Even though Ben Wallace took some time to discuss Apprentice Hanover this week, the conditioner is hoping that the streaking son of Somebeachsomewhere continues to speak for himself courtesy of his performances out on the racetrack.
It is no secret that the four-year-old bay horse is on top of his game – an eight-race win streak tends to turn some heads.
Greg Gangle of the Woodbine Entertainment Group recently caught up with Wallace, just days ahead of the bay’s Saturday tilt with Preferred pacers at Woodbine Racetrack (Race 2, PP5, J. Jamieson, 6-5).
“He’s a good horse who’s on top of his game right now,” Wallace said. “He’s just had a great run. Jody has raced him great, too. He’s protected him where he had to and he’s been good at the wire. The horse hasn’t taken a deep breath all winter, he’s been that good.”
In terms of Apprentice Hanover’s form heading into Saturday’s Preferred, Wallace couldn’t have given his charge a more ringing endorsement if he tried. “Right now as I stand here,” said Wallace, “he is as good as he maybe has ever been. We’re hoping that he has a summer where he can pick up some pieces and go forward.”
Before Wallace’s ‘Apprentice’ can set his sights on the summer stakes, his first task at hand will be to put his best foot forward in the multi-leg Levy Series, which will kick off next weekend (Saturday, March 22) over Yonkers Raceway’s half-mile course.
“All things considered, he’ll be there a week Saturday in the opening round,” said Wallace. “Whether we go five weeks in a row with him or not is another story, but I think a half-mile track suits him great. He was really good at Northfield. I don’t think there is a track that bothers him. He’s just a nice horse right now.”
It is well known that the jump to the aged ranks is a big one, and Wallace said that he will be keeping everything in perspective.
“Brad (Apprentice Hanover’s owner, Brad Grant) and I have sat down,” said Wallace. “He’s going to be eligible for everything, (but) whether we go to everything is another story. We will pick and choose. We’re not foolish enough to think that we can show up everywhere because that’s a whole new world for him. Those aged pacers are a tough, tough group, but if we get our right spots here and there and somebody gets a bit foolish, we’ll be around at the wire with them.”
Continuing, Wallace said, “There are no illusions of grandeur here. Until he does something that suggests he should be in the sentence with those horses (Foiled Again, Clear Vision, etc.) I am not about to say it. But as I go forward with him I confidently feel that we might, but as we stand here right now let’s do it first and talk about it later.”
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Woodbine, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Woodbine Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)