The 2024 season finale at The Loop in Winnipeg, Man. featured a sibling rivalry in the afternoon's co-feature, and that mile produced a track record performance.

Eight-year-old Armycaptain Hanover came into Saturday's top-class tilt as the horse to knock to off. His seasonal summary at The Loop read 5-3-1 from nine starts, sent off as the public choice in the last eight of those appearances.

His younger brother, six-year-old Aime Hanover, was climbing the class ladder after spending the summer stateside competing at Running Aces. For Aime Hanover, it was his first appearance in the Open this year and first Open test since last September.

Sent off as the slight 8-5 second choice, Aime Hanover had a mission on Saturday, and that mission wasn't based on his brother. It was a front-end mission from driver Darryl Mason, and it was mission accomplished. Aime Hanover had the hammer down and carved out fractions of :29.1, :58.2 and 1:28 before being urged home to complete the mission by Mason. With big brother up on the rim and closing for driver Michel Rey, Aime Hanover hit the wire a length to the good in a time of 1:58.1. Armycaptin Hanover finished a length back in second with Appoggiatura (Clayton Braybrook) best of the rest in third.

Aime Hanover is trained by Sherri Mason, and she co-owns the son of Betting Line-Allamerican Coed with Darryl Mason. He's now a five-time winner this year and 13-time winner in his career with nearly $125,000 in purse earnings. He returned $5.30 to win. 

That mile time matched the 1:58.1 track record for older pacing geldings established last October by none other than the 2023 version of Aime Hanover.

It was the second track record of the day as Outlaw Allie Oops ($3.80) delivered in the $5,073 finale as the 4-5 favourite. Michel Rey guided the daughter of Blue Burner-Isle Of Shoals to a wire-to-wire wallop, winning by 10 lengths while tripping the timer in 1:58. That mile time equalled the overall track record held by P L Jackson while besting I Will Do It's 1:58.2 mark for older pacing mares.

Trevor Williams trains and co-owns 28-time winner Outlaw Allie Oops with Timothy Gordon of Spruce Grove, Alta. Her earnings elevated to $156,624 with the victory.

Ten-year-old Tami Blue pounced on tired front-runners to prevail over younger rivals in the season finale at The Loop on Saturday, Oct. 12 and pick up her first Open class victory.

A field of five distaffers were assembled for the $6,150 Fillies & Mares Open Pace, with last week's Open winner Nonversation sent off as the 7-5 choice from post three. Richard Remillard watched from fourth with Nonversation as  Singing Ramona (Don Howlett) and Hurry Home (Darryl Mason) slugged it out through a :27.4 opening quarter. Hurry Home hustled hard from her post four starting spot, but the rail position of Singing Ramona gave her the advantage heading into the far turn. Mason took the pocket spot and allowed Singing Ramona to cut the mile.

Remillard started his bid with favoured Nonversation first up heading to the half, and pressured Singing Ramona through a :58.2 half and 1:29.2 third station. With Nonversation stalled on the outside, Dean Rey launched One Last Bet from fifth into a three-wide rush through the three-quarter marker to engage the leader. Shuffled to fifth, Tami Blue and Clayton Braybrook followed that three-wide attack and maintained that path around the far turn.

As One Last Bet put away Singing Ramona to take the lead turning for home, Tami Blue had the freshest legs and clear sailing around that bend. The veteran took over and held off a resurgent One Last Bet for the 2:02.2 victory by half a length. Singing Ramona completed the top trio.

Tami Blue (Blue Burner-Jomars Tami) is owned, trained and driven by Braybrook of Kindersley, Sask. With her second win of the season, the bay now sports 16 wins with $75,268 in earnings. She returned $8.30 to her $2 win supporters.

Team Howlett — driver Don and trainer Mathew — picked up a pair of wins on the Saturday card to clinch the track's driving and training titles. Don's 22 tallies at The Loop in 2024 topped the drivers' standings, besting Michel Rey (18) and Dean Rey (13). Mathew's 20 trips to the winner's circle were the most prolific, topping Richard Rey (17) and Sherri Mason (13).

For the results from Saturday's card of harness racing in Manitoba, click the following link: Saturday Results - The Loop.

(Standardbred Canada)