Crown 2CP showdown

It is rare to find a Breeders Crown race where the top contenders have never faced each other, but such is the case in Saturday's $600,000 Two-Year-Old Colt Pace at Woodbine Racetrack. Olay Olay is the 3-1 favorite in the Crown's morning line, followed by Artzina at 7-2 and Kenneth J at 4-1. Until last Saturday's elimination races, none had ever been at the same track together; and because there were three elim divisions, they didn't meet at Woodbine.

Sutter Hanover, who is 7-1 in the morning line, upset Kenneth J in the fastest elim, winning in 1:50.4; Artzina (1:51.1) and Olay Olay (1:51.4) won the other divisions.

Kenneth J, trained by Linda Toscano and driven by Ron Pierce, brought a six-race win streak to the Crown, but was beaten by a half length in his elim. The colt spent the early part of the season on the New York Sire Stakes circuit before heading to Lexington's Red Mile, where he won divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion.

He has won seven of 10 races and banked $272,072 for owner Kenneth Jacobs. He had a two-week break entering the Crown elims.

"I was trying to keep him fresh; I imagine he needed that (elimination) race," trainer Linda Toscano said. "I didn't expect they would go that fast. He's really easy to drive, but he's still learning. He has a great work ethic and loves what he's doing. He's a fun horse to be around."

Toscano was confident Kenneth J had proven himself the best horse on the New York circuit, but was uncertain how he would fare in Lexington .

"He'd raced every kind of way in New York ; he even made a break and got back on stride and won," Toscano said. "When I got to Lexington , I knew he was going to have to step up. He was green his first start and very good in his second. I'm hoping that history repeats itself. He's a nice colt and I don't believe he's going to embarrass himself."

Olay Olay, owned by Wayne Whebby and trained by Scott Bell, was coming into the elim off his only setback, losing by a neck to stablemate Watta Hotshot in the Lou Babic Memorial at Freehold Raceway on Oct. 14. He has won eight of nine, including the Battle of Freehold, and earned $194,282 while racing primarily at the half-mile oval in New Jersey .

"He was a bit flat at Freehold in his last start, but he was a different horse (Saturday)," driver John Campbell said after the Crown elim. Campbell was later injured in an accident and is unable to drive in the finals; he was replaced on Olay Olay by Cat Manzi.

"This horse is set up very good both mentally and physically," Campbell said. "His versatility is his best weapon. This colt came almost ready made; he figured it out rather easily. He gets out of the gate well, he's got a high turn of speed, and if you use him leaving, he can still kick home."

Artzina also was coming off a loss heading into the Crown elims, having finished fourth in the Metro Pace at Mohawk Racetrack on Sept. 2. He was third in the Woodrow Wilson on Aug. 4 at the Meadowlands, where he spent the summer before heading to Ontario. He has won five of eight starts and earned $280,376.

"He wasn't quite himself in the final of the Metro, so we gave him a bit of a break and it really helped," trainer Dylan Davis said. "I liked seeing him covered up (in the elim) because I know he usually fires pretty good off cover."

Campbell also drove Artzina in the eliminations; Jack Moiseyev, who won a qualifier with the colt in August, will take the lines in the final. Artzina is owned by Kal Liebowitz and Marc Rubach.

Sutter Hanover, who was 22-1 in his elim, has won four of nine starts for trainer Mark Harder and driver Rick Zeron. He is owned by Deena Frost, Sampson Street Stables, Fox Hollow Farm and TLP Stable.

"He's a big horse--late developing--and is just coming into his own," Harder said. "He had some allergies and sickness during the summer, and it took him four or five starts to kind of get his act together. He was a big, lazy horse and was just sort of going through the motions." (BC)

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