Chester, PA – Ken Hanover and driver Tim Tetrick made a three-wide move on the final turn to overtake dueling leaders Maximus Miki and Coaches Corner, then held off a swarm of rivals in the stretch to win Sunday’s (May 24) $100,000 Grade 3 Joseph Auger Memorial Invitational by a neck over Mossdale Ben N in 1:49.2 at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The top five finishers were separated by three-quarters of a length, with For Once Inmy Life third, Coaches Corner fourth, and defending Auger champ Bythemissal fifth.
Tetrick guided Ken Hanover to the victory from post 8, the outermost spot on the starting gate, for trainer Roland “Polie” Mallar. The 6-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-KJ’s Justine is owned by Mallar, Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan and Dennis Osterholt.
Mossdale Ben N took the early lead from post 5 and brought the field to the opening quarter in :26.2 before yielding to Maximus Miki, who had pushed forward from post 4. Maximus Miki led to the half in :54.2, but Coaches Corner was on the charge first-over from fourth, with Ken Hanover following that cover.
Maximus Miki reached three-quarters in 1:21.4 while locked in battle with Coaches Corner, who grabbed the lead briefly in the stretch before Ken Hanover’s arrival.
“Luckily, I got a good spot in the first turn and got lively cover,” Tetrick said. “My horse is a good closer, he can do it either way, but he likes a target. Today, we got a pretty good trip, and it worked out for him.”
Tetrick added about the finish, “It was a horserace. I told Polie that I cleared a little soon with him; when he gets by them, he thinks it’s over. (Mossdale Ben N) had a lot of run up the inside – he got held up a little bit by (Maximus Miki) – but it doesn’t say that on the paycheck, so it all worked out.”
Ken Hanover improved to 2-for-2 this year and has won 23 of 60 race lifetime, with $1.26 million in earnings. Last year, he won eight races, with half of them coming in graded stakes.
Tetrick took over as Ken Hanover’s driver this season after David Miller returned to Ohio at the end of last year.
“It was a great pickup,” Tetrick said. “He was a great horse last year; he competed at the top level all year. When Dave left to go back home, I got the call, and I was real appreciative of that.
“It feels like he’s come back really good,” he added. “He’s happy and he’s so easy to drive. He’s a fun little horse to be part of.”
Ken Hanover, sent off as the 7-2 co-second choice behind 4-5 Maximus Miki, paid $9.60 to win.
Earlier in the day, Huntinthelastdolar made a first-over move from fourth after the half-mile point, took the lead exiting the final turn, and won the $50,000 #SendItIn Invitational Pace by 2-3/4 lengths in a career-best 1:49.1. Captain Optimistic and Twisted Destiny finished in a dead heat for second.
Sweet Beach Life led the eight-horse field through fractions of :26.1, :54.1 and 1:21.4 before Huntinthelastdolar, the 9-2 second choice, took control in the stretch.
Per Engblom trains Huntinthelastdolar for owners E Five Racing and John Fielding. The son of Huntsville-Eighthunrdolarbill was driven to victory by Jason Bartlett. It was the 6-year-old gelding’s fourth win in seven starts this season and 27th in 78 career races. He has earned $1.36 million lifetime.
Super Sunday got off to an auspicious start as the Betting Line gelding Young Bluey A went wire-to-wire in 1:50.1 in a $25,000 Open pace. Yannick Gingras hustled the winner to the lead soon after the start and put down fractions of :26.4, :54.3, and 1:22.4. Favored Redwood Hanover sat the perfect pocket trip but couldn’t get closer than 1-1/4 lengths at the finish as the recent Aussie import triumphed for trainer Jared Bako and owner David Kryway. Young Bluey A took a new mark in his fourth Stateside start (three wins) and caused the initial track rating of “good” to be immediately upgraded to “fast.”