Hannelore Hanover seeks large payday in Crown Open Trot
October 26, 2017,by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Rich Fisher
Trenton, NJ — There could be numerous theories and reasons as to why Ron Burke is racing trotting mare Hannelore Hanover against the boys in Saturday’s (Oct. 28) $526,250 Breeders Crown Open Trot final at Hoosier Park.
But the answer is simple and logical.
The trainer pointed out that one reason overrides all the rest. Sounding like the Jerry Maguire of harness racing, Burke is thinking in terms of “Show me the money” when he notes the Open Trot purse is twice the size of the Mare Trot, which Hannelore Hanover won last year.
“For me, it’s very simple,” Burke said. “They go for 500, the other one goes for 250. I’m gonna take a chance going for 500.”
It looks like sound thinking so far, as Hannelore Hanover won her elimination race last Saturday in 1:52.4. The daughter of Swan For All and High Sobriety stormed quickly from the gate and led throughout as Yannick Gingras brought her home in a final panel of :27.
Dean Gillette photo
Hannelore Hanover won her elimination race last Saturday in 1:52.4.
She drew the fourth pole position in the final.
“We were very happy,” Burke said after the elimination race. “She did what she was supposed to. She got an easy half and she finished off strong with her ear plugs in.”
It was an upgrade from the previous week, when Hannelore Hanover finished second behind Churita in the $70,000 Indiana Sires Stakes for older trotting mares.
“Last week we were a little bit worried,” Burke said. “To take nothing away from Churita she wasn’t even a good second, she kind of gave it up a little bit. That’s not like her.”
Nothing some new-old shoes couldn’t cure.
“We went back to the drawing board again,” Burke said after the elim. “Last week I tried a different shoe on her for the first time in her life. Really, I think that was it, I don’t think she liked the shoe. I put her old shoes back on and she was better today.”
Hannelore Hanover is not just the only mare in the final, she is the only horse to break 1:50 as her best time this season was a world record 1:49.2. She has hit the board in 13 of 15 races this season with eight wins and five places and her $689,754 in earnings is the second highest total in the field. The horse could be in line for some post-season honors, but that is the least of Burke’s worries.
“Obviously you love the awards at the end of the year, but for me she doesn’t need to get any award to prove anything,” Burke said. “She’s the best trotting mare right now. That’s a tough call because Emoticon Hanover and Pasithea Face; these are good horses. I have all the confidence in her and I’m going to give her the chance to be the best.”
Hannelore Hanover is trying to become the third mare to win the Open Trot and first since Moni Maker in 1998. CR Kay Suzie turned the trick in 1996.
Burke also trains Crazy Wow, who went wire-to-wire in the second elimination with Gingras bringing him around in 1:53 to pull off the sweep. The son of Crazed and No Pan No Gain will leave from the second post and try to improve on a season in which 15 starts have produced five firsts, four seconds, two thirds and $551,306 in earnings.
“I’m very happy,” Burke said. “He’s had a few bad bumps, but he’s won a lot of major races. I think, right now, he’s right there for aged (male) Trotter of the Year.”
Adding big-time name recognition to the final is Marion Marauder, the 2016 Triple Crown Winner who came from the back to finish second, 1-3/4 lengths behind Crazy Wow in the eliminations. He drew the five hole this Saturday.
“We knew it was going to be one of those races with a short field, where it’s hard to get positioned and we were going to have to take what we get,” trainer Mike Keeling said. “Scott (Zeron, driver) said he was vicious down near the wire, so we’re very pleased with him.”
Marion Marauder is having another big year as a 4-year-old. He leads all finalists with $712,347 in purse money, having won three of nine starts along with three seconds and a third.
“Marauder raced exceptionally well at Yonkers (in finishing second in the $1 million International Trot) and followed that up with another great effort in the elims, coming from last,” Zeron said. “He has a nice post position Saturday and I look forward to facing other strong competitors.”
Another horse also overcame a slow start in the second elimination, as Resolve used a late burst up the rail to take fifth and sneak into the final. He has four wins in 12 season’s starts and earnings of $486,399.
“He was good again,” said trainer Ake Svanstedt, who will drive Resolve from the rail on Saturday. “I went to the inside with him and I thought (Lookslikeachpndale) was going to take the passing lane, so I went outside, but then he went outside also. Then I went back over to start over. But he came home fast.
“I’m happy with him. He raced with shoes and it was his best race with shoes. He had the power today. If he is normal, he is very strong and I can go with him earlier. He can go on the outside and is very strong.”
Following is the field for Saturday’s $526,250 Breeders Crown Open Trot.
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Line
1-Resolve-Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt-10/1
2-Crazy Wow-David Miller-Ron Burke-9/2
3-Homicide Hunter-Brett Miller-Chris Oakes-8/1
4-Hannelore Hanover-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-7/5
5-Marion Marauder-Scott Zeron-Paula Wellwood-5/1
6-Lookslikeachpndale-Daniel Dube-Luc Blais-20/1
7-Pinkman-Brian Sears-Jimmy Takter-30/1
8-Il Sogno Dream-Corey Callahan-Christopher Beaver-20/1
9-Gural Hanover-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-15/1
10-Mambo Lindy-Tim Tetrick-Frank Antonacci-15/1
Hoosier Park, in conjunction with Roberts Communications, will offer live steaming and replays of the Breeders Crown races at www.hoosierpark.com/racing/2017breederscrown/.
- Hannelore Hanover, Crazy Wow capture Crown Open Trot eliminations (Saturday, October 21, 2017)
- Breeders Crown ‘everything you could dream about’ for Pink Pistol’s owners (Monday, October 23, 2017)
Seven years ago, horse agent Pete Shody saw a 4-year-old female trotter named August Revenue win by nearly 10 lengths in 1:54 at Pocono and called her owners to see if the mare was for sale. She was not, he was told, because she was going to be bred. But Shody did not forget about her. Five years later, the Ontario-based Shody came across a 2-year-old female trotter for sale online for $6,000 Canadian. Her name was Pink Pistol and she was a daughter of August Revenue. Shody was interested immediately. After checking out the Cantab Hall-sired filly, he convinced his wife, Sharon Cameron, and several partners to buy her. On Friday, she will compete in the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Indiana.
- Darlinonthebeach is ‘coming into form’ heading into Breeders Crown (Monday, October 23, 2017)
Darlinonthebeach can end a lot of frustration and take care of some unfinished family business with a good trip this Friday (Oct. 27). Trainer Nancy Johansson’s horse is 3-1 on the morning line for the $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace at Hoosier Park. Darlinonthebeach won the first of two eliminations this past Friday in 1:49.3, while race favorite Nike Franco N (2-1) won the second elimination in 1:51.2.
- Magee shifts from Breeders Crown winner to judge (Monday, October 23, 2017)
Once a harness driver, always a harness driver. For someone with nearly 12,000 race wins and more than $100 million in earnings, that statement would have to be spot-on, no? Not for Dave Magee, whose highly successful driving career on the Chicagoland circuit has now seen him transition to an associate judge at Indiana’s Hoosier Park, a position enhanced by the fact that Magee had a nearly four-decade career in the bike.
- Caviart Ally looks to rebound in Breeders Crown final (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)
After letting a lead slip away in her elimination, Caviart Ally will try and be a little less zealous and a lot more powerful down the stretch in Friday’s $500,000 Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old female pacers at Hoosier Park.
- JL Cruze, Pasithea Face S scratched from Breeders Crown (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)
JL Cruze, a winner of $364,974 this year, who finished third in his Breeders Crown elimination at Hoosier Park on Saturday (Oct. 21) and drew post position two for the $526,250 Open Trot final, was scratched today with a slight injury.
- Final fields drawn for Friday, Saturday Crown events (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)
Post positions for the final four Breeders Crown races were drawn Monday night (Oct. 23) along with induction ceremonies for the Indiana Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Hoosier Park. Hannlelore Hanover drew post 4 in the Open Trot final.
- Indiana connections looking to cement local legacy in 2017 Breeders Crown (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)
When the Breeders Crown kicks off Friday night (Oct. 27) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, Indiana’s breeding program will be represented by 10 entries in the 12 championship races. Two of those Indiana-sired starters hail from a partnership that was formed just last winter when trainer Jamie Macomber was connected with Z Tam Stables through Hoosier horseman Wilbur Eash. Now, the connections of sophomore pacers Beckhams Z Tam and Carol’s Z Tam are hoping dreams can come true this weekend.
- Breeders Crown finals in Grand Circuit spotlight (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)
The 12 Breeders Crown championship events at Hoosier Park will be front and center in the Grand Circuit spotlight this week.
- Post Time Special: All Bets Off (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)
With a mark of 1:48.2 set at Rosecroft Raceway at the age of 5, 27 wins from 100 starts and 63 in-the-money finishes and $2,836,082 in lifetime earnings, it’s safe to say that All Bets Off oozes class as a racehorse.
- Manchego aims for historic Breeders Crown victory (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)
Manchego will put her perfect record on the line in Friday’s $600,000 Breeders Crown for 2-year-old female trotters at Hoosier Park and a victory there would be historic. None of the previous 33 winners of the event for 2-year-old female trotters has been undefeated.
- Elimination winners hope to continue success in Crown final (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)
After watching their 3-year-old male trotters win two of the three $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations last weekend, trainers Frank M. Antonacci and Domenico Cecere will look to continue their success in Saturday’s (Oct. 28) $527,500 final at Hoosier Park. In the first elimination, International Moni posted a victory in 1:52.4, while Lindy The Great won the second elimination in 1:53.
- Rock N Tony providing connections with first Breeders Crown finalist (Thursday, October 26, 2017)
Owner Anthony Lombardi of Illinois finally has his first Breeders Crown finalist in sophomore pacing gelding Rock N Tony. Trained by Erv Miller for Lombardi and partner Rocco Ruffolo, the 3-year-old Rockin Image-Pandemonious gelding is peaking at the right time for a shot at Breeders Crown glory.
- Wrenn makes return to Breeders Crown (Thursday, October 26, 2017)
This weekend, Peter Wrenn returns to the Breeders Crown finals for the first time in 21 years. He hopes to create a few more memories in the event, which is Friday and Saturday nights at Wrenn’s home track, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
- Shnitzledosomethin is out to stamp himself as a superstar in Breeders Crown (Thursday, October 26, 2017)
He is no stranger to the sport’s marquee event, as owner Howard Taylor has collected four Breeders Crown trophies, but this year’s edition on Friday (Oct. 27) and Saturday (Oct. 28) at Hoosier Park could be scintillating for the Philadelphia resident. Shnitzledosomethin, one of five entries Taylor is involved with in this year’s edition, possesses the opportunity to not only redeem his sire’s second place finish in the 2010 Crown sophomore male pace, but to place himself firmly on center stage as a truly special horse.
- It’s “Obvious” Mark Steacy means business in Breeders Crown (Thursday, October 26, 2017)
Trainer Mark Steacy has only one starter in the 2017 Breeders Crown, but his history in these championship races makes Obvious Blue Chip an obvious horse to watch Friday night at Hoosier Park.
- Less is more for Fourth Dimension (Friday, October 27, 2017)
For Fourth Dimension, it was the classic case of addition by subtraction. Despite racing well enough in the preliminary legs to qualify for the New York Sire Stakes final at Yonkers, the freshman trotting colt was held out by trainer Marcus Melander. He felt Fourth Dimension had nothing left to prove in the Empire State and wanted to save him for the Breeders Crown. Removing the NYSS from the equation has paid off so far, as Fourth Dimension was a winner in last Saturday’s Breeders Crown 2-year-old colt and gelding elimination races at Hoosier Park. He enters Saturday’s final as the 5-2 favorite starting from the No. 4 post position.
- Merriman hopes Crown win is in the cards (Friday, October 27, 2017)
Aaron Merriman got Dealt A Winner and will try to play a winning hand in Saturday’s (Oct. 28) $421,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Dealt A Winner and Mach It So each won an elimination last week, with David Miller driving both. Miller will drive Mach It So in Saturday’s final, so Merriman was called upon to drive Dealt A Winner. A 5-year-old gelding, Dealt A Winner is the 3-1 morning-line favorite, with Mach It So next at 7-2.
- Luc Blais loaded for Breeders Crown trotting events (Friday, October 27, 2017)
Trainer Luc Blais is feeling good about the horses he has in this year’s $6 million Breeders Crown at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Ind., but there’s also a feeling of melancholy because he’ll be competing without his greatest horse, Intimidate. The 8-year-old gelding was retired earlier this year.