The Hambletonian Society has announced that the Breeders Crown will return to Woodbine Racetrack in 2012, with the finals being contested on October 27, 2012. I guess being it was successful this year (by harness racing standards) there really is no surprise that the race would return to Woodbine next year. While in 2011, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs did a bang up job with the Breeders Crown, the fact remains it is a small market track and the monetary commitment is too great for the horsemen to absorb twice in three years, Chester Downs would have made some sense being outside of Philadelphia, but let's be realistic, they are not about to take on the cost of hosting the Breeders Crown. The only other American track that may have had the financial wherefore may have been The Meadows, and being near Pittsburgh would have been a plus, but their takeout rates are obscene.
Of course, the ideal situation would have been to see the Breeders Crown return to the Meadowlands, but with no fall meet in 2012, but that was apparently ruled out. Being you would have to consider the possibility of eliminations, it would have required two weekends of racing, which is not practical the first year where losses are still expected.
Here is my prediction, we will see the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands in the 2013 season. It will give the New Meadowlands time to get the money together to host the event and would be a wonderful way to highlight the new grandstand as the All-star game in baseball tends to favor new ball parks.
So Breeders Crown, see you in East Rutherford in 2013
Some owners/syndicates are gambling with the stakes conditions being modified and imposed at the Meadowlands, Tioga and Vernon Downs and some Hambletonian Society stakes which will ban horses sired by a four year old or younger stallion unless the horse suffered injuries as Manofmanymissions is heading off to stud. They either are gambling that Gural will relent (don't count on it) or figure with enough racino money available, skipping races like the Meadowlands Pace is not a big deal. Likely, the arbiters of this will be yearling buyers in 2013who will decide how much they are willing to pay for a horse not eligible to key stakes.
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