WOMEN LAYER, DANDY IDEAL TRIUMPH IN THEIR BREEDERS CROWN OPEN PACE ELIMS

COLUMBUS, OH -- October 17, 2026 -- Women Layer and Dandy Ideal stamped their tickets to the big dance in a pair of $25,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace eliminations, Saturday evening (Oct. 17) at Scioto Downs.

In a week’s time, Women Layer and Dandy Ideal will see if they are indeed fit for a ‘Crown.’

On this night, both showed that they have the talent and tenacity to claim that coronation.

The first division, carded as the second race, featured a riveting late-race duel between the two top choices on the tote board: Women Layer, at 7-5, and Best Chip, at 3-2.

Women Layer, driven by Yannick Gingras, stormed to the lead at the outset, while Best Chip, who had finished second in the Grade 2 Dayton Pacing Derby in his previous start (refunded to bettors because of broken equipment before the race), was forced to march on after failing to secure a spot along the rail. Admiral Hill and Swingtown settled into third and fourth, respectively.

After an opening quarter reached in :26.3, Joe Bongiorno, driving Best Chip, slowed the pace and led the field through a half in :55.0, with Gingras shadowing the pacesetter from the rail.

Still on top after three-quarters in 1:22.1, Best Chip soon came under pressure from the inside as Women Layer began closing the gap in the stretch. With 40 yards remaining, Women Layer seized command and went on to defeat his rival by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.4. Surreal Ideal rallied past Admiral Hill to finish third.

Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr., the 5-year-old son of Sweet Lou out of the McArdle mare Loreenas Ruffian has a career record of 33-10-5 from 58 starts, with nearly $1.5 million in purse earnings.

Women Layer entered his elimination off a 1:48.4 victory at The Red Mile on Oct. 10.

“We just wanted to prep him for this all along, probably, about five or six weeks out,” said Morgan, Jr. “The Lexington race turned out perfect. I don’t want to say it was a soft field, but we got the six-hole on a mile track in a six-horse field, and it was just a nice prep. Yannick gets along with him great, and he couldn’t have come into this better.”

Owned by Let It Ride Stables, Jeff Fought Racing, Larry Wills and Jesmeral Stable, Women Layer was bred by Carl Howard. He sprang a 17-1 upset on Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands, winning the first division of the Grade 2 Sam McKee Memorial in 1:48.2.

“Last year when we got him, he’s a difficult horse to train, but he’s extremely fast,” said Morgan, Jr., who has trained Women Layer since the fall of 2024. “It was by design this year. He’s just matured and he’s a really nice racehorse. He’s so tactical off the gate and obviously, speed wins races.” 

The bay gelding was purchased for $72,000 at the 2022 Lexington Select Sale, where he was cataloged as Hip No. 493.

Dandy Ideal, driven by Tim Tetrick, powered home down the stretch to capture top honors in the second elimination.

It was a cavalry charge for the lead, with several contenders looking to secure the front end. Tetrick, however, opted to avoid the early fray and settled Dandy Ideal into fifth in the seven-horse field.

Calicojack Hanover emerged on the front end and led his six rivals through an opening quarter in :26.2 before Ervin Hanover took command shortly after the first quarter.

The son of Captaintreacherous continued to lead through a half-mile in :54.0, while Tetrick remained patient aboard Dandy Ideal. Prince Hal Hanover then made his move, launching to the outside and taking aim at the leader, while Calicojack Hanover remained in third.

The stage was set for a dramatic stretch drive after three-quarters in 1:21.1. With little room to work with, Dandy Ideal got up in the last strides, edging a game Prince Hal Hanover by a neck. Ervin Hanover and Calicojack Hanover finished third and fourth, respectively. The winning time was 1:48.4.

Tetrick, who had recently been reunited with the Brett Pelling trainee, praised his elimination partner.

“I drove him as a two-year-old and he won the Matron and I really liked him then. Then he came back as a great three-year-old and he has been battling ever since. He’s beaten me a lot, so he is a very nice horse.”

A foot issue kept Dandy Ideal out of the Grade 3 Allerage on Sept. 10, a factor Tetrick considered when developing his strategy for the elimination.

“He hadn’t raced in three weeks, so I thought the best way to get him into the [Breeders Crown] final was not to beat him up,” said Tetrick. “He responded. I got a good trip, second over. He’s a good horse – he’ll do it either way. I just like getting to drive him. He was loaded.”

Owned by Susan Oakes and Alan Johnston, the gelding has now recorded 22 wins, six seconds and three thirds from 40 starts, with more than $1.3 million in career earnings.

Bred by Stephen Dey and Dandy Farms Inc., Dandy Ideal was purchased for $52,000 (Hip No. 262) at the 2023 Harrisburg Yearling Sale.

The son of American Ideal out of the Sportswriter mare OK Heavenly returned $8.20 to win his elimination.

The post-position draw for the Open Pace will take place Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City, Ohio, as part of the official Draw Party for the Breeders Crown finals, scheduled for Oct. 23 and 24 at Scioto Downs.

The elimination winners, Women Layer and Dandy Ideal, will draw from posts one through six in the final, with the remaining positions determined by an open draw. Ken Hanover also secured a spot in the final as the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings.