Edging three wide as the 2-5 favourite approaching the final turn, Dream Nation ground to the front and past stubborn tempo-setter Blue Magic to win by a head in 2:01.4 in the first of three $5,000 eliminations for the Balanced Image Trot at Hanover Raceway.
The Jacques Dupont-trained gelding by Archangel sat fifth positioned 11 lengths behind leader Blue Magic, who held a four-and-a-half length advantage past the quarter in :29.4. Pocket-sitter Radical Roy cut into that margin moving to the half while driver Tyler Moore tipped Dream Nation first over through a 1:01.3 intermission.
Lmc Picasso flushed from third heading towards the final turn to apply minor pressure to Blue Magic as well as force Dream Nation to rush three wide by three-quarters in 1:32.2. Lmc Picasso soon retreated moving into the stretch as Blue Magic fought to hold off Dream Nation. The two opened an eight length lead on Lmc Picasso through the stretch with Dream Nation getting the narrow advantage at the line over Blue Magic.
Owned by Les Ecuries Dorleans Inc., Ecurie CSL, Gestion Levesque 2005inc. and Marc Camirand, Dream Nation, from the Dream Vacation mare Mississippi Dream, won his fourth race in five starts, earning $77,264. He paid $2.50 to win.
Giving It All travelled wire to wire to take the second Balanced Image elimination in 2:03.4.
Driver Ross Battin took control from rail-starter Magically Hip moving around the turn and secured command through a :30.3 opening quarter. The 1-2 favourite continued on the engine to the half, opening a two-length lead in 1:02.2 and remained unchallenged despite Pryrrha, parked the mile, crawling first over to be third by three-quarters in 1:33.4. Giving It All turned for home ahead of Magically Hip, who popped pocket and finished three-quarters lengths away in second, while Knickers finished third six lengths behind.
A filly by Angus Hall from the Kadabra mare Marathons Jade, Giving It All, owned by trainer John Rier along with Randy Rier, broke her maiden in her fifth start career, collecting $5,671 in the process. She paid $3.00 to win.
Driver Ryan Holliday scored one of his five wins on the Saturday program aboard Angel Status in the final Balanced Image elim with a wire-to-wire effort timed in 2:05.
Angel Status gained control from post one while Cousin Peter got the pocket and Galaxy Seelster rushed from post seven to sit third. By the quarter in :31, Angel Status stayed on the lead as Cousin Peter edged first over from the pocket and supplied cover to favourite Royal Rhythm through a 1:04.3 clocking.
Cousin Peter increased pressure on the tempo setter trotting to three-quarters, drawing within a neck of the lead in 1:35.4 before dropping out of contention around the final turn. Archway, sitting third at the rail, slid wide through a seam rounding the final turn and narrowed in on the leader turning for home. Royal Rhythm gained ground to finish second from between while Cousin Peter came back to fight for minor honours, taking third.
Winning her second race in four starts, Angel Status, a filly by Archangel out of the Mutineer mare His Misstress, competes for owners Caroline Holliday and Dennis Hannath. David Holliday conditions the $9.80 winner.
Ryan Holliday returned to the winner's circle on four other occasions, upsetting in his first with an off the pace effort from Ebonty Shadow ($21.90) in 2:01.3 in a $4,400 conditioned pace. He also steered Toy Cop ($8.50) from off cover to win a $3,700 conditioned pace, overcame broken equipment with Casimir Rambler ($3.80) to win a $4,800 conditioned pace in 1:59 and rallied as the favourite with Little Clayt ($4.40) in a $4,000 conditioned pace.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.