Hightstown, NJ – Mitchell York is not someone who typically races horses this late in the season, especially a 2-year-old, but Thai Hanover will be a rare exception when he goes behind the starting gate in Thursday’s $122,600 Grade 3 Matron Stakes for freshman male pacers at Bally’s Dover.
Thai Hanover, a two-time Grand Circuit winner, will get his opportunity thanks to a consistent campaign that has seen him hit the board in nine of 13 races while facing some of the sport’s top 2-year-old male pacers along the way. That trend will continue Thursday, when he leaves from post one with Jeremy Indof driving for co-owner/trainer York in the Matron. He is 8-1 on the morning line.
“He drew well, I just wish he could have drawn in with another group of horses,” York said with a laugh. “But I’m excited about the race. I hope they know he’s there. That’s just a tough group of colts, but he’s raced with them on and off all year, and he’s always been competitive. Hopefully, he’s competitive again.”
Thai Hanover’s competition in the eight-horse Matron field includes Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion and Metro Pace runner-up Frantic Hanover (the 5-2 morning-line favorite with Tim Tetrick driving for trainer Ron Burke), multiple graded-stakes winner and Breeders Crown third-place finisher Melillo (7-2, Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Burke) and New York Sire Stakes champion and Big Apple Pace winner Fragment (9-2, Jason Bartlett, Per Engblom).
Frantic Hanover and Fragment rank second and third, respectively, in seasonal earnings among freshman male pacers, with more than $500,000 each.
“Some years are a little weaker, but this year was just an amazing group,” said York, who has watched Thai Hanover at some point this season face six of the eight 2-year-old male pacers to win in 1:49.4 or faster. “They’re all phenomenal.”
Thai Hanover, a $14,000 yearling purchase from the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale, has earned $116,891 this season for York and his wife, Erin. The son of Stay Hungry-Tempest Blue Chip is the ninth six-figure-earner out of his dam and his family also includes millionaire Kenneth J and O’Brien Award-winner Percy Bluechip, the mother of this year’s Grade 1 Adios champ Prince Hal Hanover.
“He’s what we could afford, which is how we always buy,” York said. “We were lucky enough to buy his full sister (Tempt Me Hanover for $24,000 in a September Preferred Equine Online auction), so we’ll see how she is next year.”
Thai Hanover heads to the Matron off an Oct. 20 win in a $45,950 division of the Simpson Memorial Stakes at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, covering the mile in 1:55.2 over a sloppy track. He also captured the $48,000 Standardbred Stakes for 2-year-old male pacers on Sept. 17 at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio, stopping the timer in 1:52.1.
For the year, Thai Hanover has posted four wins, four seconds and a third in 13 races. Two of his seconds came against Frantic Hanover and another came against Melillo. His third came in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes (G3) at Lexington’s Red Mile, where he set the tempo before finishing a length behind Signal Caller in a 1:48.4 mile. He nearly held for second but was nosed out by Ubrute.
“I never thought I’d have a 2-year-old go in 1:49, and we got 1:49 and finished third,” York said. “But he’s been consistent all year. He can leave really well, and he still finishes OK. I think he’s matured a lot throughout the year. He’s nice in the barn, but he was a little bit hard to handle in the paddock on race day. He’s getting calmer. The more he races, the more he learns.”
The Matron will be Thai Hanover’s final start of the campaign.
“We’ve never raced this far into the year with a 2-year-old,” York said. “Hopefully, he continues to mature and grows during the winter and comes back as a nice 3-year-old. That’s what we’re looking forward to. I feel blessed with him, that’s for sure.”
Racing begins at 4:30 p.m. at Bally’s Dover. In addition to the Matron for 2-year-old male pacers, there will be a $110,300 Matron for 2-year-old female trotters and $104,900 Matron for 2-year-old female pacers.
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