by Bill Heller, for The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund

Latham, NY — Here is one in a series of closer looks at the eight New York Sire Stakes divisional leaders and their biggest threats in the $1.8 million Night of Champions at Yonkers Raceway on Sept. 22.

Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot

The Leader: Tirade Hanover, a gelded son of Crazed, out of Teagarden Hanover, by Royal Strength, owned by Leigh Nichol, Stephen Moss and Harold and Helane Solomon, trained by Tyler Raymer.

When you’re not at your best, and you still win a $48,789 division of the New York Sire Stakes 2-year-old colt and gelding trot from post eight on Monticello Raceway’s half-mile track, you’re pretty special. Which Tirade Hanover is.

With Brian Sears driving, Tirade Hanover held off Blackwolf Run and Ruckus by a half-length in 2:01 as the 1-2 favorite in the third NYSS division at Monticello this past Wednesday. The final time wasn’t even close to Fashion Blizzard’s 1:58.2 score in the middle division, though Wannacmyguns took the first division in 2:01.2.

Tirade Hanover’s final quarter was :30.1, nothing close to final panels of :27.3 at Vernon Downs, :28.2 at Batavia, and :28.3 at Buffalo and Saratoga that he’d trotted earlier this summer.

“Brian and I were a little concerned, so we had him scoped,” said Tyler Raymer. “He just came out of it a little sick, nothing that’s not treatable. Even when he’s not perfect, he has the will to win. He’s a special animal. Horses like him don’t come around too often.”

Raymer expects Tirade Hanover to be OK in time for the final NYSS race, Sept. 13 at Yonkers Raceway, which is also the site of the $225,000 final on the Night of Champions.

The 37-year-old Raymer, who races horses off his farm in the Poconos, had Tirade Hanover’s 2-year-old season mapped out to compete in the New York Sire Stakes.

“That’s been the plan all along,” he said. “The New York program is the best program, not just from a money point of view. They actually allow them to learn to be a good horse. The competition is good enough, and the races are spaced out. He’ll end the year with 11 starts.”

Tirade Hanover couldn’t have started his year any better, winning a 2-year-old race at Pocono Downs in 1:58.4 by 9-1/4 lengths, then a 2-year-old stakes at the Pennsylvania track by 9-1/2 lengths in 1:58 at odds of 1-10. When he made his Sire Stakes debut at Vernon Downs, he drew the eight post, but won anyway in 1:57, quite a performance for a 2-year-old making his second pari-mutuel start.

His victory at Monticello was his sixth in nine starts, with one second and one third. He’s already topped $100,000 in earnings.

The 242 points he’s earned in the NYSS give him a comfortable cushion in the standings. Explosive Action, who broke in the first division at Monticello at 1-10, is second with 200, followed by Royalty For Life (192), Fashion Blizzard (175), Creditora (125), Insider Access (119), Blackwolf Run (115), Wannacmyguns (108) and Lindys Creditline (105). Twisted Pretzel and Prove Up are tied at 100, while Ex King and Theraputic are tied at 95.

Only the top eight qualify for the $225,000 final, and the Sept. 13 NYSS at Yonkers is the last chance to make it.

Tirade Hanover’s biggest threat may be Fashion Blizzard, who finished third in the Peter Haughton Memorial final before winning two straight NYSS divisions at Tioga Downs and Monticello.