Steelhead Hanover won the second division of the New York Sire Stakes, worth $48,995, in a track record time of 1:52.3 at Buffalo Raceway Saturday night
. The win was the first this season in two attempts for Steelhead Hanover, who won four times last year and banked $147,290.
The three-year-old Bettors Delight colt out of the Rustler Hanover mare Special Beauty eclipsed the former track record of 1:53.1, held jointly by Corner Blitz (2008) and Gimmebackmybullets (2007).
Steelhead Hanover ($3.20), the prohibitive favourite in the race driven by reinsman Jim Morrill Jr., settled in third as eventual third place finisher Union Man Hanover (Jeff Gregory) hit the quarter in :27.4. Morrill gave 'Steelhead' his cue and the talented colt shot right to the lead, then cut the rest of the fractions -- :56.1 to the half and 1:24.3 to the three-quarters. A scintillating :28-second last quarter-mile put the winner four and a half lengths ahead of second place finisher JK Panache (Kevin Cummings) at the finish line.
“He could have gone a lot faster,” said Morrill. “I had him totally under wraps in the stretch. He went 1:51 at Dover last year as a two-year-old. I think you’ll hear a lot about this guy in the future.”
Steelhead Hanover is trained by Joe Pavia Jr. and owned by Agc Stables, Dijo Racing, Joseph Barbera and Steven Held.
The other Sire Stakes winners were: Lawgiver Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr.) in 1:54.4 ($48,095 purse); and Forever Just (Gary Gregory) in 1:54.3 ($48,095 purse).
The five Excelsior ($12,600) winners were: Mr Erv (Jim Morrill Jr.) in 1:56.2; Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) in 1:55.2; Raymond J (Jeff Gregory) in 1:57.1; Arts Delight (Shawn Gray) in 1:56.3; and Gallant Major (Dan Noble) in 1:57.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)