Adios and Milstein Memorial champion Prince Hal Hanover returned from a defeat in the Little Brown Jug and blitzed the red clay in a dominant performance to win the $98,611 second division of the Bluegrass Stakes for three-year-old pacing males on Saturday, Sept. 27 at The Red Mile.
Fallout (Tim Tetrick) flew out for the lead early and cut a :26.2 first quarter before driver Todd McCarthy slipped Prince Hal Hanover out of the pocket and perched him on the point. Prince Hal Hanover took over past a :54 half and hit the accelerator in the far turn once confronted by a headstrong Madden Oaks (Braxten Boyd), who was attempting a first-over bid out of third. Madden Oaks folded in his challenge after three-quarters in 1:21.1 while Prince Hal Hanover reached deeper into the well and widened his advantage in the final eighth to register a 2-3/4-length victory in 1:47.2. Railroad Station (Yannick Gingras) brushed by tired horses to the center of the track for second with Madden Oaks settling for third.
Dr. Ian Moore trains Prince Hal Hanover, a Captaintreacherous colt out of a former Moore pupil and Breeders Crown winner in Percy Bluechip. The colt won his sixth race from 15 starts this season for Prince Hal Hanover Stable. He is now eight-for-25 lifetime and has earned $1,381,263. He paid $3.08 to win.
“That was a good effort for him,” Todd McCarthy said. “He’s had a big year and it’s a real credit to Ian [Moore] and the job he’s done with the horse. [Prince Hal Hanover is] just such a hearty bugger – he shows up and he does his job. Once he took off again, he paced all the way to the wire. He was very impressive.”
Captain Optimistic commanded the tempo and stayed game off fast fractions to score a 1:48 victory in the $97,222 first Bluegrass male pace division.
Captain Optimistic zipped to the lead out of post six for Scott Zeron and clocked a :26.2 first quarter when grabbing control from pylon-starter D A Love Boat (Gingras). Captain Optimistic maintained his speed up the backside to a :53.3 half and through the final turn, passing three-quarters in 1:21. Waffle Blue Chip (Tetrick) charged from third coming for home to challenge Captain Optimistic as he wavered from his early speed, but Captain Optimistic fought to the finish and held off Waffle Blue Chip by three-quarters of a length at the line. Th Colby (Todd McCarthy) came from second-over for third.
“He’s been good for us all year,” said Alan Katz, who co-owns Captain Optimistic through 3 Brothers Stables. “It’s a pleasure owning him. He’s never put a bad race in. I wish I had more like him. He can go either on the front or come from behind, it doesn't matter. He gives them all he’s got.”
Nancy Takter trains Captain Optimistic, a son of Captaintreacherous-Cinamony with 11 wins from 24 starts and $1,188,846 earned, for owners 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz, and Caviart Farms. The colt's record is now three-for-14 this year. As the 1-5 chalk, he paid $2.42 to win.
Fusion capitalized off fast fractions to score a 1:48.4 win in the $98,611 final division of the Bluegrass male pace.
Todd McCarthy placed Fusion into fifth out of post two and sat off a shuffle for the lead through a :27.1 first quarter. Interstatedaydream (Andy Miller) relinquished command to 2-5 favourite Papis Pistol (Jason Bartlett), who then endured pressure from Strangerinthenight (Marvin Luna) before letting that rival go in a :53.1 half. Strangerinthenight maintained his speed through the turn as Todd McCarthy found brief cover for Fusion to follow outside from Delray Beach (Devon Tharps) before flipping three-wide past three-quarters in 1:20.3. Fusion progressed down the center of the track in the stretch, passing tiring horses while staying strong under late pressure from rallying Lite Up The World (Doug McNair) to clinch a nose victory. Banderas (Zeron) closed from the back for third.
“He kind of fought like his mother did there at the wire,” said Adam Bowden of Diamond Creek Racing, which bred the Always B Miki colt out of three-time Dan Patch Award-winner Pure Country. “She was one of those fillies that we loved from the second she came and she’s finally given us another good one here.”
Brett Pelling trains Fusion, a five-time winner from nine starts this season and a nine-time winner from 15 starts in his career. The colt has bagged $290,655 for Diamond Creek Racing. He returned $18.46 to win.
