Betterthancheddar, Westwardho Hanover win BC elims
Toronto, ON--Betterthancheddar, with George Brennan steering, was the winner of the second $25,000 Breeders Crown elim for sophomore colt pacers on Saturday night (Oct. 22) at Woodbine Racetrack in 1:49.1.
The race began with Betterthancheddar soaring to the top with Hugadragon, Prodigal Seelster and Up The Credit chasing, respectively. Yannick Gingras came out and flashed to the lead with Hugadragon, giving Betterthancheddar the catbird seat.
The 3-5 choice, Big Bad John, was far back early and had to find cover to make pace as the outer flow took shape with Wink N Atcha and Montrell Teague first over. Fashion Delight, who had left alertly for Tim Tetrick, but had to tuck in or be hung to dry early, got the favorable second-over spot.
The half went in 55.2 and as Hugadragon continued to cut the fractions, Wink N Atcha broke badly, upsetting the backfield. The three-quarters went in 1:22.1 as Brennan decided to use Betterthancheddar’s reserve, pulling out and squeezing the lead from Hugadragon.
A late move by Big Bad John off of the disturbance in the back got him to third for David Miller, while Up The Credit sucked up space on the pylons to close for fourth and Fashion Delight managed to make the final with a fifth-place finish.
Trainer Casie Coleman said she had to give Betterthancheddar time off after he tanked in the Meadowlands Pace.
“I don’t really know what happened,” she said. “I took him home and they put 150 pounds on him in 10 days and he was sound, happy and ready to rock and roll.”
Steve Calhoun and West Winds Stable own the son of Bettor’s Delight. Winbak Farms bred him.
Betterthancheddar paid $14.60.
Westwardho Hanover wins first elim
Westwardho Hanover took the lead on the final turn and held off late-closing Alsace Hanover to win his Breeders Crown elimination in 1:49.4.
Roll With Joe, who was parked out for the first half of the race before getting the lead, was third, followed by Mystician and Odysseus Bluechip.
“The knock all along was that he was a bit of an underachiever,” Westwardho Hanover’s driver Dave Palone said. “He’s gotten better each week for (trainer Ron Burke). I’m kind of excited about him.
“I’d made up my mind I was going to try to race this horse either on the lead or a tough first-over. I think he likes the work, you just have to get it out of him. He did make me work, but he’s made a step forward each week and I look forward to him being even better next week.”
Westwardho Hanover, a Dragon Again colt owned by the Westward Ho Stable, paid $13.90 to win.
The $500,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Pace, along with the $600,000 Open Trot, will be drawn at a press conference at WEGZ Stadium Bar in Vaughan, Ont. on Tuesday, Oct. 25.