Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Battle for End of the Year Honors

Every owner, trainer and driver wants to be involved in a horse that is the best of the year. And 2011 certainly showed competition in the 12 divisions of standardbreds. This column is to remember the top horses of 2011 and preview the odds of who will win the Dan Patch Awards in February. If there name is bold, they are eligible for Pacer/Trotter of the Year. If their name is underlined, then they are eligible for Horse of the Year.

Two-Year-Olds

The two-year-old divisions have been competitive all year. These freshmen will likely become the top sophomore horses in 2012, but here are the likely contenders for Dan Patch Awards.

Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

POSSESS THE WILL----1-9
UNCLE PETER------------9-1

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

CHECK ME OUT----4-5
WIN MISSY B--------6-5

Two-Year-Old Colt Pace

A ROCKNROLL DANCE----3-5
SWEET LOU--------------------7-5

Two-Year-Old Filly Pace

ECONOMY TERROR----6-5
AMERICAN JEWEL------4-5

Analysis:

The two-year-old colt trot division is pretty obvious. Possess The Will has a 1-9 (90%) chance of winning the Two-Year-Old Colt Trotter of the Year. Possess The Will won such races as the Valley Victory, Breeders Crown elimination, two divisions of the Bluegrass and a couple Pennsylvania Sires Stakes. He has earned $550,789 in his lifetime, with a lifetime mark of 1:54.

The second choice is Uncle Peter. Although he came into the picture in September, he did win the Breeders Crown, which is a big advantage to winning a Dan Patch Award. He has earned $346,582 this year, with a mark of 1:54.2.

The two-year-old filly trotter division is pretty close. It is between Check Me Out and Win Missy B. Check Me Out won such races as the Merrie Annabelle, Breeders Crown, Bluegrass, Champlain, Pennsylvania Sires Stakes and the Matron. She has earned $900,619 this year, with a mark of 1:53.2, a world record effort.

Win Missy B is the second choice in the balloting. She has won such races as the Bluegrass, Peaceful Way (defeating Check Me Out), Kentuckiana, New York State Fair Stakes, New York Sires Stakes and the Goldsmith Maid. She has earned $731,175 this year, with a mark of 1:53.3.

Another tight division is the two-year-old colt pacing division. It is between Sweet Lou and A Rocknroll Dance. A Rocknroll Dance may be the likely winner by a slight margin. He has won such races as the Metro elim, two Bluegrass divisions and the Governor’s Cup. He has earned $863,325 this year, with a mark of 1:49.1.

Sweet Lou has won such races as the Breeders Crown, several Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, Bluegrass, Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship and the Elevation. He has earned $686,647 this year, with a mark of 1:49.

The final two-year-old division is the two-year-old filly pacers. That is between Economy Terror and an injured American Jewel. Although American Jewel missed the biggest races of the fall, she stayed undefeated until she was injured in a division of the International Stallion Series. She has won other races such as the Bluegrass, She’s A Great Lady (defeating Economy Terror), Countess Adios and the Eternal Camnation. She has earned $677,166 this year, with a mark of 1:50.2, a world record.

Economy Terror won such races as the Three Diamonds, Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, Breeders Crown and a division of the Bluegrass. She has earned $926,520 this year, with a mark 1:50.3, a world record.

Three-Year-Olds

The sophomore standardbreds have shown their talent all throughout the year, making it harder to choose who was the best of 2011.

Three-Year-Old Colt Pacers 

BETTERTHANCHEDDAR----9-1
ROLL WITH JOE----------------1-9

Three-Year-Old Filly Pacers

SEE YOU AT PEELERS----7-5
KRISPY APPLE---------------4-1
DROP THE BALL------------5-2
IDYLLIC------------------------16-1

Three-Year-Old Colt Trotters

BROAD BAHN-------------------4-1
MANOFMANYMISSIONS----8-5
CHAPTER SEVEN---------------2-1
DAYLON MAGICIAN----------10-1

Three-Year-Old Filly Trotters

CEDAR DOVE-----------8-5
CRYS DREAM-----------7-5
BOLD AND FRESH----5-1

Analysis:

The three-year-old colt pacing division has been starting to narrow down. It is between Roll With Joe and Betterthancheddar. Roll With Joe won such races as the Messenger, Meadowlands Pace, Battle of the Brandywine, first heat of the Jug and the Somebeachsomewhere. He has earned $1,649,725 this year with a mark of 1:48.2.

Betterthancheddar won such races as the American National, Windy City Pace, Breeders Crown and the Cane Pace. He has earned $777,283 this year, with a mark of 1:49.1.

The three-year-old filly pacing division used to be obvious until See You At Peelers was defeated. It is now between her, Krispy Apple, Drop The Ball and Idyllic. See You At Peelers won the New York Sires Stakes, Valley Forge, Empire Breeders Classic, Fan Hanover, Art Rooney and the Tarport Hap this year. She has earned $916,611 this year, with a mark 1:49.2.

Krispy Apple won the New Jersey Sires Stakes, Bluegrass, Shady Daisy, Miss New Jersey and the Fan Hanover elimination this year. She has earned $548,766 this year, with a mark of 1:49.1. She was the second best to “Peelers” in many of her starts.

Drop The Ball started to get her act together late in the year. She won the Mistletoe Shalee, Breeders Crown elimination, Shady Daisy, Bluegrass and the Matron this year. She has earned $528,357 this year, with a mark of 1:49, a Canadian Pacing record.

Idyllic is the underdog in this division. She defeated See You At Peelers in the Nadia Lobel. She went on to win the Jugette. She has earned $510,218 this year, with a mark of 1:50.

