The connections of Hannelore Hanover have supplemented the superstar trotting mare to the 2016 Maple Leaf Trot, while Swedish star Nahar’s connections have accepted an invitation.
Supplements to the Maple Leaf Trot were due by 10:30 a.m. Monday morning.
Hannelore Hanover’s connections paid the $45,000 fee to make the 22-time winner eligible to the prestigious trotting event. The four-year-old daughter of Swan For All has been harness racing's breakout star of 2016 with 13 wins in 14 starts this season and just under $700,000 earned.
Hannelore Hanover is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Frank Baldachino. Her list of accomplishments this season includes victories in the Armbro Flight, Hambletonian Maturity, Fresh Yankee and Muscle Hill Trot.
The Burke trainee will be tackling the sport’s top older trotters for the first time in the Maple Leaf Trot. Her only Grand Circuit event against male rivals was a victory in the $471,200 Hambletonian Maturity, restricted to four-year-olds.
Hannelore Hanover enters the Maple Leaf Trot with 22 career wins, a mark of 1:51 taken at Mohawk and career earnings of $1,004,708.
Hannelore Hanover joins Swedish star Nahar as the latest additions to this year’s Maple Leaf Trot.
Nahar, the winner of the 2013 Elitlopp, received an invitation to this year’s Maple Leaf Trot. The 11-year-old gelding is owned by Henrik and Daniel Sedin of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and trained by Robert Bergh.
The veteran trotter is a 39-time winner and has amassed over $1.8 million in earnings during his career.
The terms of the invitation to the Maple Leaf Trot includes issuing a payment for the total of the nomination and sustaining fees. The Woodbine Entertainment Group reserves the right to invite a foreign trotter to the Maple Leaf Trot.
The entry box for the 2016 Maple Leaf Trot closes Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. If necessary, eliminations will be contested Saturday (September 10) with the final scheduled for Saturday, September 17).
(with files from WEG)