Our Major Dan set all the speed in the $61,540 Sam McKee Memorial Consolation, but a late-driving longshot named Filibuster Hanover got all the glory thanks to his come-from-behind triumph.
In rein to Matt Kakaley, Filibuster Hanover got away fourth while race favourite Our Major Dan and driver David Miller carved out fractions of :25.4, :54 and 1:22.2. Pocket-sitting Jesse Duke N and Dexter Dunn snuck up the pylons in the late stages of the contest when Our Major Dan started to drift, but they couldn’t fend off a ferocious attack from Filibuster Hanover in the closing strides.
Filibuster Hanover got up in the last jump to nail Jesse Duke N right on the money in a time of 1:49.1. Our Major Dan managed to hold on for the third prize.
Filibuster Hanover nabbed his first win of the season from five attempts for trainer Ron Burke. The six-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Fashion Ecstasy is a 14-time winner with earnings that top $1.7 million. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Joseph Di Scala Jr, J And T Silva Stables and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The Sam McKee Memorial Consolation is one of many stakes contested on the Hambletonian Day card at The Meadowlands. Read about the rest of the action in the Hambletonian Day News Centre.