Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Hanover Stakes Highlight Balmoral Saturday

June 16, 2007

The 2007 Hanover Stakes season kicked off on Saturday night (June 16) at Balmoral Park with five big stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds sharing top billing. Freshman pacing fillies were the first to get things started with a total of 17 youngsters slugging it out in a pair of $25,000 splits.

The first division provided an eye-catching performance as Beachy Girl cruised to a 1-1/2 length victory in 1:54.4 for Ryan Anderson.

“I figured that if I had control of the race they weren’t going to be able to beat us,” said Anderson.

“I knew that Kelly’s Keepsake was the one to beat and that she had been sitting on our back the entire way,” explained Anderson. “But I drove this filly in both of her qualifiers and I knew she still had plenty left for me.”

Drawing away from her main rival, Beachy Girl was well in hand to her pilot as she rolled under the wire with a new national season’s mark. Kelly’s Keepsake held on for second while Zoom Past You (Charlie Conrad) was third.

In the second division Ali Cat gamely held off the late bid of another Illinois bred, Mokey, to win by a nose in 1:56.1 for driver Dave Magee.

“I wanted to try and get the jump on Mokey because I knew she had been getting a perfect trip behind us,” explained the Hall of Fame reinsman.

“I really thought we were going to get passed by the horse on the inside,” said a relieved Magee. “My filly really showed me something by digging in with all she had and holding the other filly off.”

Mokey settled for the bridesmaid role while 28-1 longshot Kim’s Intended (Brandon Simpson) turned a nice ground saving journey into a third place finish.

Next up were 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers. With a total of 15 youngsters dropping into the box this stake was split into a pair of $26,000 tussles.

Taking advantage of breaks by the two favorites in the betting, Martiniwith Olives scored in wire-to-wire fashion while stopping the clock in 1:56.2.

“I really didn’t want to be on the lead,” explained Simpson. “I was looking to get a trip but when that horse made a break in the turn I figured I had better take advantage of it.”

Art Official (Ryan Anderson) gave Seekman another check, finishing second with a strong closing kick. Snow Storm Sam (John Duke Sugg) was third.

“I was really surprised to see him on the front since we’ve raced him from behind in his qualifiers,” the Michigan based trainer explained. “He’s got a wicked closing kick though and he kind of showed that again tonight even though he was on the lead.”

Seekman also stated that both of his Hanover winners would now get some time off before resuming their stakes schedules.

In the second division Littlebitoflife continued to turn heads with a front stepping win in a national season's best of 1:53.3.

“We got stung pretty hard by Holland going to the quarter,” said winning driver Ryan Anderson.

The Voice Of Truth (Dave Magee) turned a pylon skimming trip into a second place check while a tired Youth Uprising held on for third.

“We still had more in the tank at the wire,” he said. “This is a big strong colt that was well prepared and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here.”

The only trot of the night came next as an overflow field of 11 3-year-old colts and geldings slugged it out for $38,700.

Despite having to start from the second tier, Superior Judge ruled this field, trotting to a 1-3/4 length triumph in a lifetime best of 1:56.1.

“I really wasn’t worried about the second tier,” said Ackerman. “I just wanted to keep him settled down back there because he can get a little wound up at times.”
After fighting off a first over challenge from Bertorico (Homer Hochstetler), Superior Judge was well within himself as he trotted to his third win in four starts this season.

“I’m really pleased with the way he raced tonight,” said a happy Ackerman. “He was well in hand throughout the stretch so I never had anything to worry about.”

Another big field went postward in the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace as 12 sophomores competed for a purse of $53,300.

In a thrilling finish it was trainer Ken Rucker who wound up with the top two checks as Exterminator nosed out Johnny Charisma in 1:51.1.

The win was the seventh in 10 starts this year for the son of Arturo, who will be headed to Hawthorne for the Chicago Stake next week.

The final two events of the night featured sophomore pacing fillies, with 14 ladies battling in a pair of $29,800 splits.

Another Illinois bred proved best in the opening split as Faith Leigh upset the highly regarded Cabana Fever in a career best 1:51.1.

Taking advantage of a textbook steer from driver Brent Holland, the state-bred daughter of Incredible sat chilly in the pocket as Fox Valley Sarong ripped through splits of :27.4, :55.4 and 1:24.

“This horse was perfect sitting in the hole tonight,” said Holland. “I know Erv’s (trainer Erv Miller) been making some changes on her and they paid off tonight.”

The final event on this busy night went as expected as HBH Standardbred’s Sportsfancy posted her sixth straight win, knocking off six rivals in 1:53.1.

“With a short field and as strong as she is I kind of figured nobody would take a run at us in the early going,” said Anderson. “But I never thought we’d be able to steal a second quarter as slow as that one was.”

“I was just holding on to her when that horse came up alongside us,” said Anderson. “I had her wrapped up the entire way. I just hope she stays like this all the way to Super Night.”

Sprinting home in a blistering :26.3, this Hanover Stake wound up being a walk in the park for Sportsfancy as she cruised under the wire with a 1-1/2 length verdict. Real Velocity was second while Perdido finished third.