by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

“My husband wanted a Crazed, he didn’t paddle in his video and he’s a brother to a pacer,” Leigh Raymer said. “And he’s a fast pacer, so that intrigued Tyler as well.”

The gelding has quietly accumulated $442,329 from a record of 23-12-4-4 while competing primarily in New York Sire Stakes company, but his next performance will be in the Hoosier State on Friday (Nov. 1) in the $286,500 Carl Erskine Trot where he will take on the Kentucky Futurity and Yonkers Trot winners. Tirade Hanover will leave from post position four with David Miller in the bike and stands at 15-1 on the morning line.

“He’s the type of animal that doesn’t want to let you down,” Raymer said. “It’s enjoyable to race him every single start because you know you are going to get 100 percent effort.”

Dave Oxford photo

Tirade Hanover has won 12 times in 23 career starts, with earnings of $442,329.

Purchased for $10,000 at the 2011 Standardbred Horse Sale, Tirade Hanover is Teagarden Hanover’s 10th foal, is her swiftest trotter (3, 1:53.1s) and has the most money on his card.

As mentioned above, Tyler Raymer was responsible for selecting this trotter, but he is owned by his wife, along with Stephen Moss, Harold Solomon and Helane Solomon. He is a half-brother to Swagger (Muscles Yankee 4,1:56s, $203,852), Tamarack Hanover (Cantab Hall 1:55f, $104,830) and ironically, pacer Trottown King (SJ’s Caviar p,4,1:52.3f, $77,357).

As a freshman, the gelding captured his career debut on June 26, 2012 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in an $8,000 conditioned race for 2-year-olds. His next start on July 6 at Vernon Downs in a $29,936 New York Sire Stake was also a victory, but his subsequent engagement at Buffalo Raceway on July 13 was his first loss as he broke at the gate and came home fifth behind this year’s Hambletonian winner Royalty For Life. Tirade Hanover still managed to trot home fastest of all with a :28.3 final quarter and was actually the post time favorite.

In his next contest, again in New York Sire Stakes company at Yonkers Raceway, the gelding hit the wire first but was placed second. In his next seven starts, the gelding collected five wins, one second and one third. For the season he amassed $193,999 with a record of 11-7-2-1 and the second place finish was in the $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final, just a head behind Fashion Blizzard.

“He didn’t inherit his speed right away,” Raymer said. “He had to learn that, but once he figured out he could do it he really enjoyed it. He’s a natural at it. Even as a 2-year-old he had the maturity of an aged horse. To see how he rated his speed showed he was a mature, intelligent animal, so it wasn’t much of a shock to us he did so well (last year).”

Tirade Hanover kicked off this season with a victory in his $12,500 Empire Breeders Classic elimination at Vernon Downs on June 2, but struggled home eighth in the $259,900 final after being forwardly placed in the early stages of the race. To date, it is the only poor performance in his young career.

“He was just a little bit sick then (Empire Breeders Classic final),” Raymer said. “He had some allergy and breathing issues, so we worked on that and he’s been great since then. Like I said earlier he’s a mature and intelligent animal so he was telling us there was a problem.”

The gelding rebounded with a second, two thirds and a fifth, all in New York Sire Stakes company, before triumphing on four occasions in legs of the series. Tirade Hanover finished second again in this year’s $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final for his age, gait and gender and for the season has earned $248,330.

The Raymers are thrilled with what they consider an opportunity to show their horse off and give him a chance to show he does indeed possess the ability to go with the top horses in his division.

“My husband and I have both been to Indiana and we really like the racetrack as well as the people there,” Raymer said. “This is a great race and it’s a chance for us to go up against the big boys. We have always believed he can do it and now it’s his time to show he can. We will see how it fares.

“When we were staking him, we were just hoping for a nice sire stakes horse, but we decided to add on a few Grand Circuit races. This race was one of them and also the Matron. That’s because we are based out of Delaware for all 12 months of the year, so the Matron will also be on our home turf.”

Below is the field for this Friday’s Carl Erskine Trot.

The $286,500 Carl Erskine
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1-Spider Blue Chip-Ron Pierce-Chuck Sylvester-2-1
2-Creatine-Mike Lachance-Bob Stewart-5-2
3-E L Rocket-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-10-1
4-Tirade Hanover-David Miller-Leigh Raymer-15-1
5-Major Athens-Richard Stillings-Rich Gillock-20-1
6-Vibe Blue Chip-Ricky Macomber, Jr.-Ron Burke-9-2
7-Punxsutawney-Peter Wrenn-John Butenschoen-12-1
8-Your So Vain-Tim Tetrick-Bradley Maxwell-5-1
9-Pine Credit-Marcus Miller-Erv Miller-6-1
10-Dewycolorintheline-Mark MacDonald-Ray Schnittker-15-1