ATLANTA (Chapter Seven – Hemi Blue Chip – Cantab Hall)

Atlanta won the $1 million , the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters, on Aug. 4 at the Meadowlands. She became the first filly in 22 years to win the race (previous was Continentalvictory in 1996) and overall the 14th filly in the event’s 93 years.

Driver Scott Zeron, 29, has already won the Hambletonian twice. He won in 2016 for trainer Paula Wellwood with colt Marion Marauder, who went on to become the ninth horse to capture the Trotting Triple Crown. This time, Zeron won the Hambletonian with a horse trained by his father Rick. The elder Zeron, who co-owns Atlanta, was making his first appearance in the Hambletonian.

“My dad is one of my best friends, and to experience this with family is an amazing feeling,” Zeron said.

In her four starts following the Hambletonian, Atlanta finished second on three occasions and third once. She got back to the winner’s circle by capturing the Kentucky Filly Futurity, which races eliminations and final on the same day, on Oct. 7 at Lexington’s Red Mile.

Last weekend, Atlanta made it two in a row by winning her elimination in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:53.1. Lily Stride was second, beaten by three-quarters of a length, followed by Manchego, Phaetosive and Supergirl Riley.

“I was not surprised how easy I got away,” driver Zeron said. “I’m sure Yannick (Gingras with Manchego) was being a little conservative and at the same time I wanted to be conservative as well just to make sure my filly bounced back after the double heats in the Futurity. I was able to command the lead early … and from there on when there was nobody power moving, I didn’t think there would, I was able to control to control the race even more.

“It worried me about bouncing back after the two heats (in the Kentucky Filly Futurity) because she didn’t bounce back after the Hambletonian and it took her a little bit to get back into form. It’s nice to see her come 27 (seconds) on the end (of her Breeders Crown elimination).

Rick Zeron, 62, is seeking his first Breeders Crown trophy. Atlanta finished fourth in last year’s Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old filly trotters. Zeron’s best finish in a Breeders Crown final came with Soulful Hanover, who was second in the 3-year-old filly trot in 2000.

Zeron has won more than 8,100 races in his driving career, with purses topping $102 million, and has more than 1,450 victories as a trainer, with $25 million in purses. He was the top driver in Quebec for nearly a decade, winning nine titles, before moving to Ontario in 1995. He is a two-time winner of the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship, 2010 and 2016.

Scott Zeron won his first Breeders Crown in 2016 with Call Me Queen Be in the final for 3-year-old female pacers.

Co-owner Howard Taylor has won multiple Breeders Crown trophies. Michelle and Al Crawford’s Crawford Farms Racing and Brad Grant each have won one. William Holland’s Holland Racing Stable is seeking its first.

Atlanta was bred by Order By Stable, which also is seeking a first trophy.

COURTNEY HANOVER (Cantab Hall – Choose Happy – Donato Hanover)

Courtney Hanover finished fourth in her Breeders Crown elimination, won by Plunge Blue Chip.

“I got a really good trip,” driver Scott Zeron said. “Second would have been a bonus, but I really expected her to finish third at least. It is what it is. She got to the final. There’s not a lot more to say. This is the most serious division there is out of all of them. She is tackling some really tough fillies.”

Courtney Hanover finished second to Phaetosive in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship in September. She also finished second in the Frank Zanzuccki Trot on Hambletonian Day, Aug. 4.

Last year, Courtney Hanover finished eighth in her Breeders Crown elimination and did not advance.

Her wins in 2017 included a division of the Champlain Stakes. She finished fourth in the Peaceful Way.

Trainer Rick Zeron will drive Courtney Hanover in the Breeders Crown final because son Scott Zeron will be driving favorite Atlanta.

Zeron, 62, is seeking his first Breeders Crown trophy, both as a driver and a trainer.

Zeron trains and co-owns Atlanta, who in August became the first filly to beat the boys in the Hambletonian since Continentalvictory in 1996. He also is among the owners of Plunge Blue Chip in this division. Plunge Blue Chip is trained by Ake Svanstedt.

Atlanta finished fourth in last year’s Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old filly trotters. Zeron’s best finish in a Breeders Crown final came with Soulful Hanover, who was second in the 3-year-old filly trot in 2000.

Zeron has won more than 8,100 races in his driving career, with purses topping $102 million, and has more than 1,450 victories as a trainer, with $25 million in purses. He was the top driver in Quebec for nearly a decade, winning nine titles, before moving to Ontario in 1995.

He is a two-time winner of the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship, 2010 and 2016.

Zeron is a member of the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame.

