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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Driver Dexter Dunn perched himself into a second-over tow with Abuckabett Hanover (Betting Line) and vaulted to the lead in the stretch to grab gold in the $152,190 Dave Brower Memorial with a 1:47.3 mile on Saturday night (June 29) at The Meadowlands.
Leaving from post 5, Abuckabett Hanover landed into third past a :26.3 first quarter while Ruthless Hanover circled out of the pocket and passed early leader Allywag Hanover for the lead. Ken Hanover – the 9-5 favorite starting out of the second tier – then pulled off the pylons to make his attack for the lead, though Ruthless Hanover took none of it.
Ken Hanover raced stuck on the rim outside of a stubborn Ruthless Hanover past a :53.4 half, all while Dunn tipped Abuckabett Hanover off the cones and planted his charge second up. The duo dueled all through the last turn and to three-quarters in 1:21 until Dunn had enough and abandoned his cover. Like a shot, Abuckabett Hanover darted forward and scooted away to a widening win by 2-3/4 lengths over fast-closing Charlie May. Ken Hanover managed to hold third and Allywag Hanover wove through traffic for fourth.
“I was pretty happy when I saw Dexter slip out there,” trainer Andrew Harris said. “I was like ‘Oh, this is a pretty nifty trip right here. If he doesn’t capitalize here, he never will.’ In the last turn, when Dexter had a good hold on him and he wasn’t running in, we were licking our chops.”
ABUCKABETT HANOVER REPLAY
A 6-year-old stallion out of the Western Ideal mare All Tucked Up, Abuckabett Hanover has now won 17 races from 63 starts and earned $1,311,703. Harris co-owns the $7 winner with William Pollock and Bruce Areman.
In the $112,500 Perfect Sting for aged pacing mares, Twin B Joe Fresh (Roll With Joe) racked another win against her longtime rival and last year’s champion sophomore filly Sylvia Hanover.
Dexter Dunn floated Twin B Joe Fresh away fourth, just behind Sylvia Hanover and driver Bob McClure, to a :27 first quarter carved by Racine Bell. Dunn cemented Twin B Joe Fresh to McClure’s helmet up the backside and waited for their move, which came after a :56.1 half. Sylvia Hanover blitzed Racine Bell through the far turn and seized the lead after three-quarters in 1:23.3 all while Twin B Joe Fresh spun for home poised and primed to pounce off the helmet.
Dunn angled to the center of the track as McClure called on Sylvia Hanover to fight in mid-stretch, but Twin B Joe Fresh cruised by her adversary to notch a neck win – and win No. 2,000 in North America for Dexter Dunn – at the end of a 1:49.1 mile. Sylvia Hanover settled for second with Silver Label slipping through off a pocket trip for third and Valar Dohaeris rallying for fourth.
“She’s been great for us her whole life really,” Dexter Dunn said after the race. “It’s been a thrill to be a part of her and she’s come back great this year. Sylvia Hanover is such a hard horse to get past, and usually I couldn’t last year, but [my mare] sprinted up good today.”
TWIN B JOE FRESH REPLAY
Chris Ryder trains and co-owns Twin B Joe Fresh, a 4-year-old mare out of the Captaintreacherous mare Fresh Breeze, with partners Dexter Dunn, Peter Trevotica and Barry Spak. She has now won 23 races from 32 starts, has banked $1,673,616 and paid $2.40 to win.
HEAVY HANDED: Business bustled on the 14-race program as $3,549,002 was pushed through the windows, the biggest night of action since May 18 when betting totaled $3,584,315.
There have been 51 race cards conducted at The Big M during 2024, and 37 of those have seen the $3-million hurdle cleared.
The Late 50-cent Pick-4 saw $113,627 put in play, the biggest Pick-4 pool of the year. After a sequence that saw winner’s odds of 7-1, 5-2, 6-5 and 18-1, those with winning tickets collected $509.05.
A LITTLE MORE: Tim Tetrick and Dexter Dunn led the driver-colony with three winners each. Tetrick swept the Late Double, which returned a healthy $116.20 to his faithful followers. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
