Handicapping the Division Champions a Close Look at the Divisional Races for Year-End Awards in the Aftermath of the Breeders Crown
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Friday, November 4, 2016 Handicapping the Division Champions A close look at the divisional races for year-end awards in the aftermath of the Breeders Crown. by Joe FitzGerald In today?s HRU Will it all come down to the Breeders Crown? page 4 Dean's List: Expect fireworks at the Harrisburg sale page 6 ICYMI page 8 Anthony MacDonald: We simply have to do a better job of attracting young people page 9 What?s Going On posts 32-1 Matron upset page 10 Grand Circuit Stakes action tonight at Hoosier page 11 New Image Media Hannelore Hanover (Yannick Gingras) appears to be a lock to win the older trotting mare division title. November has arrived, the Breeders Crown is in the books and the opportunities for those aspiring to division dominance are dwindling. Some races are still wide open while others are over. Hannelore Hanover, the Swan For All Amazon out of Indiana, towers above the rest of the older trotting mares. Bee A Magician, the 2013 Horse of the Year in the U.S. and Canada, who won this division last year, lost four months to injury in the heart of the season, thus removing the only plausible obstacle between Team Burke?s star trotter and a Dan Patch. In addition to the Breeders Crown, Hannelore won the Hambletonian Maturity, Armbro Flight, Muscle Hill, Centaur Classic and Miami Valley Distaff. She is ranked third in the Nov. 1 Hambletonian Society/Breeder Crown Poll. She could call it a year now and still win her division with ease. Hannelore?s opposite number, Lady Shadow, who won her division in Canada the last two years, is another sure shot. She won 11 of 18 starts this year and has earnings of close Harness Racing Update | 1 | November 4, 2016 SELLING FUTURE CHAMPIONS IN HARRISBURG! OFFERING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT THE HARRISBURG YEARLING & MIXED SALE NOVEMBER 7–11 IN HARRISBURG, PA YEARLINGS SIRED BY: 18 TROTTING FILLIES, INCLUDING: • AMERICAN IDEAL • Hip#94 - the CANTAB HALL first foal from stakes • ANDOVER HALL winner by Kadabra, CHOIR ROBE 2, 1:57, 3, • ART MAJOR 1:55.3 ($179,439). • BETTOR’S DELIGHT • Hip#171 - the DONATO HANOVER full-sister • CANTAB HALL to LIVININTHEFASTLANE 2, 1:53.4, 3, 1:53f • CHAPTER SEVEN ($460,481) • CONWAY HALL • Hip#173 - the CREDIT WINNER second foal (first • CREDIT WINNER is a 2YO starter in 2016) from a half-sister to • DONATO HANOVER CASH HALL T1:51.1h ($554,298) • MUSCLE HILL • MUSCLE MASSIVE 4 PACING COLTS, INCLUDING: • PET ROCK • Hip#252 - the BETTOR’S DELIGHT brother to • PONDER Breeders Crown Champion SWEET LOU p, 1:47 • ROCK N ROLL HAVEN ($3,484,251) • SHADOW PLAY 6 PACING FILLIES, INCLUDING: • SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE • YANKEE GLIDE • Hip#44 - the ART MAJOR filly from 100% producer UBETTERTHINKTHINK p, 1:50 14 TROTTING COLTS, INCLUDING: ($776,999) • Hip#32 - the MUSCLE HILL first colt, second foal MIXED SALE LINE UP INCLUDES: from SUGAR WHEELER 3, 1:55.3 ($356,163), half- sister to WHEELING N DEALIN 1:54s ($913,954) • Estate dispersal • Hip#98 - the MUSCLE HILL first colt, second foal • In-foal broodmares from a sister to POOF SHE’S GONE 2, 1:55.1, 3, • Katz/Libfeld broodmare reduction 1:53.1 ($1,312,093) • Stallion shares • Hip#181 - the MUSCLE MASSIVE colt from World • Weanlings Champion PAMPERED PRINCESS 2, 1:54.4, 3, 1:53 ($1,648,362) Please visit our Harrisburg consignment to find your future champion! YEARLING VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON-LINE. www.concordstudfarm.com Harness Racing Update to $800,000. The five-year-old daughter of Shadow Play has Seaside at Pocono in July, then lost to him a couple of weeks won the Breeders Crown, Roses Are Red, Milton, Lady Liberty later. Huntsville was outstanding in his two starts in and Golden Girls. In the latter, in mid-July, she broke Always B Lexington. The public sent Huntsville away the 4-5 favorite Miki?s world record for a mile-and-an-eighth when she in the BC, with Seaside at 7-5. They finished one-two, with finished in an amazing 2:00.3. And along the way she the former winning in a track record 1:49.1 for Tim Tetrick. matched Shebestingin?s 1:47 world record for a filly or mare, That?s a tick off of Sweet Lou?s stakes record. Right now it set three years ago at Red Mile. Granted Miki?s 1:46 world looks like Huntsville will prevail in the quest for division record tops all, but this feat is a solid