With careful stickhandling from driver Bob McClure, P L Spencer delivered on his 1-5 hype in Hanover Raceway's signature $50,000 Dream Of Glory Stakes as the Stephen Bossence trainee overpowered his Ontario-sired three-year-old trotting opponents on Saturday evening, Aug. 2.
As Seeme Zoom (Paul MacKenzie) and First Class Rule (Todd Ratchford) took off in a :28.3 opening quarter duel, P L Spencer was caught behind first turn breaker The Governor (Michael Whelan), leaving him with more than eight lengths to make up on the leaders. But the bettors' choice started to narrow that gap as Seeme Zoom pocketed First Class Rule and took a 31-second breather in the next panel.
P L Spencer continued to gain on the leaders as they completed the first lap in :59.3 and tipped outside to continue his progress to the top through three-quarters in 1:28.3. He swept to command heading to the final turn with Call Me Parker (Jason Ryan) taking up the chase while Seeme Zoom broke stride in the two-hole. Steadied through the last turn by a cautious McClure, P L Spencer cruised home to win in 1:58.3 while keeping Call Me Parker at bay by three-quarters of a length. First Class Rule finished 2-3/4 lengths behind in third.
P L Spencer, winner of the fastest Dream of Glory elimination last weekend and a two-time Ontario Sires Stakes Gold champion this year, was sent postward as the heavy 1-5 favourite and paid $2.70 to win.
"He's an extremely fast horse... and it's a tight, tough track to get around when you're that fast," said McClure of the quickest three-year-old trotting gelding in Canada, courtesy of his 1:51.3 OSS win on June 23 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. "Most horses of his caliber probably avoid this race, but I sure am happy in the winner's circle that he came. But I had to be very cautious in every turn, even when he cleared going up the backside, I brought him to almost a stop just to get around that last turn, and then he was on cruise control down the lane, but he's supposed to be. I mean, he's a very nice horse."
Bossence shares ownership of the Prince Lee Acres-bred trotter with partners Richard Thompson of London, Ont., Derek Reid of Etobicoke, Ont., and E C S Racing of Rockford, Michigan. After winning just one of his four starts as a freshman, the Resolve-P L Indyanaca gelding has earned more than $200,000 with victories in six of his 10 sophomore starts.
Reflecting on his first win in the Dream of Glory in 2017 with the Mark Etsell-trained Mister Muscle that he describes as one of his favourite races to this day, McClure was happy to land back in the winner's circle at the track that launched his career and share the event with his family this time around.
"Being able to take a night and come out here with my family to the track I started at, this place has always meant a lot to me," said the O'Brien Award-winning reinsman.
The Dream Of Glory was for sophomore trotters that were non-winners of $75,000 (fillies $100,000) in 2024.
On the Dream of Glory undercard, three-year-old pacing filly Solitary Dancer won the $15,000 Doc Morley Memorial Invitational in a career-best 2:00.2 with a pocket-popping move off the final turn for catch-driver Louis Gregg, slipping out between longshot leader Acefortyfour Lilly (Nick Steward) and first-over challenger Mo Wicked (Paul MacKenzie). The lightly raced daughter of All Bets Off out of Sportika is owned by trainer Brittany Kennedy along with partners Moneyclip Racing of Morpeth, Ont., and Shawn Bustin of Thamesville, Ont. She paid $4.70 to win as the 6-5 second choice.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results – Hanover Raceway.
(Standardbred Canada)