Lucas Wallin trainee Delaney Hanover pushed through a gap at the pylons off a pocket trip to hand 1-5 favourite Yo Tillie her first defeat of the season in a 1:50.2 mile to win the $102,500 fourth division of the Bluegrass for sophomore trotting fillies.
Driver Zeron put Delaney Hanover on top before settling for a pocket ride once Global Heritage (Dexter Dunn) approached outside into a :28 first quarter. Global Heritage led up the backstretch to a :55.2 half, where Yo Tillie (Todd McCarthy) pulled outside from fourth to start her grind towards the front. Yo Tillie gained on the rim to three-quarters in 1:23.4 and drew to equal terms with Global Heritage rounding the bottom corner. Delaney Hanover gathered speed at the inside as Global Heritage drifted in the stretch, and she dashed forward to take the lead from Yo Tillie in the final eighth. She kept Yo Tillie at bay to the beam to win by a length while Winnpanzee (Gingras) saved ground for third.
“We’ve always been very high on her and she’s just been feeling better and better,” Wallin said after the race. “We have patient owners and we kind of aimed for this meet. Later on, hopefully it pays off. Scotty gave her a perfect trip again, and when she can follow a horse there are not too many that can stop her in the last eighth. But Yo Tillie’s a fantastic horse. She did it pretty good.”
Delaney Hanover, a Muscle Hill-Danielle Hanover filly, won her third race from eight starts this season and her fifth from 15 starts in her career. She has earned $496,727 for owners Wiesman Farms LLC, Shermay Stables, and Wallin Racing Stable Inc. She paid $10.40 to win.
Ms Prada surged as tempo-setter Champagne Problems drifted off the pylons in a sprint to the finish and nailed that 1-5 chalk at the end of a 1:51.1 mile to begin a day of upsets in the $101,111 first Bluegrass filly trot division.
Gingras motored Ms Prada out of post seven to the top but settled for a pocket trip as Dunn eased Champagne Problems out of the pocket and towards the lead past a :28 first quarter. Champagne Problems rolled unfettered to a :55.4 half and continued through the last turn under minimal pressure. Past three-quarters in 1:24.2, Champagne Problems accelerated for home and floated off the cones when hitting her best stride, giving Gingras an opening. Ms Prada wound up and fired up the inside to collar Champagne Problems at the beam by three-quarters of a length. Caviart Ivy (Niko Karna) gave chase off a ground-saving trip in third.
“She was a good horse all along,” said Ms Prada co-owner Jerry Silva. “Yannick gave her a great drive today. There were a couple of breakers at the beginning, which made it easier. And [with the] two-hole, you are either going to win it or lose it, and we won it.”
Silva shares ownership of Ms Prada, a Greenshoe-Asiago filly, through J&T Silva-Purnel&Libby alongside partners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Beasty LLC, and Joe Di Scala Jr. Ron Burke trains the filly, a six-time winner from 15 starts this season and a seven-time winner in 27 lifetime outings with $391,012 in earnings. Sent off as the third-longest shot in the betting, she paid $38.92 to win.
Kadena (Andy McCarthy) upset as the fourth-longest shot on the board with a pylon-skimming rally for a 1:51 win in the $102,500 second Bluegrass filly trot division.
McCarthy landed Kadena in fourth as Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy) pushed for the lead into a :27.4 first panel. Aperfect Annie strolled unchallenged to a :55.1 half and received first-over pressure once Deja Blu (Gingras) angled out of third and advanced through the far turn. Deja Blu powered by Aperfect Annie after three-quarters in 1:23.1 and trotted strongly for home while Kadena gathered steam through a gap at the inside. Kadena stormed forward and snatched the lead from Deja Blu in the final strides to clinch a half-length win while Misspanzee (Andy Miller) closed from third-over for third.
Marcus Melander trains Kadena, a daughter of Gimpanzee out of world champion and Red Mile track-record holder Mission Brief, for owners Jeff Snyder and SRF Stable. The filly is now four-for-10 this season after winning her sixth race from 18 starts in her career, good for $287,790 in bankroll. She paid $25.66 to win.
Grand Reserve (Andy Miller) rushed from seventh at the eighth pole and snagged a narrow win at odds of 31-1 in the $102,500 third Bluegrass division for trotting fillies.