second. honors. Both of them are staked to the Governor?s Cup at Woodbine on Nov. 19 (elims Nov. 11), so it isn?t over, yet. Walner, a star in the making from the first crop of 2012 Horse of the Year Chapter Seven, has the freshman colt trotting title wrapped up. He?s the richest and fastest colt in his class, although he didn?t progress from restricted racing and the Kindergarten Series until October. He drew off by three in his track record 1:53 win in the BC for Tetrick and Toscano. Walner, who was foaled in Campbellville, ON, drew the nine post in Saturday?s $200,600 Kindergarten final at The Meadowlands. He is not staked to the Valley Victory on Nov. 19, and can?t be supplemented to that. Triple Crown winner Marion Marauder came up empty ? Nigel Soult reportedly sick ? in the BC and finished last. Still, he has Kentucky Filly Futurity winner Broadway Donna (David Miller) likely locked up the three-year-old filly trotters' division with a win enough equity built up to cruise to a division win. Some were in the Breeders Crow n. holding out hope for HOY honors, but that?s now off the Broadway Donna, the division winner last year and the table. Bar Hopping, who appeared poised to take the PASS champ at two and three, is a lock to rule the three-year-old trotting fillies. She won seven of 12, including the Breeders Crown, Del Miller and KY Filly Futurity. Fashion Farms? filly flies under the radar and gets a minimum of credit, although, in fairness, hers has never been a particularly deep division. The Donato Hanover lass?s chief competition comes from Ariana G?s big sister All The Time, who beat Donna in the Oaks. Donna beat her in the BC and the Del Miller. The downfall for the Muscle Hill filly is the fact that she underwent surgery after the Oaks and didn?t race again until her BC elimination in mid-October. She just doesn?t have time to accumulate the wins needed to outdo her foe. All The Time won the BC last year, but it was too little too late as Donna garnered 87 per cent of the Dan Patch vote. Two sons of Somebeachsomewhere, Huntsville and Downbytheseaside, are battling for freshman honors. The latter, a $65,000 Lexington purchase by trainer Brian Brown, is freaky fast. He spent most of the summer on the restricted circuit in Pennsylvania, but in September he set a 1:50 world record in the Standardbred at Delaware, OH, then went on to win splits if the Bluegrass and ISS at Red Mile. Ray Schnittker?s Huntsville has a similar resume. He beat Harness Racing Update | 2 | November 4, 2016 Harness Racing Update Hambletonian, but didn?t get there, has won the Canadian division and she hasn?t been able to close the deal. She?s the Trotting Classic, Bluegrass and Breeders Crown over the last only distaff pacer to top the million-dollar mark this year, six weeks. And he takes on Sutton again in Friday?s $200,000 and has taken the Fan Hanover, Garnsey, Lynch and Simcoe, Carl Erskine at Hoosier Park. The Muscle Hill colt has earned but paternal sisters Darlinonthebeach and Call Me Queen Be, our respect but it?s too late to catch the TC winner. as well as the Bettor?s Delight filly, LA Delight, keeps raining Like Walner, Resolve is the fastest and richest in his class, on her parade. and he too will win his division. Wins in the Cutler, Cashman, Darlinonthebeach won the Shady Daisy, Valley Forge and Maple Leaf Trot and million-dollar International Trot add up splits of the Garnsey and Bluegrass; LA Delight won the to a Dan Patch for Ake Svanstedt?s Muscle Hill five-year-old. Jugette and Nadia Lobell; and Queen Be took the BC and the Obrigado was no slouch, with wins in the Maxie Lee, Charlie PA Championship. All four are staked to the Matron on Nov. Hill, Cleveland Trotting Classic, Crawford Farms and Dayton 10. It may come down to that. Trotting Derby; and Flanagan Memory took the Crown, but Dominance of the open pacing division will hinge on how Resolve gets the prize. Miki and Wiggle close the season. If Miki wins the TVG, after Betting Line won 14 of 15 starts and earned more money beating Wiggle in the BC, romping in an open at The than all but BC winner Racing Hill within the division. Wins Meadowlands, and pacing the fastest competitive mile ever in the Cup, Jug, Milstein, Battle Of Brandywine ? in a world in the Allerage, that will be it. The Dan Patch, as well as record 1:47.2 ? Simcoe and Champlain seal the deal for the Horse of the Year honors, will be his. On the other hand, if Bettor?s Delight colt. Casie Coleman was hoping for HOY Wiggle takes the TVG, things will get interesting.