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