Courtney Hanover is owned by Rick Zeron Stables, Paul Marion, Bruno Dipoce, and Howard Taylor. Taylor has won multiple Breeders Crown trophies. The remainder of the ownership group is seeking its first.

Courtney Hanover was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, which leads all breeders in Breeders Crown trophies with 24 and purses with $16.1 million.

IMPINKTOO (Manofmanymissions – Margie Seelster – Angus Hall)

On Oct. 6, Impinktoo won a late closer at Lexington’s Red Mile in 1:49.4 to equal the fastest mile ever trotted by a 3-year-old filly trotter. She shares the record with Plunge Blue Chip.

One day later, Impinktoo sold for $300,000 at the inaugural Lexington Selected Mixed Sale. She was purchased by Herb Liverman, who is also among the owners of Manchego. Liverman has won six Breeders Crown finals.

Impinktoo is a half-sister to past Breeders Crown champion Pinkman, who is a finalist in this year’s Open Trot.

On Saturday, Impinktoo saw a four-race win streak snapped with a second-place finish to Plunge Blue Chip in their Breeders Crown elimination.

Impinktoo is a two-time Ohio Sire Stakes champion.

Trainer Ron Burke, 49, has won 13 Breeders Crown finals, which is tied with Chuck Sylvester for the third most in history. He trails only (33) and Bob McIntosh (16).

Burke won three trophies in 2017, with mare Hannelore Hanover beating the boys in the Open Trot, What The Hill winning the 3-year-old colt-and-gelding trot, and Youaremycandygirl winning the 2-year-old filly pace. Hannelore Hanover was Horse of the Year in both the U.S. and Canada in 2017. Youaremycandygirl and What The Hill were Dan Patch Award-winners in their respective divisions.

Burke’s other Breeders Crown champions include Foiled Again in the 2013 Open Pace at Pocono. The now 14-year- old Foiled Again, who will retire at the end of this season and is on a multi-state farewell tour, is the richest horse in history with $7.60 million in purses.

Burke is in the process of leading all trainers in wins and purses for the 10th consecutive year. Already the sport’s all-time leader in training wins, Burke in August surpassed 9,000 career victories. His $207 million in lifetime earnings also lead all trainers in history.

He was named Trainer of the Year in 2011 and 2013.

Brian Sears, 50, leads all active drivers in wins in the Breeders Crown, with 27, and is tied for third in the history of the series. Sears trails only John Campbell (48) and Ron Pierce (30). He is tied with Mike Lachance.

His most recent Breeders Crown victory came in 2016 with Flanagan Memory in the Open Trot.

In July 2017, Sears was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y.

For his career, Sears has won more than 10,000 races and $188 million in purses. He got his 10,000th victory in August. He ranks 15th in North American history for wins among drivers and sixth in purses. He led the sport in earnings in 2005, with a then-record $15 million, and has finished among the top 10 in purses in 13 of the past 14 years.

Impinktoo was bred by Jay Mossbarger. This is his first Breeders Crown finalist. LILY STRIDE ( – Sterling Volo – Donato Hanover)

Lily Stride finished second in her Breeders Crown elimination, which was won by Atlanta. Last year, Lily Stride finished second behind Manchego in her Breeders Crown elimination and ninth in the final.

Prior to last week’s Breeders Crown elimination, Lily Stride won her elim of the Kentucky Filly Futurity and finished sixth in the same-day final at Lexington’s Red Mile.

“She’s been good the last few weeks,” trainer Mark Harder said. “She was very good at Lexington. Plunge Blue Chip stopped right in front of her in the final of the Futurity and just took her out of the race. But she won her elimination there and was really good. She’s just good right now.”

As for her season, Harder said, “I thought she should have won the Kentucky Sire Stakes final (where she finished fifth) but she was no good on that day. Atlanta, Manchego, Phaetosive --- you race them every week it’s tough going. She’s right there competitive with them, but they’re so good. It’s a tough group.”

Last year, Lily Stride finished third in both the Goldsmith Maid (won by Plunge Blue Chip) and Jim Doherty Memorial (won by Manchego).

Harder, 56, is seeking his first Breeders Crown trophy. He finished second with Golden Receiver in the 2012 Open Pace. His stable is in the midst of its 18th consecutive season with at least $1 million in purses. He has won more than 1,950 races and $43 million in purses in his career.

Tim Tetrick, 36, is fourth among active drivers in Breeders Crown wins, with 18, and is No. 7 all time in the series.

In 2007, Tetrick won a single-season record 1,189 races and was named the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Rising Star Award winner as well as Driver of the Year. That season he became the first driver to lead the sport in both wins and purses (a then-record $18.3 million) in the same year since 1991.

