The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society (OSAS) welcomes in the tough campaigner, Derf Hanover. 

The talented trotter earned well over half a million dollars with 234 career starts in 10 seasons competing on track.

A son of Cantab Hall out of Drink N Drive, Derf Hanover earned his lifetime mark of 1:52.3 last year as a 10-year-old while racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park. A Mohawk regular for the past few years while owned by Triple S Equine, Derf Hanover started his racing career south of the border under the guidance of trainer Ake Svanstedt.

Bred by the renowned Hanover Shoe Farms, Derf Hanover sold as a yearling for $45,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale. It wasn’t until his four-year-old season that he found his groove and he performed steadily for the next few years, earning an average of more than $87,000 in each of his following six years at the track.

From his five-year-old season on, he raced in Ontario (with the exception of four starts in Pennsylvania in 2021). His last full season of racing was spent in the stable of Amanda and Tom Riley, who remember him fondly.

"'Derf' is quite the character; he likes to put on that he’s a grumpy, old man but with some treats and scratches, he melts right into you," said Tom. "He’s great with other horses; usually when he finds his pal, he doesn’t let anyone else in his little posse. He’s as tough as they come."

Derf Hanover is the most talented of his dam’s offspring, but his family is loaded with top performers. His dam is a half sister to $200,000 winner Cocktail Hour, who in turn is the dam of $1.3 million winner Bar Hopping. His second dam, Armbro Vermouth, is a full sister to the great Jefs Spice.

OSAS stated it is pleased to welcome Derf Hanover into its program where he will enter training once he’s decompressed from racetrack life.

(With files from OSAS)