Undefeated in his sophomore season, Jurgen Hanover celebrated his biggest win yet on Sunday night at Vernon Downs in the $259,900 Empire Breeders Classic for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
David Miller steered Jurgen Hanover to his seventh consecutive victory in a lifetime-best 1:53.4 for trainer Donna Marshall and owners Gerald Smiley of Montreal, Que., Norman Smiley of Boca Raton, Florida and the T L P Stable of Kearny, New Jersey.
Tirade Hanover and Blackwolf Run engaged in an early lead for the battle with the latter clearing before the former quickly moved back out for the retake through a scorching :26.2 opening panel. But after watching that duel from third, Modest Prince rolled to the top as the field moved past the half-mile mark in :56.1. Meanwhile, Fico tipped off the pylons from mid-pack with Jurgen Hanover following his cover.
Modest Prince continued to lead the way to three-quarters in 1:24.4 and opened up four lengths on his foes into the stretch, but Jurgen Hanover was able to reel him in with :28.3 final quarter speed to prevail by one length. Twisted Pretzel came on for third, nearly four lengths behind.
Jurgen Hanover paid $3.30 to win as the race favourite. The son of Credit Winner is now seven-for-nine in his career with earnings soaring to almost $190,000.
Lola De Vie completed an Empire Breeders Classic sweep of the sophomore trot divisions for sire Credit Winner with her narrow score in the $237,600 filly stake with Jim Morrill Jr. at the controls for trainer Chris Ryder and owner/breeder Joie De Vie Farm of Jobstown, New Jersey.
Elimination winner Perfect Alliance carved out panels of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:26.3 with Wygant Lady in the pocket, Royal Malinda parked and pressing, and Lola De Vie waiting patiently to strike from fourth.
Lola De Vie found room at the pylons in the stretch and unleashed a :28.3 final frame to out-sprint the apparent second-place finisher, Wygant Lady, and a from-last Proclaiming April to the wire. The top three were separated by just a neck in a career-best 1:55.3 clocking for Lola Da Vie. However, the runner-up was placed back to last (ninth) after causing interference in the stretch. Proclaiming April inherited second and Perfect Alliance, who finished less than a length behind, was bumped up to third.
Lola De Vie, a second-place finisher in her elimination, paid $8.40 to win as the slight favourite. She is now three-for-five on the year and has five wins in 14 career starts with earnings amounting to nearly $195,000.
Not to be out-shown, JK Panache took advantage of an opening :25.1 quarter by Checkinthebox in Sunday’s night-cap, and after taking charge before the half, zipped on to a convincing 1:49.3 triumph in the weekend’s $10,000 Open Pace that not only proved to be the swiftest score of the current campaign, but a fresh record for four-year-old altered sidewheelers. The sizzling mile trimmed one-fifth of a second off the standard for this class that had been set by Melvyn last August. Chris Lems logged a double with the all-time fastest tally by the bay son of Art Major, who is registered to trainer Dave Dewhurst and his partner Philip K. Hale.
(With files from Vernon Downs)