By
Ken Weingartner, for Breeders Crown
ANDERSON,
Ind. – Hannelore Hanover became the first female winner of the Breeders Crown
Open Trot in 19 years, beating Crazy Wow by 1¼ lengths in 1:52.1
in Saturday night’s $526,250 final at Hoosier Park. Marion Marauder was
third.
Crazy
Wow led the field around the first turn with Hannelore Hanover staying to his
outside in a move for the lead. She got there just prior to the quarter,
reached in :26.3, but held the spot only briefly as Marion Marauder trotted by
and took the group to the half in :55.3.
Marion
Marauder remained on top as the field hit three-quarters in 1:25, but
Hannelore Hanover and driver Yannick Gingras were soon to make a move in the
stretch to take the lead for good.
"I honestly didn't see that one coming," said
Gingras about Marion Marauder leaving hard off the gate. "I didn't really
want to be in a two hole. I know he is a nice horse, but I didn't want to be
behind him. It's just the way it goes and it worked out."
Hannelore Hanover, a
5-year-old mare trained by Ron Burke, became the first female winner of the
Open Trot since Moni Maker in 1998. The only other mare to win the Open Trot
was CR Kay Suzie in 1996.
For the year, Hannelore
Hanover has won nine of 16 races and earned $952,879. For her career, the
former Indiana Sire Stakes champion has won 35 of 57 races and banked $2.37
million.
Hannelore Hanover is owned
by Burke Racing Stable, the partnership of Mark Weaver and Mike Bruscemi, Frank
Baldachino and J&T Silva Stables. Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi each
have seven Breeders Crown wins while J&T Silva Stables has three and Frank
Baldachino two.
Hannelore Hanover is a
daughter of Swan For All out of the mare High Sobriety. She was bred by Hanover
Shoe Farms.
"It's an Indiana bred, we bought her as a baby,” said
Baldachino. “We never had expectations when we bought her. If she had been a
nice Indiana-sired horse we would have been tickled pink. And for her to do
this tonight is incredible."
Gingras picked up his fourth Breeders Crown win of the
weekend and pushed his career total to 20. Burke got his 12th trophy as a
trainer.
Hannelore
Hanover paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.
