The fastest Standardbred ever on Canadian soil, Ervin Hanover made his 2026 debut during the qualifying session at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Friday, May 15.
And the 2025 Older Pacing Horse of the Year in Canada and the U.S. picked up right where he left off after that memorable campaign.
With Louis-Philippe Roy at the controls, Ervin Hanover stalked pacesetting One Last Wish (Mark MacDonald) from the pocket through fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:24.2. Roy right-lined the six-year-old stallion in the stretch and the son of Captaintreacherous - Eloquent Grace responded with his signature late blazing speed. A final quarter of :26.1 sealed the deal for Ervin Hanover, home a winner in 1:50.4. One Last Wish finished second, 3-3/4 lengths in arrears while Christopher Dance N — a new arrival to the Menary stable — finished a solid third in his Canadian debut for driver James MacDonald.
Owned by Pollack Racing LLC of Venetia, Pa., Ervin Hanover won 10 of 17 starts and more than $1.1 million during his award-winning five-year-old campaign in 2025, highlighted by victories in the $347,222 Dayton Pacing Derby at Dayton Raceway and the $347,222 Jim Ewart Memorial at Scioto Downs. His richest and most historic win was at Mohawk in the $822,000 Breeders Crown, where he paced that aforementioned fastest mile in Canadian history: 1:46.2.
Menary told Standardbred Canada in February that Ervin Hanover wouldn't likely seek a repeat victory in the 2026 edition of the Camluck Classic, but he would hope to get a couple of starts under the Dan Patch and O'Brien Award winner's belt before the Mohawk Gold Cup on Pepsi North America Cup night in June.
Trainer Dustin Jones sent out a trio of triumphant sophomores on Friday morning, starting the session with pacing filly Cackle Berry (1:55.2) and ending the session with trotting colt Royal Captain (1:57.2). His third winner was 2025 Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final champ Bingo Night (1:57.2), with son Tyler handling the driving on all three winning horses.
The full qualifying session replay is available below.
For results from the qualifying session, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
(Standardbred Canada)