Hannelore Hanover - Mare Trot
by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications
East Rutherford, N.J. -- Hannelore Hanover (Yannick Gingras) sprinted away from the field in the last eighth of a mile to win the $250,000 Breeders Crown for trotting mares in 1:53.3 by two lengths on Friday (October 28) night at The Meadowlands.
Hannelore Hanover is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino, Jerry and Teresa Silva.
Bee A Magician (Brian Sears) and Hannelore Hanover were first to flirt with the lead, but Bee A Magician got there first just before the :27.4 first quarter. Hannelore Hanover was right behind her on the rail and was on the move just beyond that point and took over the lead and held it to the :56.1 half mile marker.
Shake It Cerry (Dave Miller) was on the move toward the lead from the back of the pack past the half and ranged second on the outside when Hannelore Hanover led the field to the 1:25.4 three-quarters. Bee A Magician was still along the rail behind those two as the field turned for home.
Hannelore Hanover had no serious challengers down the stretch and pulled away from the field for the win, her 16th in 19 starts this year. Bee A Magician was second and Shake It Cerry was third.
“I didn’t doubt my mare, she’s a great horse,” said Gingras. “The International was just a race to forget (she was 7th) on a half-mile track. There was definitely a Bee A Magician factor, she looked really good at Yonkers last week (October 15) and I thought she would definitely give me a run for the money.