Driver of the Year honors from the U.S. Harness Writers Association followed in 2008, 2012 and 2013.

In 2017, Tetrick became the youngest driver to 10,000 wins. He shattered the previous record, which was set by a 40-year-old Walter Case Jr. in 2001. Tetrick was still two weeks from turning 36 when he got his milestone victory.

Tetrick led the sport in purses seven consecutive years (2007 through 2013) and ranks fourth all time in earnings, with $199.5 million. He has exceeded $10 million in purses for a record 12 consecutive years. Tetrick has ranked among the Top 10 drivers in wins for 13 consecutive years, beginning in 2005. He has won more than 10,500 career races and ranks No. 11 all time in the category.

He represented the U.S. in the 2015 World Driving Championship and finished third.

Lily Stride is owned by Maria and Emilio Rosati, who are looking for their first Breeders Crown trophy and also own Mare Pace contender Blue Moon Stride.

Lily Stride was bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr., both the breeders of multiple Breeders Crown champions. LOOKING FOR ZELDA (Break The Bank K – My Winning K – Conway Hall)

Looking For Zelda finished third in her Breeders Crown elimination, which was won by Plunge Blue Chip.

“I was happy,” trainer Norm Parker said. “She had the inside and got her spot and was able to hang on. We’ll take it. We’re in. She deserves it; she’s raced well a lot. It’s good fillies, but you can’t win them if you’re not in them.”

Last year, Looking For Zelda finished fifth in her Breeders Crown elimination and 10th in the final.

Among her wins this season are the Buckette and a division of the Currier & Ives Stakes.

“I’ve been happy; I think she’s accomplished a lot,” Parker said. “It could still be a little better, but everything could always be better. She’s had her ups and downs. She had a little bit of issues with some sickness, but it’s worked out. It’s exciting.”

In 2017, Looking For Zelda won five preliminary legs of the Ohio Sire Stakes before finishing second to Impinktoo. She also won divisions of the Simpson and International Stallion stakes.

Parker, 57, has made two previous starts in a Breeders Crown final, with the first coming with Artbitration in the 2005 Mare Pace. She finished fifth.

Last year Parker set career highs for wins, with 98, and purses, with $1.28 million.

Parker followed his father, Dwane, into the sport. His sister, Kathy, is the editor and general manager of The Horseman And Fair World magazine and a member of the Harness Racing Communicators Hall of Fame.

Driver Matt Kakaley, 30, is looking for his first Breeders Crown trophy. He has finished second on four occasions.

Kakaley was sidelined for two months because of injuries suffered in a March racing accident at Yonkers. He required three surgeries, including one for a broken orbital bone and another for a fractured collarbone.

He has won more than 4,300 races and $65 million in purses lifetime. He was the youngest driver, at the time, to get to 1,000 wins (21) and 2,000 wins (23). He was second-youngest driver to 3,000 and 4,000 wins, trailing only . Kakaley now focuses most of his time on Pocono and Yonkers. He was Pocono’s leading driver in 2011.

In 2010, Kakaley was given the Rising Star Award by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

A third generation horseman, Kakaley follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, Joe, who owned horses and spurred the family’s interest in harness racing, plus dad, driver John Kakaley, and mom, trainer Linda Kakaley. He lived in Michigan, but spent his teen years around Pompano Park in Florida before moving to Ohio in 2007 and embarking full time on his career as a driver.

Looking For Zelda is owned by breeder Bob Key, who won his first Breeders Crown in the inaugural year of the event, 1984, as a member of the ownership group of 2-year-old female pacer Amneris. In 2010, he captured his second Crown with homebred 3-year-old male trotter Break The Bank K, the sire of Looking For Zelda. In addition to his two victories, Key has finished second in a Breeders Crown final on seven occasions. MANCHEGO (Muscle Hill – Secret Magic – Cantab Hall)

Manchego won last year’s Breeders Crown for 2-year-old filly trotters. She will try to join stablemate Ariana G (2016-17) on the list of female trotters to win a Breeders Crown at ages 2 and 3.

Last year, Manchego was a perfect 12-for-12 and became the first undefeated 2-year-old filly trotter in Breeders Crown history as well as the first unbeaten 2-year-old filly trotter to win a Dan Patch Award.

On Saturday, Manchego finished third in her Breeders Crown elimination, which was won by Atlanta.

“Yannick (driver ) said he had plenty of horse, but on this track here she had a little problem finding her gear really,” trainer Jimmy Takter said about the elim. “They were going plenty, the last half in :55.2, so how are you going to make up ground. You don’t make up ground on that. I’ve got a week to figure her out. But I was happy. In her last start I was very concerned because she really didn’t have any kick at all. Her blood work was (no good). Her blood work is on the way up and I needed this start in her.”

