Dandy Ideal puts an end to Louprint’s winning streak

MILTON, October 18, 2025— Hunter Oakes intern Dandy Ideal (American Ideal) ended Louprint’s undefeated sophomore season when he held off the North America Cup champion with an all-out drive to win the second of two $34,250 CAD Breeders Crown eliminations for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings in a 1:48 mile on Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driver Jason Bartlett secured a stalking seat with Dandy Ideal behind Swingtown and passed a first quarter of:26 before Crack Shot surged ahead to take the lead. Louprint, meanwhile, took the speed out of post 7 and floated from the cones onto the backstretch, idling in midfield before committing to going outside. After a shuffle that saw Swingtown circle back into the lead, Louprint pushed up the edge and fished cover from Dandy Ideal at :54.2 half.

Dandy Ideal rushed to challenge Swingtown on the final turn as Louprint took cover on the outside of Crack Shot. Swingtown gave way to Dandy Ideal after three quarters in 1:22.3 and Bartlett begged Dandy Ideal to reach for the line. Louprint slipped from cover and clawed Dandy Ideal in a desperate final eighth, but fell just a nose short of victory at the finish. Captain Optimistic finished third, while Manolete and Crack Shot earned the final spots for the finals.

“I wasn’t really excited about my place going to the back after the half, and I knew it [Louprint] was going to come behind me,” Jason Bartlett said after the race. “There was a little bit of speed and I like my horse first and foremost, no matter what ride I give him. With him behind me you’re clearly worried, but my horse dug in.

“After the last corner I still had a handful,” Bartlett also said, “and I thought, ‘Wow. We’re going to give him a chance here.’ And the horse, all the credit in the world, he never gave up.”

DANDY IDEAL REPEAT



While Louprint’s 11-race win streak was snapped, Dandy Ideal returned to the winner’s circle after his eight-race win streak was snapped a week ago in a night prep at Pocono Downs. The American Ideal-Ok Heavenly gelding, bred by Stephen Dey and Dandy Farms Inc., won for the ninth time from 15 starts this season and the 14^e Time from 25 is entering its career and has now earned $1,142,949 for owners Susan Oakes, Thaddeus Wier and Alan Johnston.

“He’s had a good week,” Hunter Oakes said after the race. “I did a bridle change which seemed to help – he warmed up really well. Like what Jason said, when he came away in third I was like ‘first up again?’ But hats off to Jason, he’s done such a good job with him all year and he’s a good horse. He’s trying to find a way to win.”

Dandy Ideal sent the second pick in the betting and paid $14.70 to win.

Prince Hal Hanover moved unimpeded for most of the mile and sprinted home with ease to clinch the first Breeders Crown elimination as 4-5 chalk in a 1:49.1 mile.

Driver Todd McCarthy powered Prince Hal Hanover forward through a first quarter of :26.4 and carried the field back to a half of :56.1. He continued unchallenged into the final corner as Madden Oaks launched a first-over bid from seventh and marched steadily ahead through three-quarters in 1:23.1. McCarthy stepped on the accelerator as Prince Hal Hanover straightened for home and sailed home a length winner with ease. Fusion chased a pocket trip for second, while Sippononsearoc rallied from cover for third and Madden Oaks settled for fourth. TH Colby took the last spot in the final in fifth.

PRINCE HAL HANNOVER REPEAT



“It was probably a little slower than I thought, but he deserved a soft half,” Todd McCarthy said after the race. “He’s had some pretty big runs this year and I was really happy with the way he finished. I kind of wanted to push hard. I didn’t want there to be a challenge underneath me, so I thought there would be a few following him. He’s got such good gate speed that I thought I could get there early enough and try to dictate from there. So it kind of went to plan for us there tonight, and I feel like he’s doing pretty well going for next week.”

The Doc Moore trainee, from a pair of Breeders Crown winners in sire Captaintreacherous and dam Percy Bluechip, claimed his ninth win from 27 starts and has now earned $1,435,055 for owner Prince Hal Hanover Stable. His victory in the Breeders Crown elimination follows a defeat at The Red Mile, where he cut middle fractions of :52.4 and 1:19.4 before tiring to a third-place finish in a 1:48.1 mile.

“I think he’s happy to be home,” Dr. Moore said. “He’s been on the road a bit lately and I’m not sure if the last race was here. Maybe it was back in July. So it’s been a while and when I warmed him up tonight he was rock solid – he was very business-like, never let me go. Usually I like to jog the first lap a bit at a moderate speed, and he had no part of that. So I knew he was good tonight. And I saw that half and I thought, ‘wow, that goes happen’. everything will be fine.’

“He ran some tough races this year and was beaten a few times. The postal position and the way the race went may have had an influence on him,” said Dr. Moore too. “So we should at least get a decent draw in the final now, and hopefully we’ll have some luck there.”

Prince Hal Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, paid $3.90 to win.

Through Ray Cotoloin front of Woodbine Mohawk Park