Country Victory (Tetrick) swept by 2-1 favourite Divine Thing (Todd McCarthy) to take the lead after a :27.4 first quarter and cruised unchallenged up the backstretch to a :55.1 half. Miss Belmar (Andy McCarthy) began a first-over bid out of fifth into the far turn, at which point Andy Miller secured a seat third-over with Grand Reserve. Divine Thing promptly pulled pocket as Miss Belmar advanced to engage with Country Victory at three-quarters in 1:23.4, but the front-end cratered in the stretch. Dreams Come Easy (Gingras) fanned to the center of the track with Grand Reserve rolling to her outside, and the two swooped over the top in the final 1/16th of a mile. Grand Reserve kept clawing on the outside and caught Dreams Come Easy at the line by a nose while Miss Belmar held third.
Carter Pinske trains Grand Reserve, a daughter of Walner-Bella Glos. The filly won her second race from 14 starts this season and her third from 19 starts in her career, and she has raked in $141,460 for owner Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. Sent off as the second-longest shot in the betting, she paid $64.78 to win.
“[Carter Pinske] decided to pull the shoes and put some cheek pieces on her and said ‘Any cheque's a good cheque from out here,’” Andy Miller said after the race. “He thought she’d be pretty good. I was liking where I was at around the last turn, and when we came off the turn and started to move her over she started taking off.”
Go Dog Go battled uncovered on the rim and muscled through the stretch to clock a 1:49.3 win in the $120,833 first division of the Bluegrass for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Leaving from post seven, driver Todd McCarthy coasted forward with Go Dog Go and found a seat in fourth while Fashion Green (Tetrick) duelled with Happy Jack B (Ake Svanstedt) for the lead through a :27 first quarter. Fashion Green took control and carried the field to the half in :54.1, where Go Dog Go moved outside and began marching towards the leader. Go Dog Go loomed alongside Fashion Green after three-quarters in 1:22.2 and hit another gear in mid-stretch to edge away to a 1-3/4-length win. Fashion Green finished second and Happy Jack B gave chase in third.
A Greenshoe-Primary Target colt, Go Dog Go won his fifth race from nine starts this season for trainer Pinske. He has tallied seven times in 19 starts in his career and earned $734,328 for owners Wiesman Farms LLC and Al Libfeld. The 7-5 favourite paid $4.80 to win.
“He’s one of the fastest horses I’ve ever been around,” Pinske said. “Just mentally he’s a bit tough. I don’t know if this track totally agrees with him – we did a lot of tweaking this week, and finally he put it all together.”
Warrior usurped 1-9 favourite Super Chapter at odds of 31-1 when charging with the most momentum late to post a 1:50.3 win in the $120,833 second division of the Bluegrass for trotting males.
Todd McCarthy raced second-to-last with Warrior as Dont Ask For More (Svanstedt) skirmished for the lead with Big Shoes (Gingras) through a :27.2 first quarter and :55.1 half. Dont Ask For More retook command from Big Shoes before the half and handled pressure through the turn from first-over Variegated (Tetrick) while McCarthy worked Warrior into a position third-over, tracking Super Chapter (Dunn). Warrior fanned towards the middle of the track after three-quarters in 1:23.2 and advanced alongside Super Chapter to overhaul the weary Dont Ask For More in deep stretch. Warrior then overpowered Super Chapter for a narrow win by a half-length with Onajetplane (Andy McCarthy) rallying for third.
Ake Svanstedt trains Warrior, a Walner-Like A Lindy gelding, for owner Brochart Stable Inc. The colt, three-for-nine this season, took his third lifetime victory from 13 starts and has now earned $107,810. He paid $65.40 to win.
“I talked with Ake briefly before I went out there just to get a few key notes on the horse," Todd McCarthy said. "He told me he was pretty straightforward and a lovely horse to drive, and he was spot on. I knew I was following a couple of good ones there. I put Super Chapter in [front of me] early and was able to get him going before the half. He caught some live cover too, but it all kind of worked out. It was a good flow and it was a good slingshot move at the top of the stretch.”
Meshuggah popped off a pocket trip in the $120,833 final Bluegrass colt-and-gelding trot division to collect a 1:50.1 victory.
