by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — It took him some time to round into form this year, but once Aracache Hanover worked himself into proper condition, the 4-year-old stallion had his picture taken and exhibited the talent which earned his connections $731,317 last year.

“I didn’t start him back until April and only gave him one qualifier,” explained Gregg McNair, who conditions the horse. “I didn’t really do too much with him and probably should have qualified him a couple more times before we started racing him, but he seems to have got himself back and is doing well. He takes darn good care of himself.”

The son of Dragon Again-Armbro Cachet was purchased for $37,000 as a yearling at the 2008 Standardbred Horse Sale by William Switala and James Martin of Clarence Center, N.Y. He is the first foal out of his dam, who the McNairs raced during her career before she was sold to Hanover Shoe Farms.

Although he didn’t set the world afire at two, with $37,454 in purse money and a slate of 11-2-1-3, last year Aracache Hanover rewarded his connections handsomely.

After finishing third in the $500,000 Hoosier Cup and a $97,000 Burlington Stakes division, the colt reeled off seven straight triumphs from June 21, including the $525,120 Confederation Cup final, before placing second in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final on September 4.

Maywood Park photo

Aracache Hanover was a head winner over One More Laugh in the 2010 Windy City Pace.

Aracache Hanover then finished seventh in the $240,457 Simcoe Stakes, fifth in his Little Brown Jug elimination after leaving from the eight hole, fifth in a $111,500 Bluegrass Stakes division, seventh in the $604,000 Tattersalls Pace, second in the $245,000 American-National, first in the $200,000 Windy City Pace and fourth in the $172,000 Cleveland Classic.

It took until his eighth start this year, which was a $50,000 Ben Franklin elimination on June 26, for Aracache Hanover to return to the winner’s circle, although he did finish seventh in the $306,000 Molson Pace and fourth in the $208,000 Bettor’s Delight.

With this week’s victory, the stallion lowered his lifetime mark to 1:49.1f and all his connections hope for is a good draw for the final to be held on Sunday, July 3, which includes fellow elimination winner and Dan Patch Award recipient Won The West, last year’s race victor Vintage Master, recent world champion Bettor Sweet, last year’s Pennsylvania Sire Stakes winner We Will See, as well as Atochia, Foiled Again and Ideal Matters.

Most everyone involved in this business acknowledges the transition from three to four for a racehorse can be a difficult one, but Aracache Hanover’s trainer is fairly confident the stallion can do so successfully.

“He’s grown a little bit bigger from this year to last year, but otherwise there’s not much of a difference to him physically and he always was a nice-looking horse, like most of the Dragon Agains,” said McNair, who is a Guelph, Ontario, resident and coming off a career year in earnings (nearly $2.8 million). “He’s got really good gate speed and is probably best on a half-mile track, but he’s good pretty much everywhere he goes. He’s a stud and can be loud in the stall, but otherwise he’s very easy to take care of and our chances in the final for this race will definitely be determined by the post position draw.”

Just like last year, the stallion is staked to most of the major events for his age, gender and gait and if all continues to go well, he will continue racing until late this fall.

“He’s paid into everything he can be including races like the Haughton,” McNair said. “We will see how everything goes and we don’t expect him to beat these top Invitational pacers every week. We are just hoping he can go with them most of the time. They are a tough group.”

The $500,000 Ben Franklin Final
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Bettor Sweet-Brian Sears-Thomas Cancelliere
2-We Will See-Ron Pierce-Sam DePinto
3-Aracache Hanover-Brian Sears-Gregg McNair
4-Atochia-George Napolitano, Jr.-Ron Burke
5-Ideal Matters-Dave Palone-Noel Daley
6-Foiled Again-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke
7-Vintage Master-Daniel Dube-Jimmy Takter
8-Won The West-David Miller-Ron Burke