Undefeated Sylvia Hanover wins Tompkins-Geers

Harness racing pacer Sylvia Hanover (Always B Miki) put in a commanding performance in the $32,600 first of four Tompkins-Geers Stakes on Saturday night, July 29 at The Meadowlands. Charleston (Downbytheseaside) won the second division.

Last year’s Breeders Crown champion, Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner poured it on in the stretch, using a :27 final brush to best rival Zanatta by a length in 1:50.

Zanatta, who left the gate at odds of 12-1 for driver Brian Sears, led the field through early modest fractions of :28 and :56.3, before pacing in :26.2 to the 1:23 three-quarter marker.  Driver Bob McClure then pulled Sylvia Hanover from fourth, moving quickly up on the outside, and storming down the lane to nail down her fifth triumph in as many starts this year, and her 13^th win in 14 career starts.

“I was okay coming first up but I didn’t like the fractions that Brian was getting, would have liked to have had an easier trip but she got the job done,” said winning driver McClure.

SYLVIA HANOVER REPLAY

Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and owned by Hudson Standardbred Stable of Hudson, Quebec, Sylvia Hanover added $15,800 to her hefty career bankroll of $936,595 and pushed her seasonal earnings to $276,830.  This was also her 12^th straight victory, as she came into the Tompkin-Geers fresh off her stunning 1:48.4 victory in the $169,000 Mistletoe Shalee.

Sylvia Hanover is the seventh of nine foals out of the Artiscape mare Shyaway and is a half-sister to Western Fame (by Western Ideal) p, 6, 1:48.1f ($1,931,775) and Western Exposure (by Western Ideal) p, 4, 1:49.4s ($162,405), among others.

It took the photo finish camera to decide the winner of the $32,100 second Tomkins-Geers stake for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

Charleston, the 2-5 choice, held on by a scant whisker for driver Tim Tetrick to best the hard trying Front Page Story (Captaintreacherous), 33-1, and driver Bob McClure in 1:51. Racing Hungry, with Joe Bongiorno up, was third at 4-1.

Trained by Brett Pelling for Diamond Creek Racing, Charleston led throughout the mile, pacing through panels of :27.2, :56.2, and 1:24.2, before notching her second seasonal win and eighth lifetime victory, upping her career earnings to $490,347.  Her other triumph this year came at Oak Grove, when she captured a sophomore Kentucky Sires Stakes in 1:49.4 on July 4.

CHARLESTON REPLAY

Charleston is the tenth of 12 foals out of the Western Hanover mare Western Montana and is a half-sister to Pure Country p, 4, Q1:48 ($2,438,619); and Grand Teton (by A Rocknroll Dance) p, 3, 1:48.1 ($564,639) and Territory (by Sweet Lou) p, 4, 1:52.3h ($210,054).

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

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink