Hannelore Hanover wired her competition and remained undefeated in six starts this season, taking the second division of the Miss Versatility second preliminary in a track-record mile of 1:50.2.
The reigning Horse of the Year floated to the top heading to the quarter with Ice Attraction sitting second. Hannelore Hanover trotted unchallenged on the lead through a :27.1 opening quarter and a :55.4 half but endured pressure as Celebrity Ruth pulled first over and drew alongside the tempo setter rounding the final turn.
Matching strides by three-quarters in 1:23.4, Hannelore Hanover maintained a length advantage on Celebrity Ruth through the stretch. Ice Attraction, with room at the pylons, skimmed the cones to snag second behind Hannelore Hanover, leaving Celebrity Ruth in third.
A winner in 42 of 54 starts, Hannelore Hanover, a six-year-old mare by Swan For All out of the Dream Vacation mare High Sobriety, returned $2.10 to win. The earner of over $2.7 million races for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino and Jerry and Theresa Silva Stables. Yannick Gingras was in the bike for trainer Ron Burke.
Brushing to the lead in the backstretch, Broadway Donna took control of the tempo and trotted clear to a 1:51.1 win in the first division of the Miss Versatility second preliminary.
Odds-on favourite Emoticon Hanover took control early, leading through a :28 opening quarter over NF Happenstance and Broadway Donna. Driver David Miller tipped the Jim Campbell trainee first over moving to the half and cleared the front through a :55.3 half.
Barn Bella flushed first over moving into the final turn, supplying cover to Royal Witch while Caprice Hill shot through a seam at the inside moving to three-quarters. Timed in 1:24, Broadway Donna turned for home in front of Emoticon Hanover drifting and chasing to the center of the course while Caprice Hill closed towards the pylons.
Broadway Donna finished one-and-three-quarter lengths in front of Caprice Hill in second, with Emoticon Hanover holding third from NF Happenstance in fourth.
Owned by Fashion Farms LLC, Broadway Donna collected her third win in five starts this season and her 20th in 37 overall, amassing $1,320,323 in earnings. The five-year-old mare by Donato Hanover from the Broadway Hall mare Broadway Schooner returned $6.60 to win.
Round two of the Miss Versatility was held on the Saturday stakes card at the Meadowlands, with recaps of the other highlighted events available on the 2018 Meadowlands Pace News Centre.