by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — So far during his 2-year-old season, Luckycharm Hanover seems to have little in common with older stablemate Corleone Kosmos, except when it comes to one aspect: Talent.

When Corleone Kosmos was a youngster, he went off stride frequently. He raced only once as a 2-year-old and seven times at 3 and made breaks in seven of those eight races. He later blossomed into a top older trotter, winning the 2008 Breeders Crown and 2007 Nat Ray on his way to $1.94 million in earnings thus far in his career.

Luckycharm Hanover, on the other hand, might be blossoming now. Last weekend, he won his elimination race for Saturday’s C$539,000 Valley Victory at Woodbine Racetrack. In his two previous starts, he won a division of the International Stallion Stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile and was second in a division of the Bluegrass.

New Image Media photo

Luckycharm Hanover has hit the board in nine of 11 starts this year, with earnings of $182,977.

He has won three of 11 races and earned $182,977 for owners Arthur Rudolph, Rudolph Stables and Bernard Owen. The same group owns Corleone Kosmos.

“It seems we have another good one,” said Bryan Owen, the stable’s spokesman. “I’ve liked (Luckycharm Hanover) since the winter, since the first time I saw him train. He trained down basically perfect. He’s had very few problems. He’s been on schedule all year, on our schedule.

“The first thing I liked about him is he’s very clean. I don’t want to jinx us, but his lines are perfect. He just seems to trot. It’s funny because it’s the opposite of Corleone. Where Corleone wouldn’t do anything right, (Luckycharm Hanover) did everything right.”

Luckycharm Hanover, a son of Andover Hall-Lady Luck Hanover who was purchased for $90,000 as a yearling at the Standardbred Horse Sale, was unlucky when it came to post positions in two previous big races. He got post No. 10 for his Peter Haughton Memorial elimination and failed to advance to the final. He got post No. 8 for his Breeders Crown elim, and again missed the final.

Interestingly, the colt’s performance in the Haughton, with driver John Campbell, gave Owen a good feeling.

“He must have gone the last eighth (of a mile) between 12 and 13 seconds,” Owen said. “Campbell was knifing him in and out of horses in the stretch and he was flying. We were just too far back to make the final. But 2-year-olds don’t make moves like that unless they’ve got talent.

“Breeders Crown (elimination) night was kind of the same thing,” he added. “We just could never get into the race from the eight hole.”

In addition to his three wins, Luckycharm Hanover has three second-place finishes. The first two runner-up finishes were by a nose and a neck.

“I think he’s lost three races by less than a head combined,” Owen said, adding with a laugh, “Maybe he needs a different nose.”

Campbell will drive Luckycharm Hanover in the Valley Victory. Campbell has finished worse than second only once (the Haughton elim) in six starts with the colt.

Luckycharm Hanover won his Valley Victory elim by four lengths over The Evictor in 1:56.2. Blue Porsche won the other elim, defeating William Wellwood Memorial champion Pastor Stephen by three-quarters of a length in a Canadian record 1:54.4. Blue Porsche is one of four Blair Burgess-trained horses in the 10-horse final.

“We’re in with some pretty good ones,” Owen said. “Blue Porsche looked very impressive and Pastor Stephen basically went with him. But I think we’re coming into form at the right time. We’re getting better every start. I think we have a chance. I think the times are deceiving because we won by four at the line. I think we have a lot left in the tank for this week.

“I don’t know if the horse is the best or not, I suspect we might be a little bit below Pastor Stephen and Blue Porsche, but I think we’ll be pretty close. I think we can go (1):55 flat. We’ve kind of become the afterthought, which is fine with me. The only thing I’m sure of is the horse should give us a good effort.”

Here is the Valley Victory field in post position order with listed drivers and trainers. The connections of elimination winners Blue Porsche and Luckycharm Hanover selected their starting spots:

1. Whiskey Tax, TBA, Tom Durand; 2. Blue Porsche, Trevor Ritchie, Blair Burgess; 3. Luckycharm Hanover, John Campbell, Darren McCall; 4. For You Almostfree, Yannick Gingras, Blair Burgess; 5. The Evictor, David Miller, John Butenschoen; 6. Can Anyone Explain, Steve Condren, Blair Burgess; 7. Pegasus Blue Chip, Jody Jamieson, Blair Burgess; 8. Mr Web Page, Ron Pierce, Roman Lopez; 9. Pastor Stephen, Yannick Gingras, Jimmy Takter; 10. Highland Thunder, Mark MacDonald, Mike Keeling.