Zeron nestled Meshuggah in behind 1-2 favourite Mr Mouton (Svanstedt) heading to a :27.3 first quarter and followed comfortably as Svanstedt let his charge roll to a :54.3 half. Onemore Volo (Todd McCarthy) pulled out of third to roll uncovered into the last turn and inched forward to match strides with Mr Mouton crossing three-quarters in 1:23. Mr Mouton rebuffed that challenger turning for home but clung to a diminishing lead as Greenma (Trond Smedshammer) surged off cover and Meshuggah shook free from the pocket. Meshuggah downed Mr Mouton and out-sprinted Greenma to claim victory by 1-1/4 lengths. Greenma took second from Mr Mouton.
“I think the horse is not maybe number one, two [or] three in this crop, but I think he’s on his way up,” said Anders Strom, who owns Meshuggah through Courant Inc. “I think he’s going to be developing and we [saw] today that he could win quite easily.”
Melander trains Meshuggah, a Greenshoe-Starita colt who won his second race from 11 starts this season. The colt is now four-for-21 lifetime and has amassed $754,176 in bankroll. He paid $9.98 to win.
Faze flung forward off a pocket trip through a seam at the pylons to deliver a 15-1 upset with a 1:49 effort in the $118,750 first division of the Bluegrass for three-year-old filly pacers.
Driver Tetrick fired Faze out of post eight inside of Westwinds (Todd McCarthy) and crossed to the pylons entering the first turn. Faze yielded control to Westwinds nearing a :26.4 first quarter and followed snugly up the backstretch as Westwinds glided on the helm to a :54.3 half. Rose (Gingras) pulled outside from third to press Westwinds for the lead heading to three-quarters in 1:22.2 and the pair matched strides in the turn for home. Rose forged to the lead in mid-stretch while Westwinds retreated and Faze found clearance inside the pair for a late attack. Faze hustled up the rail and darted by Rose to win by three-quarters of a length. Caviart Delight (Zeron) closed from third-over for third.
Brett Pelling trains Faze, a Sweet Lou-Darlinonthebeach filly, for owners Diamond Creek Racing, Farhi Standardbreds Corp., and Spreydon Racing. The filly won her first race of 2025 in six attempts while collecting her fifth win from 14 lifetime starts and raising her earnings to $260,331. She paid $32.20 to win.
Champagne Room produced a similar stretch spurt through an inside seam to nab a 1:49.1 victory in the $118,750 second division for sophomore pacing distaffs.
Andy McCarthy raced seventh with Champagne Room as Always Ana Hanover (McNair) blasted out of post nine to blitz a :26.3 first quarter. Unreasonable (Zeron), the 8-5 favourite, edged out of fourth and rushed forward past a :54.4 half to grab the lead from Always Ana Hanover entering the final turn. Zeron kept his charge rolling through three-quarters in 1:21.4, and the filly staved off most of her challengers while drifting off the pylons in the stretch. Champagne Room meanwhile hugged the cones and thrust past the pacestter from a ground-saving trip to snag victory by a half length. Found (Todd McCarthy) gave chase from a stalking trip for third.
A daughter of Papi Rob Hanover out of pacing sensation See You At Peelers, Champagne Room races for owners Patricia Stable, L.A. Express & Sjoblom Inc., and Michael Dolan. The Noel Daley-trained filly won her fourth race from nine starts this season and is now five-for-19 lifetime with earnings of $328,963. She paid $6.96 to win.
“That’s Andy’s plan, to go left with her,” Daley said after the race. “He got to win by going left; he said she just swells up when he just goes left. Last start in the final, he wasn’t able to go left and had to be first-over. When I watched him going left there today I said to Harvey [Fried of Patricia Stable] ‘We’re going to be alright here. We get to go left.’ We gave a [massive] amount of money for her. She’s from a great family – I’ve never given that sort of money for one before – but it looks like now we’re going to get [it] out of her.”
The Bluegrass divisions were sponsored by Anvil and Lace Farm, Tall Dark Stranger Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, Marvin Katz, Kountry Lane Standardbreds, Greenshoe Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, and Papi Rob Hanover Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms.
Racing resumes at The Red Mile on Friday, Oct. 3 with International Stallion Stakes divisions for two-year-old trotting males and two-year-old pacing fillies. Friday’s card will also feature a $19,846.16 carryover in the 50-cent Pick 5, which starts in Race 3 and has a takeout of 12 per cent.
(The Red Mile)