After inclement weather delayed the $69,000 New Holland Pacing Series final a week, Dave Menary trainee Brue Hanover completed his sweep of the three-race series on an action-packed Saturday, April 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Menary won both New Holland finals with Brue Hanover getting his time in the spotlight after stablemate New Rules won the trotting title last Saturday night.
Sent postward as the 1-2 favourite following a pair of dominant victories in the preliminary pacing legs, Brue Hanover posted another powerful score in the final, sweeping the series by a combined 13 lengths.
After a contested :26.3 opening quarter, driver Doug McNair gave Brue Hanover his cue from third and cleared to command as they hit the half in :55.3. There was never an anxious moment from there as the favourite was clear on top at three-quarters in 1:23.3 and paced away in the stretch for the 1:50.3 victory over the 'good' track. Jabberwocky and Trevor Henry made late gains in the stretch from the backfield to finish second, but still 4-1/4 lengths behind the winner, while Powertrain shot through along the pylons to round out the top three for James MacDonald.
Another Menary trainee, American History, who posted Canada's first sub-1:50 mile of the season in an opening round division with Louis-Philippe Roy, ended up sixth this night.
Brue Hanover, a five-year-old gelding by Stay Hungry out of Blind Ambition, hit the six-figure mark for seasonal earnings and went over the $400,000 mark lifetime. Owned by Pennsylvania's Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, the 23-time career winner joined the Menary stable for his perfect run in the series and improved his seasonal record to five-for-seven.
The New Holland Series was for non-winners of $150,000 (fillies & mares $175,000) in 2024.
Taurasi, Canada's 2024 Older Pacing Horse of the Year, earned his first victory of the season in Preferred action earlier on the card with Doug McNair also driving this popular pacer.
Making his third start of the year in the $36,000 Preferred, even-money favourite Taurasi advanced from fifth mid-mile and collared the Roy-driven pacesetter, Odds On Capitalism (:27.1, :56, 1:24), in a photo finish for the 1:52 triumph, with Merigo Magic and MacDonald searching for room at the pylons to maintain third position over the late-closing Poseidon Seelster, the 2024 New Holland champion.
An 11-time Preferred winner last year, the six-year-old Racing Hill-Voluminous gelding is owned by Brad Grant of Milton, Ont., and Alagna Racing of Jackson, New Jersey. McNair's father Gregg trains the career winner of 24 races with earnings just shy of $730,000.
Canada's season leading trainer Jodie Cullen won early and often on Saturday night, making three visits to the winner's circle during the first half of the 10-race card with Respect Our Flag ($13.40), Pipewrench Charlie ($13.60) and Codename Cigar Box ($3.80).
It was a family affair with Cullen's son Travis driving all three winners and co-owning with her husband Ron. Paul Saunders also shares ownership of Respect Our Flag and Codename Cigar Box.
Cullen led all trainers in Canada for wins in 2024 with a career-best 241 during her third consecutive $2 million season. The Saturday training triple pushed her 2025 win total to 72 for a 19-win lead in the national standings.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(Standardbred Canada)