Manchego’s wins this year include the , Moni Maker Stakes, and Casual Breeze. She finished second in the Elegantimage Stakes, Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial (against the boys) and a division of the Memorial, where she was beaten by a nose by Plunge Blue Chip in a world-record 1:49.4.

She has finished off the board only once in 25 lifetime races. It happened when she went off stride in the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at Pocono. The loss snapped her career-opening 15-race win streak.

On Aug. 4, Takter and Gingras teamed to win the Hambletonian Oaks for the fifth consecutive year when Manchego captured the race for 3-year-old filly trotters at the Meadowlands.

Takter, 58, leads all trainers in Breeders Crown titles with 33. He has won at least three Breeders Crown finals in each of the past six years. He has won at least one Crown in each of the past eight years. In 2015, Takter set the Breeders Crown record for most training wins in a year, with six.

Takter has been named Trainer of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association a record six times: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2010, 2000 and 1996.

In 2012, Takter was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y.

Takter has won more than 2,100 races as a trainer and $128 million in purses, which is No. 2 among all trainers in history. He has finished in the top five for earnings 14 of the past 16 seasons and is second this year ($7.24 million).

Gingras, 39, is third among active drivers in Breeders Crown wins, with 20, and No. 6 all time in the series.

Manchego is owned by Barry Guariglia’s Black , John Fielding, and Herb Liverman. Fielding has won 13 Breeders Crown trophies, which is second in history behind only Brittany Farms’ 16. Liverman has won six and Black Horse Racing has one.

Manchego was bred by Brittany Farms, which as a breeder has produced the winners of 22 Breeders Crown finals. The total is No. 2 among breeders in the event’s history. PHAETOSIVE (Explosive Matter – Phaeton – Angus Hall)

Phaetosive saw a four-race win streak halted with her fourth-place finish in her Breeders Crown elimination, which was won by Atlanta.

Last year, Phaetosive won her Breeders Crown elimination and finished third in the final, won by Manchego. She also won eliminations for the Jim Doherty Memorial and Peaceful Way Stakes and finished second in both finals, which also were won by Manchego.

Phaetosive’s wins this year include the Elegantimage Stakes, where she beat Manchego and Atlanta, the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship, and a division of the Delvin Miller Memorial. She won her elimination for the Hambletonian Oaks and finished second in the final, which was won by Manchego.

“I love her; she’s terrific,” owner Wanda Polisseni said. “She is gutsy. I can’t describe it, but she is gutsy. I love her form and I love to watch her race.”

Phaetosive had breathing problems earlier this year, but the issue was corrected with a minor procedure rather than surgery. She also tied up the day prior to her first race following the Oaks, Aug. 21, but recovered and won a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes.

“It’s not a big problem, but it’s something you’ve got to watch with her,” trainer Trond Smedshammer said.

Smedshammer, 51, has won eight Breeders Crown finals. He is one of six trainers to win at least two Breeders Crown finals in multiple years, with Jimmy Takter, Bob McIntosh, Ron Burke, Steve Elliott and Brett Pelling.

Smedshammer trained and drove 2004 Trotting Triple Crown winner Windsong’s Legacy and was named Trainer of the Year. His other past stars include Arch Madness, who retired in 2014 with $4.28 million in purses, making him one of the richest trotters in history.

For his career, Smedshammer has won more than 1,200 races as a trainer and more than 660 races as a driver. As a trainer he has won $48 million in purses.

Driver George Brennan, 51, has won six Breeders Crown finals. His most recent came with Hana Hanover in the 2009 Mare Pace.

Brennan is a two-time winner of the U.S. Harness Writers Association’s Driver of the Year Award, in 2010 and 2011. He was the leading driver at Yonkers in 2011 and 2012.

On Oct. 19 at Yonkers, Brennan got career win 10,000. He ranks 16th in North American history in victories and his $171 million in purses rank seventh.

Phaetosive is owned by philanthropist Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stables, which is seeking its first Breeders Crown trophy.

Phaetosive was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, which leads all breeders in Breeders Crown trophies with 24 and purses with $16.1 million. PLUNGE BLUE CHIP (Muscle Mass – Dunk The Donato – Donato Hanover)

Plunge Blue Chip shares the record for fastest 3-year-old filly trotter in history with Impinktoo. On July 14, Plunge Blue Chip became the first 3-year-old trotter, male or female, to break the 1:50 barrier, winning a division of the Delvin Miller Memorial by a nose over Manchego in 1:49.4 at the Meadowlands.

