Attention, all you Pennsylvania studs who’ve been dominating sires stakes. You’re about to meet rivals from the first crops of two new shooters who are determined to take some of your cash away.
Those new players are Papi Rob Hanover and Tall Dark Stranger, and filly pacers from their first crops will be heavily represented in Thursday’s $180,221 USD Pennsylvania Sires Stakes, known as the Sand Tart, at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The Independence Day card blasts off at 12:45 p.m. and also features a $100,000 USD PA Stallion Series event for freshman filly pacers.
Of the 17 fillies scheduled to compete in the Sand Tart, six (more than one-third) are by Papi Rob Hanover or Tall Dark Stranger, a total that matches the six produced by Captaintreacherous or Sweet Lou, two longtime pillars of the Pennsylvania breeding industry.
And who wouldn’t want to have a Tall Dark Stranger or Papi Rob Hanover? Tall Dark Stranger was the 2020 U.S. Horse of the Year and banked more than $2 million in his racing career. For his part, Papi Rob Hanover paced to a world-record 1:47.1 in an elimination of the 2020 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, his final race before injuries forced his retirement. That remains the all-age pacing mark at The Meadows.
Papi Rob Hanover and Tall Dark Stranger youngsters are plentiful throughout the sport and ready to do battle on many fronts.
You don’t have to tell U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Linda Toscano about the Papi Rob Hanovers.
“I saw that amazing mile he raced in his Adios elimination,” said Toscano. “I liked the horse and thought he would be a good sire.”
In the Sand Tart, she’ll be sending out a pair of Papi Rob Hanover youngsters: Odds On You (Race 6, Post 6, Andrew McCarthy), a homebred for Carl Howard and Odds On Racing, and Allegra Hanover (Race 3, Post 3, McCarthy), whom Toscano purchased for $90,000 for owners Jablonsky Held Stable, South Mountain Stables, JAF Racing LLC and Camelot Stable Inc. Odds On You, a larger filly, is eligible to most of the rich stakes, but Toscano has chosen a different approach for Allegra Hanover, who’s on the small side.
“She won both her baby races and she handles like a little sports car. We’re starting her out in Pennsylvania and she’ll be eligible to more as the year goes on.”
At this point of the season, it’s too early to predict what impact first crops might make, but Toscano is certain about one thing.
“I don't see any reason why Papi Rob Hanover and Tall Dark Stranger both can’t be top sires,” she said. “I think everybody’s excited about the new sires. It makes buying yearlings a little bit easier.”
(With files from Meadows Standardbred Owners Association; Photo of Tall Dark Stranger winning the 2020 North America Cup)