What came down to the Breeders Crown began in the stallion barns of New Jersey.
Five of the eight winners of the $4.7 million Breeders Crown Finals on Nov. 24 at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford are New Jersey-sired and a sixth, Southwind Serena, was bred in New Jersey, according to a Meadowlands press release.
In the 2-year-old trotting divisions, a pair of New Jersey Sire Stakes champions – Snow White and Deweycheatumnhowe – wrapped up their racing seasons with $650,000 Breeders Crown victories.
Snow White, the daughter of Self Possessed – a horse of Kentuckiana Farms of New Jersey in the New Egypt section of Plumsted – out of Mom’s Millionaire, won 11 of 13 starts and banked $1.2 million in 2007.
Deweycheatumnhowe, who is by New Jersey stallion Muscles Yankee, of Perretti Farms in the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold, is the final foal of Trolley Square, who died six weeks after he was born. Trained and driven by Ray Schnittker, he won all 10 of his starts and banked $936,191.
Southwind Farms of Pennington, bred the $500,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot winner, Southwind Serena, who upset 7-5 favorite Pampered Princess, of Valley High Stable in Freehold. Yannick Gingras drove Southwind Serena for trainer Per Henriksen.
On the pacing side, a 2-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son of the late Artsplace, of Southwind Farms, and a 3-year-old daughter of Artiscape, of Perretti Farms, reached the Breeders Crown winner’s circle.
Stylish Artist, driven by Millstone’s George Brennan and trained by Mark Steacy, won the $650,000 2-Year-Old Filly Pace for her fifth win with two seconds and a third in 11 starts for earnings of $498,634.
Artcotic, who was the New Jersey Sire Stakes 2-Year-Old Filly Pacer of the Year in 2006 and winner of the Freehold final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes at three, provided a Breeders Crown credit for Artiscape in the $500,000 3-Year-Old Filly Pace.
The daughter of Pumped, driven by Brian Sears and trained by George Teague Jr., was also bred at Perretti Farms.
The expected deciding battle for the divisional championship between Tell All and Always A Virgin turned into a comingout party for Artist’s View in the $555,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Pace. The son of Artsplace, Lady Ashlee Ann, driven by Brennan and trained by Buzzy Sholty, got up for the neck victory after the two favorites burned each other out in the early going.
Artsplace, Artiscape and Muscles Yankee – all represented by winners on Nov. 24 – were themselves Breeders Crown winners. Artsplace is the leading Breeders Crown money-earning sire on the pace, and Muscles Yankee is in the top five on the trot.