She equaled her 1:49.4 record on Oct. 7 in winning her elimination of the Kentucky Filly Futurity at Lexington’s Red Mile. She went off-stride in the same-day final and finished eighth. Later that day, her male stablemate Six Pack won the in 1:49.1 to claim the title of fastest 3-year-old trotter in history.

Plunge Blue Chip won her Breeders Crown elimination last weekend. Hambletonian and Kentucky Filly Futurity champion Atlanta won the other Crown elim.

“She was dehydrated,” trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt said about Plunge Blue Chip’s break in the Kentucky Filly Futurity final. “But (Saturday) she was OK again, normal. She won easy. But Atlanta won easy also. We’ll see how it goes in the final.”

Last year Plunge Blue Chip competed primarily on the New York Sire Stakes circuit, where her only loss of the season came in the series championship. She followed the defeat with three consecutive wins, including the finals of the Matron Stakes and Goldsmith Maid.

Her wins this year include the Hudson Filly Trot and the New York Sire Stakes championship. She finished third behind Manchego and Phaetosive in the Hambletonian Oaks.

“She has everything,” Svanstedt said. “She is a strong horse and nice gaited; everything is good with her. She has a good head. She can be pulling and grabby when you train and when you are warming up, but when you come behind the gate she is relaxed. She has focus for the race and she is never pulling. She knows. She is a real racehorse. She loves to race.”

Plunge Blue Chip’s family includes two-time Breeders Crown winner Mr Muscleman.

Svanstedt owns Plunge Blue Chip with breeder Blue Chip Bloodstock, Tomas Andersson, and Rick Zeron Stables. Zeron also trains and co-owns Atlanta.

Svanstedt, 59, is seeking his first Breeders Crown trophy. He has finished second on three occasions.

He is in his fifth season of racing in North America after moving to the U.S. from Sweden. He was Sweden’s Trainer of the Year five times and Driver of the Year on three occasions.

Last year Svanstedt set career highs in North American training wins with 124 and training purses with $4.67 million. Since arriving in the U.S., Svanstedt has trained nearly 500 winners and earned $18 million in purses. As a driver, he has more than 300 wins and $13 million in purses.

In 2017, Svanstedt was inducted in Sweden’s Hall of Fame. Svanstedt won 6,306 races as a driver in Sweden and 5,384 as a trainer.

SUPERGIRL RILEY (Muscle Mass – Crown Laurel – Cantab Hall)

From July 29 through Sept. 30, Supergirl Riley raced eight times and posted five wins, two seconds, and a third. One of her victories came in the filly division of the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial at Vernon Downs, where she defeated Plunge Blue Chip by three-quarters of a length.

In her next start, Supergirl Riley lost by a nose to Plunge Blue Chip in the Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers. Plunge Blue Chip’s time of 1:53.1 was the fastest trotting mile in Yonkers history and equaled Frau Blucher’s world record for a 3-year-old filly trotter on a half-mile track.

Supergirl Riley finished third in the Empire Breeders Classic championship on May 28 at Vernon. The race was won by Atlanta, with Plunge Blue Chip finishing second.

Last year, Supergirl Riley won three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes. She went off stride in the final and finished eighth.

Trainer Erv Miller, 51, has won five Breeders Crown finals.

He got his first trophy in 2004 with 2-year-old female pacer Restive Hanover, who was driven by his brother, Andy. He got his most recent trophy in 2016 with 2-year-old female pacer Someomensomewhere, who was driven by his son, Marcus. He is the only trainer in history to win a Breeders Crown with each a brother and son.

Miller received the 2005 Trainer of the Year Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

For his career, Miller has won more than 5,200 races as a trainer, a total that ranks No. 4 in history. He has finished among the Top 10 in seasonal wins 14 times and no worse than sixth on 11 occasions.

He led the sport with $5.71 million in purses in 2006, finished second three times, and has been in the Top 10 for 13 of the past 14 years. He has more than $82 million in lifetime purses, which is in the top five for all trainers in history.

Driver Marcus Miller, 29, won received the 2016 Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association. He established a career best with $5.45 million in purses in 2016 while winning 301 races.

Last year, Miller was the U.S. representative in the World Driving Championship, where he finished third.

Miller started driving regularly in 2009 and won multiple driving titles on the Chicago circuit before moving to the East Coast in 2013. He has won more than 3,100 races in his career and $35 million in purses. He got victory 3,000 in June.

Supergirl Riley is owned by Michael Anderson’s Paymaq Racing, George Golemes, and Harry Eisman. All are appearing in their first final.

Supergirl Riley was bred by Brittany Farms, which has produced the winners of 22 Breeders Crown finals. The total is No. 2 among breeders in the event’s history.