Fire Start Hanover holds on in Breeders Crown freshman filly pace

by Frank Cotolo, for the Breeders Crown

ANDERSON, Ind. — Fire Start Hanover held sway to the wire while challenged late for a 1:50.4 win in the $600,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old filly pace at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Friday (Oct. 30).

Dexter Dunn left hard with Fire Start Hanover, settling in third as Scarlett Hanover and JK Alwaysblady rushed ahead of her. The first quarter clocked in at :26.4 with Continalou in fourth and Somethingbeautiful finding the fifth spot.

JK Alwaysblady measured a sprint to the front off the fast panel to take the lead over Scarlett Hanover, but Dunn was restless after the shuffle and took to the outside at the :55.3 half to guide the field home. Somethingbeautiful, who briefly drafted behind Fire Start Hanover, was left uncovered as JK Alwaysblady chased the leader.

Fire Start Hanover reached three-quarters in 1:23.3 while JK Alwaysblady continued to gain and Somethingbeautiful broke in the middle of the stretch. As Fire Start Hanover was urged to keep the lead, Scarlett Hanover launched a bid but was unable to catch the leader or JK Alwaysblady, who missed by only a neck.

Fire Start Hanover, a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and Fit To Frame bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, was two-fifths of a second off the Breeders Crown division record and won her seventh race from 11 starts for owners Pinske Stables, David Hoese and Lawrence Means.. She paid $8.20 to win.

“We got into a pretty good spot to win it,” said Dunn. “She was sharper this week than [in the elimination] last week ... getting a little tired at the end, though.”

Trainer Richard "Nifty" Norman recorded his fifth Breeders Crown win, saying, “This is the one race you want to win all year and I was very sure she could do it tonight.”

Marlys Pinske, co-owner of Fire Start Hanover, said she was “very confident” going into the race. “We had our first Breeders Crown win last year,” she said. “This is a great night for the family.”

Fire Start Hanover will train in Florida during the winter.

Fire Start Hanover (#7) barely withstood a late charge from pocket rival JK Alwaysbalady to capture the Breeders Crown for 2-year-old pacing fillies. Dean Gillette Photography.