It was a great Saturday for Dexter yesterday at Woodbine Park Mohawk, as he added two Breeders Crown wins on an amazing day of racing.
The first of Dexter’s wins came in the $822,000 final for the three-year-old fillies with the Chris Ryder trained Miki And Minnie. After working hard through the middle of the race to take the lead, Miki and Minnie looked to have a winning advantage going clear at the top of the straight. However, 68-1 outsider The Last Martini had other ideas, flying home over the last 100m, with the two fillies – first and second in last year’s two-year-old Breeders Crown – locked together at the line. After a long wait for the photo finish, the judge was unable to split the pair ensuring just the second dead-heat in the history of the Breeders Crown.
Reflecting post-race, trainer Chris Ryder was relieved that his filly had done enough to earn another Breeders Crown.
“I knew it was tight. It’s a long stretch when you’re in front, and I could see the ‘Martini’ filly coming. As a trainer, it’s a little nerve racking. I had an idea there may have been a dead heat. I was hoping for a dead heat. So we’re just thrilled here.”
Just a few races later and Dexter added a second Breeders Crown in the $822,000 Open Pace with Ervin Hanover. After biding his time through the first half of the race, Ervin Hanover then made his move and turning for home, was still full of running. The Captaintreacherous five-year-old, never gave his opponents a chance in the run to the line, winning by an impressive three and a quarter lengths.
Ervin Hanover’s 1:46.2 mile not only lowered the stakes record of Bulldog Hanover, but it also lowered the track and Canadian record. It was also the fastest Breeders Crown mile ever paced in Canada.
While it was a great day for Dexter with the two successes, it was also tinged with disappointment with the scratching earlier in the day of his champion mare Twin B Joe Fresh, with what trainer Chris Ryder described as a “foot injury.” She looked a fantastic chance to add another Breeders Crown to her impressive list of performances.
The weekend also saw a number of placings for Dexter that included:
Setyoursightshigh – 2nd – two-year-old trotting fillies
Super Chapter – 2nd – three-year-old trot colts and geldings