On Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 1) Ed and James Hall’s
veteran pacer, Haroun Hanover, won for the 20th time this season
when Jimmy Marohn, Jr. guided him to a 1:57.3 victory in a $5000 claiming pace
and much to trainer Danny Gill’s surprise the horse was claimed by Jason Ryan.
“You always know when you put a horse in a claiming race
someone could claim him but it really caught me by surprise when they claimed
Haroun (Hanover) from us today,” Gill said.”
After stating from the pole position Haroun Hanover was
circled on the first turn but Marohn retook before the quarter and then they
raced in front as they usually did. However as the pacer approached the three
quarters most of his competition swarmed in on him and it appeared
that Haroun Hanover would fold on the paddock turn. But incredibly the
pacer seemed to reach down for more and when the field scooted off the turn
Haroun opened daylight and hung on extremely game to turn back the $5000
claiming field to win by a neck over Shark Income (Jimmy Taggart,.Jr.)
who enjoyed a covered two hole trip after he circled Haroun Hanover on the
first turn.
In his previous start in a $7500 claimer where he finished
fourth this race was the first time since very early in the season that Haroun
Hanover was in for a $5000 tag.
In early September Haroun Hanover was in for a $20,000
tag but he was scratched from that race because he was unmanageable in
the post parade when he ran away with Marohn and circled the track at top speed
three times before he was stopped. Because of that occurrence the judges
understandably scratched him.
The pacer had to qualify before he was allowed to race again
which he did and after his first start for money again he led all the way
and tired and finished fourth.
“He’s gone some very tough miles this year and he’s getting
tired so we put him in for $5000,” Gill said about Haroun Hanover. “But I
wonder why someone would take him now after 36 starts. You’d figure maybe
earlier in this year someone might claim him, but now?
“He was always been a handful and I’m sure you can
understand that when a horse wins 20 times you can get attached to him. I
did, and I certainly have mixed feelings about losing him, after all he
earned $54,000 racing right here at Monticello.”
