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Harness racing’s top athletes put on a fantastic show at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ont. on Saturday night during the prestigious Breeders Crown card featuring over $6 million in purses with all 12 championships on the same program for the first time ever in Canada. Trot Insider has provided updates on all the action below.

Supplemental entry Frenchfrysnvinegar overcame a Post 10 start and parked out trip to kick off the stakes action for her local connections with a 1:53.3 triumph in the $301,170 Breeders Crown Open Mare Trot.

Friendly Amigo (Anthony MacDonald) worked her way to the lead during a :27-second opening quarter, but gave way to the parked out Post 9 starter Autumn Escapade (Brian Sears) down the backstretch.

From there, Action Broadway (Mark MacDonald) advanced first over from fifth providing the parked out Frenchfrysnvinegar and driver Jody Jamieson with cover. Action Broadway reached the top at the :56.4 half and proceeded to three-quarters in 1:24.4 with Frenchfrysnvinegar looming.

Action Broadway maintained her lead into the lane, but Frenchfrysnvinegar surged ahead in deep stretch for the half-length victory. Action Broadway held on for second with Autumn Escapade squeezing up the rail for third.

 

"I think she [deserved a shot]," said trainer Jeff Gillis after the victory. "I obviously wasn't expecting to draw the 10-hole -- I anticipated about eight entries -- but it worked out. Jody almost worked out a perfect second over trip, but his cover cleared and she made the most out of it. Around the last turn I didn't think [she was going to get there], but halfway down the lane I thought she had a shot because she will not quit."

The six-year-old daughter of Angus Hall-Gugus, who has won 22 races lifetime while banking over $613,000, is owned and bred by David Smith of Rockwood, Ont. Frenchfrysnvinegar has hit the board in 18 of 25 starts (eight wins) this year while banking over $351,000 racing against the top male trotters on the WEG circuit.

"This is amazing," said Chris Tymon, Smith’s nephew. "I’m so happy to pick up his trophy for him. I think he deserves it.

"I’m going to hold it for ransom, though, to pick it up," he laughed. "Jody gave an excellent drive and played it out perfectly. I was hooting and hollering down the stretch and she just came on strong at the end."

Frenchfrysnvinegar paid $10.60 to win as the 4-1 third choice.

Favourite Check Me Out swept to command down the backstretch and left the rest of the field chasing her to the wire in the $602,340 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Trot, setting a new stakes record of 1:54.4.

For A Dancer (Jeff Gregory) blasted off the gate from Post 8 and established the early lead during the :28-second opening quarter. Meanwhile, elimination winner Check Me Out and catch-driver Ron Pierce left from Post 3 with Win Missy B (Brian Sears) caught three-wide to her outside.

Win Missy B pressed on and cleared the lead down the backstretch with Check Me Out hot on her heels.

Check Me Out rolled to the top and reached the half in :57.1. She then led the way past three-quarters in 1:26.4 and opened up two lengths on the field in the stretch with Win Missy B and For A Dancer following for second and third.

 

"This filly is a very good filly. I kind of figured out why I haven't been able to beat her all year," laughed Pierce, who picked up the drive at the last minute while regular reinsman Tim Tetrick was stranded in New Jersey with multiple other drivers due to inclement weather conditions. "You know what, I didn't have to ask her to go. I just sat there. She did all the work."

Check Me Out paid $2.90 to win as the 3-5 favourite. Ray Schnittker trains and co-owns the daughter of Donato Hanover-Illusion Bi with Charles Iannazzo of Tappan, New York. She now has 12 wins and two seconds on her 14 race record with over $824,000 banked in earnings.

"I was here in 2007 with Deweycheatumnhowe and they told me I'll never have another great horse," said Iannazzo. "Well I think we have. And I am really, really excited. Ray Schnittker does a great job training. Timmy, unfortunately was not here, but when I heard Ron Pierce I said we're not doing too bad. He's a great driver and I'm just ecstatic. It's wonderful to race here at this great racetrack. Thank you."

Favourite Economy Terror unleashed her late kick and swept past the duelling leaders down the stretch to capture the $602,340 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Filly Pace in a 1:51 track record equalling performance.

Firing off the gate from the outside Post 9, 70-1 longshot Podges Lady (Luc Ouellette) took control of the field and posted a speedy :26.2 opening quarter with Economy Terror and driver Brian Sears getting away fifth from Post 5.

Down the backstretch, Big McDeal (Jody Jamieson) pulled the pocket and swept to command. As she raced past the half in :55, Pirouette Hanover (Ron Pierce) launched a first over attack from third with Marty Party (Dave Palone) following her cover.

Pirouette Hanover moved up to apply heavy pressure and edged ahead, but Big McDeal dug in and regained control by the 1:22.3 three-quarters mark.

Around the final turn, Economy Terror angled off the pylons and into the three path before flying past the front-runners with :27.3 final quarter speed. Handsoffmycookie (Jeff Gregory) came on for second while Pirouette Hanover finished third.

 

The 1:51 winning time equalled Cabrini Hanover and Idyllic's track record for two-year-old pacing fillies.

"I knew they were heating up at third-quarters pretty good and I felt pretty confident in the spot I was at that she could pick them off," commented Sears in the winner's circle. "She's just a really good feeling filly and I've liked her from day one. She's definitely a really nice horse.

"She does seem to be getting bigger and stronger and like I said, she just feels so good when she gets on the track; she's ringing her head and wanting to kick and stuff like that. So she's a good feeling filly and there's nothing like a sharp filly when they're on the their game."

Economy Terror paid $3.50 to win. The daughter of Western Terror-Mattatonic is trained by Chris Oakes and now boasts seven wins and three seconds in 10 lifetime starts with earnings over $734,000.

"Like Brian said, she's just been a good horse from day one," said Oakes. "We were blessed enough to get her and I'm really thankful to my owners Chuck Pompey, Howard Taylor, and Edwin Gold. I'm just happy for those guys. She's been a real handful, but we've been very patient and have just taken our time. Good things happen when you're patient with them."

Sweet Lou left his rivals in the dust as he romped to a 1:49 World Record performance in the $652,535 Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace.

I Fought Dalaw (Ron Pierce) blasted to command from the outside Post 10 during a sizzling :26.1 opening quarter, but gave way to the parked out Sing For Me George (Scott Zeron) down the backstretch.

Driver Dave Palone then made his move with the Ron Burke-trained Sweet Lou, sending the son of Yankee Cruiser-