Dr J Hanover paced the fastest mile in Canadian harness racing history winning a division of the Graduate Series in 1:46.4 early Saturday evening (June 3) at Mohawk Racetrack.
Doug McNair drove the four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere-So Perfect gelding for trainer Tony Alagna, local owner Bradley Grant and partners Robert Leblanc, Steven Wienick, and Irwin Samelman.
Dr J Hanover's winning time knocks two-fifths of a second off the former track and Canadian record set by Always B Miki last June on 2016 North America Cup Night in the Mohawk Gold Cup. It is also a world record for four-year-old pacing geldings and equalled Warrawee Needy’s overall world record for a four-year-old pacer.
McNair fired Dr J Hanover to the lead from post five over Roll Away Joe (Louis-Philippe Roy), but Boston Red Rocks (Brett Miller) was on the move from third at the :26.2 quarter mark and swept by with 1-2 favourite Lyons Snyder (Yannick Gingras) hot on his heels. Lyons Snyder took over by the :53 half-mile mark and was prompted through three-quarters in 1:20 with Boston Red Rocks moving back out and Dr J Hanover looming large on his cover. Boston Red Rocks struck in the stretch with Dr J Hanover flying outside to score the historic 1:46.4 victory, with his final quarter clocked in :26.1. Boston Red Rocks was defeated by three-quarters of a length while Roll Away Joe finished four and a quarter lengths back in third.
"I thought around the last turn he felt good," commented McNair, who drove Dr J Hanover for the first time. "At the head of the stretch he still felt good, and halfway down the lane I figured he had a pretty good shot but I couldn't believe it after. No one could believe it. That's a pretty big mile."
Winless in nine prior starts this season, Dr J Hanover was sent postward at odds of 15-1 and rewarded his backers with a $32.90 Win payout.
"They just told me he had pretty good gate speed. He's a nice horse and he's been racing on a small track the last six or eight starts. They told me if I can get him out of there, he should perform good and they were right."
The Alagna trainee now has nine career wins from 29 starts and earnings of $387,961.
Dr Jr Hanover's record-shattering victory occurred in a $67,230 second leg division of the Graduate Series for four-year-olds.
Driven by Jody Jamieson for trainer David Menary, 4-5 favourite Sintra was victorious in the other pacing division, fighting off Confederation Cup champion Western Fame in 1:49.3 to give him a perfect two-for-two record in the Graduate Series.
Sintra swept from third to first after a contested :26.3 opening quarter, clearing Western Fame (Trevor Henry) near the half in :53.3. The 4-5 favourite didn't face any serious threats through three-quarters in 1:21 until Western Fame launched his attack in the stretch. Western Fame appeared to gain the upper hand down the lane, but Sintra fought back to score by a nose while Easy Lover Hanover (Doug McNair) finished less than a length back in third.
Sintra's only loss this year in five races was in the Confederation Cup, where he finished third. The Mach Three-Dancin Barefoot gelding has won half of his 24 starts lifetime with tonight's Graduate win pushing his bankroll over the $400,000 mark for his Ontario-based connections, Brad Gray, Michael Guerriero, and Menary Racing Inc.
Dayson and driver Yannick Gingras also prevailed by a nose in a photo finish with Trolley and Marcus Miller to take the $100,845 trotting division in 1:52.3.
Trotting out from post five, Dayson worked his way to the top past the quarter in :27.3. The Ron Burke trainee was under immediate pressure as he cleared near the :56.1 half by Warrawee Roo (Sylvain Filion), who gained a short lead outside as they raced to three-quarters in 1:24.1. However, the 6-5 favourite rebuffed that rival turning for home, but 31-1 longshot Trolley made it a close call as he rallied off cover into the win photo. Trotting mare Broadway Donna (David Miller) also closed well from the outer flow to finish third, two and a quarter lengths behind the top pair and just in front of early leader Dia Monde (Randy Waples).
Dayson, who notched his first win in four outings this year, boasts 20 wins lifetime and earnings totalling $738,232. The Conway Hall-Nerveys Taurus gelding is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Our Horse Cents Stables, J And T Silva Stables LLC, and Rossie Smith.
In Mohawk's weekly $34,000 Preferred event, six-year-old millionaire pacer McWicked powered home off cover with a big closing kick to prevail in 1:48.4 by a head over Great Vintage. David Miller drove the son of McArdle out of Western Sahara for trainer Casie Coleman and owner Ed James.
Great Vintage (Yannick Gingras) took the lead from eventual third-place finisher Nirvana Seelster (Trevor Henry) after the :26.3 opener and cruised through a half in :54.2 and three-quarters in 1:22.2 before McWicked unleashed a :25.3 closing kick to collar the pacesetter for his 19th career win.
For recaps of tonight's Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, click here.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
For the official judges' report from Saturday's card, click the following link: Judges' Report - Mohawk - June 3.
Great racing by all. Dr J
Great racing by all. Dr J Hanover will not be that much overlooked in the future now