles on the Michigan circuit and was a top driver at Pompano Park before heading to the East Coast and enjoying success at the Meadowlands. He returned to the Midwest in 1999.

His 9,913 career wins are 13th in North American harness racing history.

Wrenn has three drives in this year’s Breeders Crown finals. He gets started Friday with 20-1 longshot Inverse Hanover in the 3-year-old filly pace. Inverse Hanover finished sixth in her elimination, but was beaten by only two lengths.

“If I was able to have racing luck through the stretch I think she would have won the race,” Wrenn said. “It didn’t work out to our favor. She’s not going to be able to do the work on her own, but if things work out and she’s the same as last week, you never know. She could be a bomber come through.

“It’s going to be a cold night and there is going to be a lot of speed and horses are going to be tired. As far as an upsetter, she’s definitely a player. She was really good.”

His remaining two Breeders Crown drives are Saturday with 2-year-old male trotter Skyway Torpedo, who finished fourth in his elimination and is 20-1, and 2-year-old male pacer Shnitzledosomethin, who missed by a nose in his elimination and is 8-1.

“(Skyway Torpedo) is a pleasant colt,” Wrenn said. “He drives like an old horse. He’s very professional about his work. He got sick around mid-summer and (trainer Alvin Miller) did a good job getting him on track. It’s quite rewarding for him to get to the final. That’s always a fun thing.

“(Shnitzledosomethin) raced very respectably. He’s a big strong colt and actually got better as the year wore on. He doesn’t know a day’s work end as far as that goes. He seems to have easy speed. That was the fastest elimination. I was impressed with him. It took a good trip to beat me. He put away a lot of nice horses.”

Wrenn ranks eighth in wins this year at Hoosier Park. Each of the track’s top three drivers — Trace Tetrick, Sam Widger and John DeLong — and fifth-place Ricky Macomber Jr. will be in the Breeders Crown.

Tetrick won a Breeders Crown in 2015, with 3-year-old male pacer Freaky Feet Pete, while the others are making their Crown debuts.

“It’s a real thrill,” said Widger, who has won 5,891 races in his career. “It’s a huge event. Just to be able to participate is exciting. For Hoosier Park to host it and to be able to meet new people, people I’ve only read about and now get to meet in person, is great.”

Three of the track’s top four trainers — Jamie Macomber, Jeff Cullipher and Walter Haynes Jr. — as well as Trent Stohler and Alvin Miller, who are in the top 13, have horses racing in the Breeders Crown finals.

Stohler won a Breeders Crown in 1997 with pacing mare Extreme Velocity. The others are making their debuts.

“This is something new for me, (driver) John DeLong, and my owner (Tom Pollack),” said Cullipher, who sends out Rock N’ Roll World in the Open Pace. “I’ve been in racing all my life and this is very exciting.

“I’m glad to be on our home turf. I think it has an advantage, especially here with the long stretch.”

All of the Breeders Crown championships for female pacers and trotters are Friday. The male pacers and trotters will race on Saturday. Racing begins at 6 p.m. (EDT) at Hoosier Park and the Breeders Crown events are races seven through 12.

Click here for Friday’s complete card. For complete Saturday entries, click here.

Hoosier Park, in conjunction with Roberts Communications, will offer live steaming and replays of the Breeders Crown races at www.hoosierpark.com/racing/2017breederscrown/.