Panther Hanover, who won the Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic
on August 4 at the Meadowlands, was a two and a half length winner over A
Rocknroll Dance in the CDN$252,521 Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old pacing
colts on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at Mohawk Raceway.
Sent off at odds of 9-1, the Jim Carr-owned Panther Hanover picked
up his sixth win in eight starts this year with a 1:49.1 mile. Sylvain
Filion drove the Jim “Friday” Dean trainee.
A son of Western Ideal, Panther Hanover bested another New
Jersey-sired star, the Meadowlands Pace winner A Rocknroll Dance, who is by
Rocknroll Hanover.
“I wanted to get into position early and when I
saw Scotty [Scott Zeron, driving 6-5 favorite Michaels Power] leave, too, I was
happy because I could get covered up by the favorite, but turning for home I
was looking for room because my horse really wanted out,” Filion said.
“He responded well. He’s such a nice horse.”
Lifetime, Panther Hanover now has earnings in
excess of $300,000 with eight wins and one second from 12 starts.
The Campbellville, ON track also hosted a pair of
CDN$40,000 eliminations for the Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-olds,
and the boys from New Jersey put on a first class show.
Little Brown Fox held off Market Share in one of
the divisions to produce a New Jersey-sired exacta.
Little Brown Fox trotted the mile in 1:53 flat,
well of the track and Canadian record 1:51.4 mile he posted in winning
the Simcoe Stakes the prior week.
The Muscles Yankee colt finished a head in front
of Market Share, a son of Revenue.
Yannick Gingras drove Little Brown Fox to victory for trainer
Jimmy Takter and the ownership of Christina Takter, John Field, Jim Fielding
and Brittany Farms.
“Actually he was a little bit hot [tonight during
post parade], but he was night and day from last week,” said Gingras after
the victory. “Last week, he was really a struggle. I was worn out
before the race even started, but tonight he was pretty good. They put an
ear hood on him, and I think that definitely helped him to keep him a little
more quiet.”
Little Brown Fox now has six wins in 11 starts
this year and has finished in-the-money in 13 of 20 career starts for a
bankroll of more than $550,000.
The other New Jerseys-sired colts advancing to
the $1 million Canadian Trotting Classic Final on Saturday, September 15 are
three sons of Yankee Glide: Appomattox, Gym Tan Laundry and Guccio.
