Hightstown, NJ – Tom Pollack entered this season with high hopes for Ervin Hanover, and the 5-year-old pacing stallion has done his best to meet his owner’s expectations, particularly over the past two months.
Ervin Hanover has posted five wins and a second in his six starts since the calendar turned to August, with that lone setback coming by a head in the final of the Grade 1 Canadian Pacing Derby. He won his two most recent outings – the Grade 2 Jim Ewart Memorial at Eldorado Scioto Downs and a free-for-all pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park – in 1:47.2, which is tied for the third-fastest mark of the season by an older pacer. His $412,218 in seasonal earnings also are third among older pacers in North America.
On Saturday, the son of Captaintreacherous-Eloquent Grace will head to the $250,000 Grade 2 Dayton Pacing Derby at Hollywood Dayton Raceway as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of nine that brings together the winners of the sport’s four most recent graded stakes for older male pacers: Ervin Hanover (Ewart), Maximus Miki (Canadian Pacing Derby and Hoosier Park Pacing Derby) and Captain Albano (Aria Invitational).
First-race post time is 6:30 p.m. (EDT) for a card that also includes the Grade 2 Dayton Distaff Derby, with Twin B Joe Fresh and Sylvia Hanover at 3-5 and 9-5, respectively, on the morning line; Grade 2 Dayton Trotting Derby, with 9-5 morning-line chalk Lexus Kody; and Grade 1 Dayton Oaks Derby, with 2-1 morning-line choice M-M’s Dream.
“He’s found his groove,” Pollack said about Ervin Hanover. “We’ve got our work cut out for us (Saturday) because there are other sharp horses in that race, but hopefully, he shows up and puts his best foot forward again. We’re excited.”
Ervin Hanover was a multiple stakes winner at ages 2 and 3 for trainer Ron Burke, picking up eight victories in 33 starts and earning $355,300, before Pollack bought him at the end of his sophomore season. Last year at age 4, Ervin Hanover won eight of 25 races and banked $106,267. He closed his campaign on a high note, with four consecutive victories at Woodbine Mohawk Park, including a 1:47.3 score in a Preferred in mid-November.
This season, Ervin Hanover was second-placed-first in the Camluck Classic and added a win in a Preferred at Mohawk before off-the-board finishes in the Dave Brower Memorial (fifth), William R. Haughton Memorial (sixth) and Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial (fourth) preceded his current hot streak.
“He kind of caught our eye because he would step up every now and again and go a big mile,” Pollack said about his initial interest in acquiring Ervin Hanover. “He wasn’t the most consistent horse at that point, but he showed glimpses of, wow, he can really go with the top ones. We could never predict whether he was going to be a Grand Circuit horse, but for sure he would fit our program of buying good horses and racing in upper conditions and opens. We took a shot.
“His 4-year-old year was up and down, like a lot of horses, and then last winter he figured it out and found himself. That’s cool. That’s when we really started to get excited about him. At the start of this season, he had some tough trips and wasn’t maybe as sharp as he was in the winter when we put him away. But he went back to Canada (in August) and has been lights out ever since.”
Ervin Hanover will start the Dayton Pacing Derby from post four with Louis-Philippe Roy in the sulky for trainer Dave Menary.
“Thanks to Dave and his team for doing such a great job with him, managing him and having him ready to race every start,” Pollack said. “(Ervin Hanover’s) versatility and his consistency are his two biggest attributes. He can go around any size track, he shows up every week. It’s a competitive group and he’s been right there with them.”
Maximus Miki, the 7-2 second choice in the Dayton Pacing Derby, will leave from post three with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Tom Cancelliere. Captain Albano, who is 9-2, starts from post two with Todd McCarthy in the sulky for trainer Noel Daley.
For free online programs for Hollywood Dayton Raceway, visit the track’s website here.