The three-year-old colt trotters will likely be against two horses. They are Manofmanymissions and Chapter Seven. Daylon Magician also has a say in the Dan Patch, but the Hambletonian is a major credit to a Dan Patch winner, so Broad Bahn is also in contention. Broad Bahn won not only the Hambo, but the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, a conditioned event and a three-year-old open. He has earned $1,324,561 this year, with a mark of 1:53. He has been runner-up in many races, as well.

Manofmanymissions overcame his breaking problem to win such races as the Kentucky Futurity, New Jersey Sires Stakes, Breeders Crown elimination, Colonial and the Stanley Dancer. He has earned $782,100 this year, with a mark of 1:52.1.

Chapter Seven won such races as the Stanley Dancer, Breeders Crown, Matron elimination and a Bluegrass. He has earned $720,392 with a mark of 1:52.4.

The last horse that has a shot in the three-year-old colt trot division is Daylon Magician. He won such races as the Canadian Trotting Classic, Ontario Sires Stakes, Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final and the Goodtimes consolation. He has earned $1,082,455 this year, with a mark of 1:52.3.

The final division is the three-year-old filly trotters. This division is between Cedar Dove, Bold And Fresh and Crys Dream. Crys Dream won such races as the Hambletonian Oaks elimination, Matron, Elegant Image and the Casual Breeze. She has earned $677,676 this year, with a mark of 1:53.2.

Bold And Fresh won such races as the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, Hambletonian Oaks and the Bluegrass. She has earned $606,330 this year, with a mark of 1:53.1.

Cedar Dove won the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, Kentucky Filly Futurity, Breeders Crown and the Matron elimination. She has earned $543,316 this year, with a mark of 1:53.2.

Older Horses

The free for all division has been defeating each other all year. It will surely be, a tough pick for the divisional winners. 

Older Pacer

WE WILL SEE
--------1-1
FOILED AGAIN-----6-1
BETTOR SWEET----9-5

Older Mare Pacer 

DREAMFAIR ETERNAL-----6-5
ANNDROVETTE----------------4-5

Older Trotter

SAN PAIL---------------1-1
ARCH MADNESS----1-1

Older Mare Trotter

FRENCHFRIESNVINEGAR----8-1
JERSEY AS--------------------------20-1
AUTUMN ESCAPADE-----------8-5
ACTION-BROADWAY-----------7-5

Analysis:

The older pacing division has been defeating each other in week to week combat. But it has come down to a vote between We Will See, Foiled Again and Bettor Sweet. Bettor Sweet won such races this year as the Bettor’s Delight, Breeders Crown, U.S. Pacing Championship, several Opens and Invitationals. He has earned $879,000 this year, with a mark of 1:48.1.

We Will See won such races as the Canadian Pacing Derby, Allerage, U.S. Pacing Championship, William Haughton elimination, several Opens and the Ben Franklin. He has earned $1,242,745 this year, with a mark of 1:47.2.

Foiled Again had suffered many bad trips during this year, but went on to win such races as the Battle of Lake Erie, Bobby Quillen, Canadian Pacing Derby elimination and the American National. He has earned $1,405,747.

It is between two horses for Mare Pacer of the Year. It is between Dreamfair Eternal and Anndrovette. Anndrovette has been fresh all year and won the A Spring of Hope Invitational, Artiscape, Betsy Ross and the Breeders Crown this year. She has earned $747,112 this year, with a mark of 1:49.2.

Dreamfair Eternal started to fade out coming to September. But she won the Roses Are Red, Ellamoney, Golden Girls and the Lady Liberty this year. She has earned $646,657 this year, with a mark of 1:49.2.

The Older Trotter of the Year is between San Pail and Arch Madness. Arch Madness was the “now” horse back at the start of the Meadowlands Championship Meet. He won the Titan Cup, heat of the Ellitlloppet, several Opens and the Oslo Grand Prix in Norway this year. He has earned $817,270 this year, with a mark of 1:50.2, a world record.

San Pail stayed mainly in Canada. He came to America twice this year. He won the Maple Leaf Trot, several Opens, Breeders Crown, Nat Ray Invitational, Credit Winner and the Allerage this year. He has earned $1,289,000 this year, with a mark of 1:50.4.

The tightest out of all the divisions is the Mare Trotters. With Buck I St Pat doing worse than expected in 2011, this division is wide open. It is between Frenchfriesnvinegar, Jersey As, Autumn Escapade and Action-Broadway. Action-Broadway won such races as the Armbro Flight, a division of the Miss Versatility, several Opens, Muscle Hill and she finished second in the Breeders Crown. She has earned $538,944 this year, with a mark of 1:52.3.

Autumn Escapade won such races this year as the Miss Versatility final and several Opens against the boys. She has earned $309,644 this year, with a mark of 1:52.3.

Jersey As was and underdog this year. She won such races as the Peretti Matchmaker and several Opens. She has earned $139,607 this year, with a mark of 1:51.3.

Frenchfriesnvinegar won the Breeders Crown, several Open and Preferred events in Canada. She has earned $355,490 this year, with a mark of 1:53.

Pacer and Trotter of the Year 

There are several worthy horses to win Pacer or Trotter of the year.

Pacer of the Year

ROLL WITH JOE------------------6-5
WE WILL SEE---------------------5-2
FOILED AGAIN------------------10-1
BETTOR SWEET-----------------7-1
BETTERTHANCHEDDAR----33-1

Trotter of the Year

SAN PAIL--------------------------1-1
ARCH MADNESS----------------9-1
MANOFMANYMISSIONS----4-1
CHAPTER SEVEN---------------9-1

Horse Of The Year

There are three horses worthy of the honor of Horse of the Year.

SAN PAIL--------------------------8-5
WE WILL SEE--------------------5-2
MANOFMANYMISSIONS----2-1

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