by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
East Rutherford, NJ — Hannelore Hanover and Broadway Donna each won a $30,000 division of the Miss Versatility Series for older female trotters Saturday (July 14) at the Meadowlands Racetrack, with Hannelore Hanover’s 1:50.2 score coming up just one-fifth of a second off the year’s fastest trotting mile.
Hannelore Hanover, the defending Horse of the Year, was sent off at 1-9 and led from start to finish for driver Yannick Gingras. Ice Attraction, who tried to reel in Hannelore Hanover from the inside in the stretch, finished second while Celebrity Ruth, who tried to challenge for the lead on the final turn, was third. The margin of victory was a half-length.
“I was just measuring it in the stretch,” Gingras said. “I don’t want to go more than I have to. She was really good.”
Hannelore Hanover, a daughter of Swan For All-High Sobriety, has won all six of her starts this year and earned $233,338. For her career, she has won 42 of 64 races and $2.70 million. The 6-year-old mare is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, the Weaver Bruscemi partnership, Frank Baldachino, and J&T Silva Stables.
Hannelore Hanover paid $2.10 to win.
Broadway Donna won her Miss Versatility division in 1:51.1, equaling her career mark. The 5-year-old mare took the lead from Emoticon Hanover on the backstretch and never looked back on her way to victory by 1-1/2 lengths over Caprice Hill. Emoticon Hanover finished third.
“I expected a little more speed early in the race,” winning driver David Miller said. “When I saw (the opening quarter) in :28, I thought I better make a move. I had to go a good second quarter, but she relaxed and had plenty left on the end of it. She seems really good right now. She’s getting pretty wise to racing, she knows what it’s all about.”
Broadway Donna has won three of five races this year and earned $43,750 for owner Fashion Farms and trainer Jim Campbell. The daughter of Donato Hanover-Broadway Schooner has won 20 of 37 career races and $1.32 million.
Sent off at odds of 2-1, Broadway Donna paid $6.60 to win.