Badlands Hanover retired from stud

Badlands Hanover, p, 2, 1:50z ($754,772), has been retired from standing at Winbak Farm of Delaware.

“Badlands Hanover is one of my favorite stallions that we have ever stood,” said Joe Thomson, Winbak Farm Owner. “His offspring won many stakes and helped pay the bills for many.”

The World Champion son of Western Hanover is the #1 pacing sire for Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Final Winners.

At 2, Badlands Hanover won the Breeders Crown elimination and Final, Niatross Pace, Bluegrass Stakes, Keystone Classic, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes leg and Governors Cup elimination. He was second in the Woodrow Wilson Pace elimination (third in Final). At 3, he won a leg of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes. He was second in the Jug preview, Adios Stakes elimination and Meadowlands Pace elimination. At 4, he won the Governor’s Cup elimination and Final.

During his racing career, he was trained by Joe Holloway and Jeffrey Smith.

“Badlands Hanover retired as the fastest 2-year-old pacer ever,” said Jack Burke, Winbak Farm General Manager. “He set a World Record winning the Breeders Crown Final at Colonial.”

The first Badlands Hanover foals were born in 2001. Badlands Hanover stood his first Delaware season in 2001 where he stood at Winbak Farm of Delaware, he moved to Winbak Farm of Canada in 2009, and later returned to Winbak Farm of Delaware in 2018.

“We would like to give a special thank you to everyone who supported Badlands Hanover during his career,” said Thomson. “He had many fans but was probably most loved by John Celii, who owned him while he was racing and while he stood at stud until 2018 when Celii passed away.”

As a sire, Badlands Hanover averages $82,492 earnings per starter. He is the sire of 860 race winners in North America and 263 who earned $100,000 or more. Badlands Hanover offspring have earned $84,162,955 in North America. He is the sire of 3 Millionaires in North America, including Tug River Princess, p, 1:49.3 ($1,830,155), Badlands Nitro, p, 3, 1:50f ($1,597,638), and Mr Wiggles, p, 3, 1:49.1f ($1,171,484). Tug River Princess is the richest pacer ever in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund in 22 years.

Recent standouts include Bad Boy Too, p, 1:51f –’24 ($260,838), SlipinSidewayz, p, 3, 1:56.4h –’24 ($116,347), Shocking Truth, p, 3, 1:55.4h –’24 ($112,186), and Primo Maschio, p, 2, 1:54.1h –’24 ($109,170).

Badlands Hanover has sired multiple stallions including Badlands Nitro, Mr Wiggles and Delmarvalous, p, 3, 1:48.2 ($899,123), who all sired stakes winners. Mr Wiggles is the sire of Harness Racing Hall of Fame Inductee, Mr Wiggles, p, 1:47.2 ($3,945,839).

As a broodmare sire, Badlands Hanover is the sire of the dams of Limelight Beach, p, 3, 1:49.1 ($1,333,790), Semi Tough, p, 1:49.4 ($1,260,000), Manhattan Beach, p, 3, 1:49.2f ($863,983), Nike Franco N, p, 1:48 ($839,454), Carolina Beach, p, 1:49.1f ($806,980), and 2024 Ohio Sire Stakes Final Winner, Odds On Hialeah, p, 2, 1:51.4h –’24 ($324,750).

“Winbak Farm’s broodmare band includes 13 Badlands Hanover daughters,” said Thomson. “They are highlighted by Fit N Bad, who is the dam of O’Brien Award Winner, Laura’s Love.”

Badlands Hanover will continue to reside at Winbak Farm of Delaware.

“Badlands Hanover will live a life of leisure,” said Burke. “He will have the best of care during his retirement and continue to be one of the most loved horses at Winbak Farm.”

From Winbak Farm