Beatgoeson Hanover put together a stellar effort to win a condition trot on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and matched a track record for aged trotting mares in the process.
The race, a condition for non-winner of $22,500 in the last five starts, carried a purse of $21,000.
Leaving from post position No. 2 in a field of nine as the 2-1 second choice, Beatgoeson Hanover (Andover Hall-Beat The Wheel), a five-year-old mare trained by Nifty Norman and owned by Neven Botica of Australia, sat fourth early as Dontgetinhisway cut out the opening quarter. Driver Ron Pierce sent the mare on a first-over journey on the Pocono front stretch and had the lead at the half. Beatgoeson Hanover did the rest from there, keeping everyone at bay and powering home for the win by one and a quarter lengths over Dontgetinhisway. Tui finished third.
The winning time of 1:52.1 matched the Pocono track record for four-year-old and over mares on the trot, which was established by Brighten Up in 2010. It was also a career mark for Beatgoeson Hanover, who won for the first time in five tries this season and for the 20th time in her career, giving her lifetime earnings of $976,059.
In other trotting action, Modern Family earned back-to-back wins in the $25,000 Preferred, scoring in 1:52.4 by half a length over Opening Night for trainer-driver Daryl Bier.
Saturday night was a good night for the pacers as well at Pocono, as horses took advantage of the excellent weather and fast surface to post several impressive times. Pence Hanover, with Andrew McCarthy in the bike for Aaron Lambert, won the $25,000 Preferred Pace in 1:49.4, while Steelhead Hanover, trained and driven by Joe Pavia Jr., won a condition pace earlier in the night in 1:49.1.
Driver Ron Pierce had the hot hand with six wins through the first 14 races on the card.
(With files from Pocono Downs)