It was a wet and muddy, but exciting Saturday night of racing at Hanover Raceway. The half-mile track hosted six $24,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions for two-year-old pacing colts, the $48,000 final of the Balanced Image Trot, and a retirement race for C Ws Special
, a career winner of over $500,000.
The track record wasn’t in jeopardy as an off again, on again rain caused very sloppy conditions.
In the first OSS Grassroots division, Just Asign To Me went off as an overwhelming favourite and showed why leading from start to finish and winning by open lengths in 1:59.2. The Geartogear-Justasign Hanover gelding is trained by Bruce Gilkinson, owned by the Cat Sass Stable of Listowel, ON and was driven to victory by Trevor Henry.
In the second division, Grand Master jumped out to the lead, and was in a battle the entire mile with Medoland J T (Scott Zeron), who had the outside trip, but driver Bill Davis Jr. managed to get everything he could out of his two-year-old winning in 2:00. The son of Goliath Bayama-Vedas Dragon is trained by William James for owners Don Smith and Donna Parker of Hampton, ON.
Division three included the unbeaten Adventure Bound, who has never been anywhere except on the lead in his three lifetime races, and he did the same thing at Hanover in the mud and slop holding off King Of Kingston (Davis Jr.) by a head in 1:59.1. Adventure bound is owned by Millar Farms of Newmarket, ON and was driven by former Walkerton native Randy Fritz. Eric Adams trains the son of Camluck-Unchained Speed.
Mach Wheel had to deal with the outside Post 7 start position in the next division and got away sixth, but was fifth at the quarter, fouth at the half, and second heading down the stretch only to pull out a one-length victory over Lucky Encounter (Mike Saftic) at the wire. Mach Wheel was driven to victory by Joe Hudon Jr., who trains and shares ownership with Karen Hudon. The son of Mach Three-Armbro Reno completed the mile in 2:02.1.
Mike Saftic had the rail with even-money favourite, Hi Sir, but his horse made a break at the start and got away sixth around the first turn. The WEG circuit veteran didn’t give up however, and battled his way to fifth at the half, fourth at the three-quarters mark, second down the stretch and won by a head over Officernagentlemen (Paul MacKenzie). Afterwards, Saftic said he was told the Robert Mcintosh pupil can get a bit hot at the start of the race, but said his colt quickly got back on stride and got back to business. Hi Sir, a son of Sir Luck-Hikari, finished the mile in a driving rain in 2:01.1. He is owned by the Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of Windsor, ON.
In the final division, it was a case of the favourite on the outside once again as Facebook left from Post 6 and only improved to fifth place at the half and three-quarter pole, but Mike Saftic took the Mach Three-Wendy My Gal colt four-wide down the stretch when Putnam Cheetah (Trevor Henry) broke stride while racing home second, causing a bit of a scattering of horses along the rail. Saftic and Facebook managed to steal the victory with a clear path to the finish line. Facebook is trained by Gregg McNair and owned by Bloomingwood Farms of Harriston, ON. He finished the mile in 2:02.2 on a deteriorating racetrack.
The Balanced Image Trot featured the top eight horses from last Saturday’s eliminations including the fastest winner Traverse Seelster, who drew Post 7 for the final.
P C La Mousse (Ross Battin) was the quickest off the gate hitting the quarter pole in :29.4 from Post 5. Traverse Seelster and Mike Saftic got away fourth to the quarter but was second to PC La Mousse by the half, and they stayed that way right down the stretch until Saftic managed to get just what he needed from his two-year-old to win by less than a length in 2:05. Starlitestarbrite (Trevor Henry) finished two lengths back in third.
The son of Angus Hall-Travelin Lavec is owned by Franco Cianci and Isadoro Russo of Quebec and trained by Frank O’Reilly of Acton, ON. The win was his second in six outings and pushed his earnings to $34,750.
O’Reilly said the thing he likes most about his two-year-old is that he’s so versatile. O’Reilly was also proud to add the Balanced Image trophy to his two Dream Of Glory trophies he’s managed to win at Hanover, both with fillies.
Hanover also played host to the final race in the career of 12-year-old pacer C Ws Special.
Owned by Pat and Carol Dwyer of Elmwood and trained by Ken Fritsch of Chesley, ON, and in his first seven years by Allan Zettler of Walkerton, CWs Special won a total of 57 races during his career and almost won his 58th Saturday night. In fact, the veteran, who drew Post 2, led the entire race until Dance Hanover (Scott Zeron) nipped him at the wire in 2:01.4.
Afterwards, Pat Dwyer said he’s had many great memories with this horse, which was born just outside Hanover, and thanked driver Terry Fritz and both Ken and Allan for their great work as trainers. Dwyer said although his 12-year-old son of Albert Albert-Special Alert once raced in 1:51 at Mohawk, he was now finding it hard to break 1:58, and felt it was time to retire the gelding. Dwyer is now looking for a good home for his champion, a winner of $583,739 lifetime, and hopes he’ll be a good riding horse for someone in his future days.
A small accident also occurred during 12-race card when Tuxedo Mac (Bob Geisel) dug his toes into the track in the first turn of Race 11, and St Lads Psychic (Bruce Richardson) locked wheels with the breaking horse causing both drivers to be unseated. One of the horses was loose and caused interference with the horses left in the race resulting in the judges declaring the race a No Contest.
The staff from CKNX radio in Wingham were in attendance for the evening, and they teamed up with Modern Appliances of Hanover on a $1,500 Panasonic 50 inch Plasma TV and Stand giveaway. The lucky winner was Saskia MacMillan of Durham, ON, who says she has just the spot for the television in her living room.
Harness Racing returns to Hanover on Saturday, September 11 with a card that will include the final of the Saugeen Pacing Series. Post time is 7:15 p.m.
To view Saturday's results, click here.
(With files from Hanover Raceway)