by Leon Zimmerman, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Trenton, NJ — Current Hanover, who upset heavily favored Platinum Hanover and 2-year-old Breeders Crown champion Calgary Hanover last week, will face those pacing fillies again in a field of 11 on Friday night (May 25) in a $20,000 elimination race for the $200,000 Tom D’Altrui Miss New Jersey Pace, which will be contested on June 2 at The Meadowlands.

Only one of the 11 fillies will be eliminated, as the top 10 finishers will qualify for the final of the SBOANJ-sponsored race that is named for Thomas N. D’Altrui, the long-time SBOANJ Board member and officer who has been a leading Standardbred breeder in New Jersey as the owner of DI Farms.

Current Hanover, to be driven again by George Brennan, won a $36,000 preliminary New Jersey Sire Stakes race at 15-1 odds on May 18 by 2-3/4 lengths over 8-5 favorite Platinum Yankee, who had won five of nine previous starts this year. Calgary Hanover, who earned $372,635 with a mark of 1:53.2 at 2, was another half length back in third.

All three fillies are sired by Western Ideal.

Calgary Hanover, to be driven by Mike Lachance, drew post two, while Current Hanover will be in post six and Platinum Hanover, with Andy Miller driving, is in post nine.

Also in the field will be three other fillies sired by Western Ideal — Speed Date, Artistic Ideal and Ideal Sunrise; three by Artiscape — Me And My Baby, Lady Mattgalane and Striptease Hall; and two by Artsplace — Southwind Rio and Career Artist.