Three-year-old trotters will find themselves in the spotlight this Saturday at Hanover Raceway, as the half-mile oval features the elimination round for this year’s Dream Of Glory Stake.
Five of the top 20 male trotters from the OSS are among the starters in the four eliminations along with one special filly, Please Okay, who is the top Grassroots point earner this season.
Please Okay, a daughter of Federal Flex, lost her last OSS race by a nose at Grand River back on July 2, and has already earned over $26,000 this season for Christopher Giaccio of Roslyn Heights, New York. Please Okay will start from Post 1 in Race 1.
Among the colts will be Aventure, the fastest elimination winner from the OSS Grassroots stop at Hanover on July 2. Aventure was only one second off the track record in that visit to the local oval, and trainer Bill Budd of Waterdown said he might have threatened the track record had he cleared the lead before the first quarter. Trevor Henry is listed to drive, and will likely try and blast out from Post 7 in Race7 in order to try and control the tempo of the race and his own fate in the elimination.
Other top colt earners competing include Razor Ramone for owners Mark Etsell formerly of Hanover, Bob Newton of Walkerton and Chuan Tan of Waterloo. Despite being the most local competitor growing up in Hanover, Etsell hasn’t had much luck with post position draws getting Post 6 in Race 6.
The top two finishers in each of the Dream Of Glory eliminations will return Sunday, August 3 for the $60,000 final.
Saturday’s card also includes Ontario’s second-ever Racing Under Saddle race with pari-mutuel wagering. Seven ladies in total from Canada and Norway will compete in the event which goes as Race 3 on Saturday’s card. Among the trotters competing will be Radical Dreamer, who recently won a Racing Under Saddle event at Clinton Raceway. The five-year-old is owned by Ron O’Neill of Cambridge, Ontario and will be ridden by Marit Valstad.
Hanover will also play host to ‘Wanna Drive?’ on Saturday evening. Fans will get a chance to drive a racehorse around the Hanover track between races thanks to the Hands On Horses Program.
Post time Saturday night is 7:15 p.m.
(Hanover Raceway)
To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Hanover Raceway.