Addison Hanover ventured to Saratoga Casino Hotel this summer to compete out of the stable of the meet’s leading trainer Brett Derue.
Since heading to the Spa, Addison Hanover has been a winning machine. The son of Somebeachsomewhere has climbed the class ranks all the way up into the Open in recent weeks. A beaten favourite when a third-place finisher in the last installment of the Open Pace on Nov. 4, the Derue-trained five-year-old was once again heavily backed by the betting public in this week’s $15,000 feature.
Driver Billy Dobson wasted little time moving the favourite to the lead quarter-moving Addison Hanover to take over from Talking Tom (Chris Long) in a :26.4 first quarter. The favourite stood tall in a first half clocked in :56.1 before checking in at three quarters in 1:24.2. Feeling just mild pressure throughout, Addison Hanover powered away to win by better than two lengths while stopping the timer in 1:52.2, a new lifetime mark for the five-year-old. Talking Tom sat the pocket to finish second for the second consecutive week while Century Endeavor (Brett Beckwith) earned the show spot.
Addison Hanover paid $4.40 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $9.40 and $23.60, respectively. The winner is owned by Stephen Picarazzi, Brett Derue and Darreyl Bullard who scored two victories on the card as their Squadron Seelster pulled off a mild upset earlier in the evening in a conditional race for pacers. Dobson piloted both Derue trainees to their Saturday scores.
Live harness racing continues on Sunday, Nov. 12 with a matinee set to kick off at noon.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)