Cecil Hanover, in the absence Ponda Jet following a place finish to that powerhouse gelding in the top class last time, went down the road out of his assigned post seven to post an easy 1:54.2 victory in the $41,667 Open Handicap Trot at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Tuesday, April 14.
Driver Devon Tharps hustled Cecil Hanover to the fore from the widest post and built a comfortable lead through a :27.2 first quarter. No challengers loomed on the march to the midway mark, leaving Cecil Hanover to coast on the point and grab a solid breather to a :58.1 half before hitting the accelerator on the backstretch. Cecil Hanover quickened and maintained a healthy advantage to three-quarters in 1:26, shutting the door on his rivals and cruising home a 2-1/2-length winner. Little Expensive (Tyler Miller) charged furiously from off the speed in his seasonal bow to take second while pocket-sitter Herecomesdajudge (Marcus Miller) finished third.
A six-year-old gelding by Chapter Seven-Columbia, Cecil Hanover has now won three races from eight starts this season and 17 from 53 in his career, earning $810,709. The Per Engblom trainee competes for owners FAC Racing LLC and Yannick and Jaiden Gingras. He returned $4.62 to win.
Live racing at Oak Grove resumes on Monday, April 20. First-race post time is 1:10 p.m. (CDT).
(Oak Grove)