Hope Hill proves her class in $212,000 Glen Garnsey Memorial

LEXINGTON, Ky.— After nailing an upset on Miss Jum Jabber in a Grade 3 Bluegrass Stakes division last week, Hope Hill (Papi Rob Hanover) upped the score with a 1:51.1 harness racing victory in the $212,000 Grade 2 Glen Garnsey Memorial—sponsored by Diamond Creek Farm—on Saturday (Oct. 10) at The Red Mile.

Leaving from post 2, driver Dexter Dunn landed into third as longshot Barbuda Belle (driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) lunged for the front with stablemate I’m A Lou Lou (Tim Tetrick) in pursuit. Once I’m A Lou Lou took over the lead, Dunn abandoned his seat at the pylons and brushed for the top through a :28.3 first quarter while odds-on favorite Miss Jum Jabber (Andy McCarthy) tracked from fourth. Hope Hill upped the tempo in the backstretch as the field split into two packs past a :56.2 half, at which point McCarthy began to march Miss Jum Jabber up the rim to challenge for the lead. Miss Jum Jabber drew alongside Hope Hill to three-quarters in 1:23.4 but Hope Hill stayed resilient under pressure all through the stretch and turned away Miss Jum Jabber in a :26.2 sprint to win by three-quarters of a length.

HOPE HILL REPLAY

Barbuda Belle took third and Graceland Hill (Jason Bartlett) sat a ground-saving trip for fourth.

“Last year she turned out to be a really good filly,” said Tom Hill, owner and breeder of Hope Hill, after the race. “Over the winter she strengthened up and she just got better and better. I was looking forward to this race because last week she won from behind and so she got a good trip. She won from the front today, so there were no excuses today.”

Petter Engblom trains Hope Hill, a seven-time winner from 14 starts this season and an 11-time winner from 23 starts in her career with $505,432 in purses. The 3-year-old filly by Papi Rob Hanover, out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Ruth Hill, paid $7.26 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile