by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — The only time Pirouette Hanover has failed to finish in the top three, was a fourth place finish in her career debut and her conditioner feels she is ready to unleash a terrific effort in her Breeders Crown final on Saturday (Oct. 29).

“We gave her a couple weeks after her last stint in Canada to gear up for the Breeders Crown,” explained Ed Hart. “We’ve qualified her easy a couple times and I stretched her out last week at Mohawk. I think she’s coming into the race very well and I like her (chances).”

The 2-year-old daughter of Western Ideal and Paula’s Best, who captured the 2006 New York Sire Stakes Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies, was purchased for $135,000 at last year’s Standardbred Horse Sale by Jeffrey Snyder. Pirouette Hanover is the first foal out of her dam and has earned $414,305 from her nine-race career, with three victories, three second-place finishes and two thirds. Her lifetime mark of 1:51.1 was established on July 16 at the Meadowlands when she won the $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for her age, sex and gait. The time was a New Jersey Sire Stakes record.

Lisa photo

Pirouette Hanover set her lifetime mark of 1:51.1 in capturing the New Jersey Sire Stakes final.

Her triumphs also include the $363,900 Sweetheart Final on August 20, which was the last time she had her photograph taken. Pirouette Hanover, however, has been the runner-up in the $58,750 Countess Adios on August 5 at the Meadowlands, and a $35,350 elimination for the She’s A Great Lady on August 27 at Mohawk. She was third in the $645,660 final on Sept. 3 and in the $239,801 Champlain Stakes on Sept. 10.

The filly will leave from the three hole in Saturday night’s $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old Filly Pace Final with Ron Pierce in the bike.

“She was tough to train down early and it wasn’t until late spring that she started picking her game up,” Hart, a Middletown, N.Y., resident that trained this filly’s dam early in her career, said. “She was just a feisty filly that took a lot longer to mature, but in general she’s a nice filly to be around. She always has a nice attitude and is just a classy filly.”

Her trainer, who won the Meadowlands Pace with Roll With Joe on the same night Pirouette Hanover came home first in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final, feels the filly is always on her game, but is especially proud of her performance in the Sweetheart.

“She has been good in all of her races, but to do what she did from the 10 hole was a huge effort,” Hart said. “That was tremendous and again what she did in the She’s A Great Lady was quite an effort. She had the 10 hole there, too, and she really did a lot of work. Those were two very hard starts, but she raced excellent. She has a very tough heart.”

He does feel post position could hinder another of his Breeders Crown contestants, the aforementioned Roll With Joe, who he considers to be one of the top 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

“I absolutely think he is (one of the best in his division),” the 55-year-old said. “He’s another one that has overcome some tough posts and still been very good. It definitely bothered him in the Cane Pace at Pocono Downs. That night was a disaster from the word go, but he was on the outside in the Meadowlands Pace and still did well. He also had a good post for the Battle of the Brandywine (which he won).”

Hart isn’t concerned the bit of a layoff will hamper his filly’s chances Saturday night.

“I don’t think that’s a concern,” he said. “Over the last two weeks, I’ve gotten some work into her and she is ready to go. She’s in a good frame of mind and she’s a tough filly that doesn’t need too much work. All I need to do is keep her happy and keep her sound.”

Editor’s Note: For more Breeders Crown news and exclusive features, visit the USTA’s Breeders Crown mini-site by clicking on this link.