Reigning Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover bested the boys from post 12 in the $182,500 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial final, edging by Will Take Charge in the final strides to win the mile-and-an-eighth affair in 2:06 on Saturday, May 5 at the Meadowlands.
"[Post 12] wasn't ideal for sure, but even though some people say 12 is better than 10, I would've taken the 10," Yannick Gingras said after the race.
Positioned seventh at the quarter, Hannelore Hanover sat off a :26.1 quarter established by Will Take Charge overtaking post-10 leaver I Know My Chip. Crazy Wow soon made a move from third for the front and gained control of the tempo through a :55.1 half while stablemate Hannelore Hanover grabbed cover from Mambo Lindy moving to the turn.
Mambo Lindy trotted to Crazy Wow's wheel into the final turn and passing three quarters, timed in 1:24.4. He began to falter from his first-over bid into the stretch as driver Yannick Gingras tipped Hannelore Hanover three wide. Crazy Wow fought to hold control, but Will Take Charge dashed through an opening to his inside to take a narrow lead in deep stretch as Hannelore Hanover rushed through the center of the track to get her neck in front at the wire.
Crazy Wow held third and Warrawee Roo, rallying from fourth over, took fourth.
Winning her 37th race in 59 starts, Hannelore Hanover, a six-year-old mare by Swan For All out of the Dream Vacation mare High Sobriety, has amassed $2,565,064 in career earnings. Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino and Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables and trained by Ron Burke, she returned $3.40 to win.
"At the top of the stretch, I thought that was going to be an easy one to be honest," Gingras said. "But Crazy Wow was fighting pretty hard, then Timmy [Tetrick on Will Take Charge] came up the inside and I was a little worried. Halfway down the stretch, she kicked in and I thought I had them.
"She's definitely better now than the way she started the year last year. I think she was winning last year early on just because she was better but I think this year she started the year real strong and hopefully she has as good a year as she did last year."
Filibuster Hanover brushed to control through the backstretch and held control through the remainder of the mile-and-an-eighth contest to take the first division of the Graduate Pacing Series in 2:04.
Highalator and Western Joe swooped to control from posts nine and 10 respectively, with Highalator getting to the rail and parking Western Joe to the quarter, timed in :24.4. Western Joe cleared command rounding into the backstretch and maintained the lead before Filibuster Hanover, the 2-5 favourite, rushed uncovered from fourth in pursuit of the front. After a half in :54, Yannick Gingras and Filibuster Hanover circled to the top.
Bags To Riches marched first over moving into the final turn, dragging Eddard Hanover second over and Funknwaffles third over. He drew within three lengths of the lead at three quarters, timed in 1:22.3, while Filibuster Hanover remained a length and a quarter in front. Western Joe, off a pocket trip, lunged through a seam at the inside in the stretch after Filibuster Hanover, but missed narrowly. Bags To Riches finished third and Funknwaffles was fourth.
A four-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Hanover mare Fashion Ecstasy, Filibuster Hanover, owned by Burke Racing Stable, Joe Di Scala Jr., Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables and Weaver Bruscemi, won on debut, collecting his eighth win in 34 starts career and earning $863,428 to date. Trained by Ron Burke and driven by Yannick Gingras, he paid $2.80 to win.
Donttellmeagain dashed off cover in the stretch to take the second division of the Graduate, going a mile and an eighth in 2:04.1.
Rock N Tony paced to the lead following a :27.1 opening quarter, giving Lawrencetown Beach the pocket. Mikes Z Tam sat third and Macs Jackpot fourth through the backstretch, but Macs Jackpot flushed first over passing the half, timed in :56.1.
Macs Jackpot progressed to be within a length of the lead moving around the final turn, carrying Donttellmeagain second over. Matching strides with Rock N Tony through three quarters in 1:24.3, Macs Jackpot faded a touch at the head of the stretch, giving Rock N Tony control.
Donttellmeagain angled toward the center of the track and sprinted to challenge for the front into the final eighth. Lawrencetown Beach, through a gap at the pylons, rallied late but took second. Macs Jackpot, in between horses, was third narrowly and Rock N Tony settled for fourth.
Owned by Paton Racing Stables Inc., Donttellmeagain, a four-year-old gelding by Dragon Again out of the D M Dilinger mare Donttellmewhattodo, won his 14th race in 21 starts, compiling $246,060 in earnings. Trained by Jim King Jr. and driven by Tim Tetrick, he paid $10.00 to win.