Spider Man Hanover will return to the site of his most memorable 2015 performance, the Delaware County Fairgrounds, when he races in Thursday’s Little Brown Jug. Last year, Spider Man Hanover won a division of the Standardbred Stakes at the fairgrounds in a then-world-record 1:51.4 for two-year-old male pacers on a half-mile track.
The colt was in the fairgrounds-based stable of trainer Brian Brown last year and into 2016 before heading to Ron Burke in August. He was purchased Sept. 14 by trainer Nick Surick and Howard Schneidler’s KDM Stables Corp. with an eye toward competing in the Jug.
“I’m glad to be in it,” Surick said. “I like to have fun and I try to support these races, especially a race like this. You’re going to get 40,000 to 50,000 people here that truly love harness racing. It’s a fun week. Hopefully we can do a little good. Out of all the horses in the Jug, I’ve got a horse that knows how to get around this track. Hopefully he’ll be OK.
“It’s a tough spot. We’re going against really good horses. We’re definitely coming in as a long shot, but that’s what makes horseracing and that’s why they race these horses. Anything can happen in a horserace.”
Spider Man Hanover and driver Andy Miller will start from post five in the second of the two opening heats and are 20-1 on the morning line. Spider Man Hanover, a son of Western Ideal, has won one of 10 races this year after earning $221,355 last season.
Surick said Spider Man Hanover has battled issues with tying up this year. The colt prepped for the Little Brown Jug by qualifying in 1:52 at half-mile Freehold Raceway on Sept. 15.
“He just got tired a little late, but that was a lot more than we thought he’d go anyway,” Surick said. “We were happy with that. Hopefully we can make him a little better. We got here Sunday and he trained really good Monday morning. I was pleased with him.
“We’re not going in with high expectations. We just want to have some fun. But hopefully he can do a little more than that. Andy could have stayed home, but he’s coming here just to drive that one horse, so I think he’s got a little confidence in the horse too.”
Below are the fields for the Little Brown Jug first-heat eliminations. The eliminations are races 13 and 14. The second heat is race 18.
First elimination-Purse $92,320
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Dr J Hanover-Scott Zeron-Tony Alagna-6/1
2. Stolen Glimpse-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-15/1
3. Lyons Snyder-Sylvain Filion-Jimmy Takter-8/1
4. Check Six-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-2/1
5. Betting Line-David Miller-Casie Coleman-3/5
6. Fernando Hanover-Tim Tetrick-Ron Burke-12-1
Second elimination-Purse $92,320
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Western Fame-Mark MacDonald-Jimmy Takter-4/1
2. Racing Hill-Brett Miller-Tony Alagna-3/5
3. Big Top Hanover-Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke-15/1
4. Manhattan Beach-Matt Kakaley-Ron Burke-6/1
5. Spider Man Hanover-Andy Miller-Nick Surick-20/1
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.