Longshot slays Confederate in $454,000 FanDuel Open Pace

Allywag Hanover (Captaintreacherous) played giant killer as he parlayed a perfect trip into a $454,000 FanDuel Championship upset win for older harness racing male pacers at The Meadowlands on Saturday evening (November 25th).

Driver Todd McCarthy blasted 17-1 Allywag Hanover off the gate, and he made front and led through a :27.1 opening quarter, but he would soon be overtaken by 4 to 5 favorite Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras). The half was paced in :55.2 and sophomore sensation Confederate (Tim Tetrick), who left hard from post nine to get positioned in fourth early, moved first up, setting up an expected classic confrontation.

Bythemissal sped past the three quarters in 1:23.0 with Confederate laboring on the outside and Allywag Hanover biding his time in the pocket. It became apparent in early stretch that Confederate would not be able to sustain his first-over move.

McCarthy popped Allywag Hanover out of the pocket, and he gradually wore down Bythemissal en route to a 1:49.1 victory by a neck. It was the second win in this race for the Brett Pelling trainee, his first triumph coming in 2021. Sent off at 17 to 1 tonight, he paid $36.60 to win. Abuckabett Hanover was third.

ALLYWAG HANOVER REPLAY

Pelling explained some of his gelding’s issues earlier in the season, some caused by a mishap in the Mohawk Gold Cup.

“We had a couple of problems with his fitness when he was involved in that wreck up at Mohawk and really never got him in the groove that he wanted,” he said. “His races up at Hoosier Park were okay, the race down at Potomac (Pace) told me that we really needed to find out what was going on here and it looked like it clicked tonight.”

Clicked it did, and Pelling had praise for his six-year-old gelding.

“He’s just a great horse, he really is. Great gaited, follows speed really well and you know, he’s honest. When he’s on his game, he’s as honest as they come.”

Pelling was also effusive in his praise for standout sophomore colt Confederate, who had a tough trip and eventually faded to eighth, beaten six lengths, a performance that will not change his status as prohibitive favorite to win Horse of the Year.

“Just an absolute amazing horse,” Pelling beamed. “You know he did a lot of work early, the third quarter was strong, he tried to bolt into it. You know, it’s a three-year-old racing against big boys. I’ve always said how smart he is. You know, all the credit to him. He’s had a fantastic career.”

Allywag Hanover took his fourth win of 2023 in his 17th start. The $175,000 winners share of the purse boosted his earnings to more than $2.267 million for owner Allywag Stable of Pennsylvania.