With Twin B Joe Fresh scratched before the race, the $400,000 Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace was thrown wide-open, and Always B Naughty took advantage to win in 1:48 1/5 for driver Austin Hanners and trainer Todd Luther.
Starting from the outside post six, Always B Naughty made the lead with little dispute in a 26 2/5 quarter as Kobes Gigi (Yannick Gingras), My Girl EJ (Todd McCarthy), Sylvia Hanover (Tim Tetrick), Tells On A Roll (Travis Cullen) and Asweetbeachhere (Jody Jamieson) lined up behind her. They would remain in that order to the half in 54 3/5 as well.
On the last turn Sylvia Hanover was sent to the outside by Tetrick, but she made little headway as Always B Naughty zipped through three-quarters in 1:22, and Always B Naughty rolled home unpressured in 26 1/5 to win by 5 1/4 lengths over Kobes Gigi. Tells On A Roll was up for third from favored Sylvia Hanover, with My Girl EJ fifth and Asweetbeachhere sixth.
"She's been awesome all year," first-time Breeders Crown winner Austin Hanners said. "Going into tonight we thought we were racing for second. I thought 'man, she's coming into it sharp as ever,' so I thought she had a big shot."
"She was right up in the bit, right where I wanted her. I knew when she gets the lead, she's tough. They weren't close to me when I kicked the plugs. I said I've got to get away as far as I can."
► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
A 5-year-old Always B Miki mare bred by Steve Stewart, Conquest Acres Lp and Oakwood Farms, Always B Naughty is trained by Todd Luther for his brother's Greg Luther Racing LLC. Always B Naughty has a summary of 18-11-11 from 61 outings, has pocketed $893,734 and paid $5.30 to win as the second choice.
"Twin B Joe Fresh, she was the one to beat, and when she scratched I told Austin 'we've got a legitimate shot.' I said 'do not be getting away last,' said Todd Luther, also a winner in the Breeders Crown for the first time. "She's been a great mare all year. She's just been in bad spots and she's drawn the outside a lot. We've tried to take care of her because we knew we had this at the end of the year and it paid off.
"It's something that you dream of and that you watch all the time. To finally get one, it's amazing."
Greg Luther purchased Always B Naughty off ongait.com following her 4-year-old season.
"She was a great mare. She'd raced very well before we even bought her," he noted. "I talked to Nancy Takter a little bit, and she loved the mare. She's got a lot of heart and she's just so much fun. When she's good, she's good and she's very, very good right now.
"Down the backside I felt like we were a winner honestly because this mare takes so much air, and she just does not get tired. That's certainly the sign of a great racehorse. She can keep going, as she did last week. She'll just keep right on rocking and as long as she doesn't get stuck in a hole, she's going to be great. She's had some really good miles this year, but she's just been in a bad spot. It's worked out great on this big track, I couldn't be happier for all the Buckeyes involved."