The results of the $6.7 million North American Breeders Crown, held at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Ontario, Canada last weekend, have given a timely boost to the standardbred breeding industry in Australia.
Alabar Bloodstock stallion Always B Miki, a dual Breeders Crown champion himself, sired the winner of both the $600,000 two-year-old fillies’ final in Sylvia Hanover (1:51.2) and the $400,000 Open Mare Pace in Grace Hill.
A $135,000 purchase at the Harrisburg Sale in 2021, Sylvia Hanover has now earned in excess of $675,000 from eight wins and a placing in nine outings.
Grace Hill (pictured), who matched the stakes record of 1:48.8, led home an Alabar quinella with Test Of Faith (by Art Major), the reigning USA Horse of the Year, a brave second.
Sweet Lou and Downbytheseaside, who both stand at Woodlands Stud, provided the winners of the $600,000 final for two-year-old colts and geldings and the $675,000 final for three-year-old colts and geldings respectively.
Ammo, a two-year-old colt by Sweet Lou, duplicated the feat of his sire 11 years earlier when he staved off the late bid of Confederate (also by Sweet Lou) in 1:50.8, while Pebble Beach (by Downbytheseaside) scored a 3-1/4 lengths romp over I Did It Myway (by Captaintreacherous) and Bythmissal (by Downbytheseaside) in 1:48.2 in the three-year-old colts’ division.
Treacherous Dragon, a daughter of Empire Stallions’ sire Captaintreacherous and the multiple Breeders Crown champion My Little Dragon, topped the million dollar mark with her last-stride triumph in the $600,000 fillies’ final in1:49.2. Niki Hill (by Always B Miki) and Boudoir Hanover (by Captaintreacherous) filled the minor placings.
Bulldog Hanover, a four-year-old entire son of former resident Alabar sire Shadow Play, established a Breeders Crown race record and equalled the track and Canadian record at 1:46.8 when he scored a convincing win in the $600,000 Open.
A $28,000 yearling sale purchase and now the winner of $2.2 million, Bulldog Hanover owns the greatest speed streak in history with winning miles in 1:45.8, 1:46, 1:46.2, 1:46.6, 1:46.8 (twice) and 1:47.
Captaintreacherous (2nd), Sweet Lou (5th), Downbytheseaside (6th), Always B Miki (8th) and Shadow Play (14th) are all riding high on this year’s USA all aged sires’ list.
