Two with Crown connections

Trainer George Teague Jr. is starting a pair of 2-year-old trotting fillies in Friday’s Breeders Crown eliminations at Woodbine that have previous Crown connections. Danae is listed at 7-1 in the first elim for driver Ron Pierce, while Satu is 6-1 in the second elim for driver Luc Ouellette.

Danae is a daughter of Andover Hall, and a half sister to Tasty Chip, who finished fifth in the 2002 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot at Woodbine. A $15,000 yearling purchase by Teague, his sister Brenda, and Rodney Mitchell, Danae has two wins in six starts, including a career-best 1:57.3 effort in her last start in an International Stallion Stakes (ISS) division at The Red Mile Oct. 4.

“She is a tad bit better than the other filly (Satu), but not as safe,” Teague told harnessracing.com Thursday morning from his barn at Harrington Raceway and shortly before he was leaving to go to Woodbine. “But she trained a lot more calmer this week. She’s legit, all she has to do is stay flat.”

As for Satu, she is coming off a second-place finish behind Possess The Magic in that one’s world-record 1:54.2 win in an ISS division at The Red Mile. Ironically, Satu drew post two in the second elim, with Possess The Magic in post one. Also, the undefeated Pampered Princess, whose world record set one week earlier was lowered by Possess The Magic, has drawn post three in the same elim.

“She should be all right,” said Teague of the lightly-raced filly that has started only twice. “Luc drove her up there before (finishing second in a Champlain division Sept. 4).”

The Teagues and Mitchell share ownership of Satu, a daughter of Conway Hall. She was a $45,000 yearling purchase, and Teague gives credit to his sister.

“Brenda picked her out after seeing her on the video,” he said. “(Satu) is a big, nice and long brown filly.”

Satu’s dam, Coquette Hanover, finished sixth in the 1997 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot, while her half sister, Lady Lifter, finished sixth in last year’s Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot.

“I hope we change that up,” Teague said with a laugh when told of the prior sixth-place finishes in Satu’s pedigree.

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