Fan Hanover and Roses Are Red elims contested

CAMPBELLVILLE, June 1… While Good Will Hanover came from off-the pace, Darlinonthebeach set the pace to capture their respective $35,000harness racing  Fan Hanover eliminations on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

In the first elimination for three-year-old pacing fillies, Good Will Hanover was able to defeat the heavily favoured Pure Country by a neck.

From post five, driver Chris Christoforou and Good Will Hanover marched to the front after the wings on the gate folded and held command past the quarter pole in :27.2. Mayhem Seelster followed along in second with Bad As Leader sitting third.

Into the backstretch, Pure Country, who was undefeated in 10 starts as a rookie, made a bid for the lead from fourth, and cleared at the half in :54.4. When the fillies were in the final turn Mayhem Seelster advanced first-up from third and put pressure on driver Brett Miller and the front-stepping Somebeachsomewhere filly. Past the three-quarter pole in 1:23, Pure Country was able to pull away, but that left Good Will Hanover room to try and retake the lead from the pocket.

In deep stretch, Good Will Hanover was able to overcome Pure Country to capture the victory and stop the clock in 1:50.2. Mayhem Seester finished third.

"That is a nice mare," said Christoforou about rival Pure Country. "She's going to take you right to the wire so I had no problem letting him [driver Brett Miller] go and sitting behind that mare. It's a real good mare so she carried me where I wanted to go and I was fortunate enough to have enough horse left to get there.

"It's a horse race that's for sure," added the reinsman when asked about next week's final. "But I wouldn't want to be driving any other one, that's for sure."

The daughter of Big Jim and Go For Best notched her seventh lifetime win and third of the season, which also includes trips to the winner's circle for her SBOA elim and the final. The filly pushed her career earnings to $281,259 for trainer Dr. Ian Moore and owners BLB Stable. Good Will Hanover paid $8.30 to win.

Good Will Hanover

Darlinonthebeach

The top five finishers advance to the $438,000 Fan Hanover Final, which is set for Saturday, June 18 as part of the $1-million Pepsi North America Cup undercard.

Here is how the sophomore fillies will line up behind the gate:

1. Lindwood Beachgirl by Somebeachsomewhere

2. Darlinonthebeach by Somebeachsomewhere

3. Good Will Hanover by Big Jim

4. Newborn Sassy by Western Ideal

5. Penpal by American Ideal

6. L A Delight by Bettor's Delight

7. Pure Country by Somebeachsomewhere

8. Lay Lady Lay by Up The Credit

9. Mayhem Seelster by Mach Three

10. Bad As Leader by Badlands Hanover

AE: Party In Rome by Big Jim

 

The Roses Are Red eliminations also took place on Saturday night's card.

A group of 23 older pacing mares were split into three $35,000 eliminations.

Anndrovette, a three-time winner of the Roses Are Red, was able to get up in the final strides to prevail in a Win photo over Sandbetweenurtoes. The Jeff Bamond Jr. trainee stopped the clock in 1:49.4 with driver Tim Tetrick handling the lines.

The elimination victory was the first win for the nine-year-old mare this season and her 45th overall.

Waasmula finished third to qualify for the final.

Anndrovette

In the second split, Lady Shadow made a second-quarter move to the lead and never looked back en route to a 1:50.2 victory. Driven by Doug McNair, the five-year-old picked up her second win in eight outings Saturday.

The Ron Adams trainee hit the wire 3¼ lengths ahead of Yagonnakissmeornot and Wrangler Magic.

Lady Shadow

McNair was right back in the winner's circle in the final elimination with Solar Sister.

Trained by Gregg McNair, Solar Sister went gate-to-wire to score a 1:51 victory. The four-year-old pacing mare finished a length and a half ahead of Katie Said and two-lengths in front of Ms Mac N Cheese.

Solar Sister now has two wins in five starts this season.

Devil Child was the fourth-place finisher drawn by lot to qualify for next Saturday's $370,000 final.

Solar Sister

Here is the field for the Roses Are Red final.

1. Waasmula by Million Dollar Cam

2. Solar Sister by Mach Three

3. Lady Shadow by Shadow Play

4. Anndrovette by Riverboat King

5. Sandbetweenurtoes by Somebeachsomewhere

6. Devil Child by American Ideal

7. Ms Mac N Cheese by Badlands Hanover

8. Wrangler Magic by Mach Three

9. Yagonnakissmeornot by The Panderosa

10. Katie Said by Well Said

AE: Empress Deo by Rocknroll Hanover

Mark McKelvie