Elista Hanover makes it nine straight scores

For the ninth straight time this harness racing season, Elista Hanover (International Moni) found her way to the winner’s circle, this time with a romp in a $30,800 division of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes at The Meadowlands Saturday (July 20).

The Grand Circuit event for three-year-old trotting fillies saw Elista Hanover become the winningest three-year-old trotter in North America with her nine straight victories.

The 6^th race co-feature saw St Pauli Girl (Tim Tetrick) shoot out to the early lead from post six with Miss I LA (Joe Bongiorno) sitting second. Meanwhile, the 1/5 race favorite, Elista Hanover, got away in fourth place for driver David Miller.

Past the opening quarter mile in :27.4, they raced single file to the half mile in :57.3. Then when approaching the three-quarters, Miller made his move with Elista Hanover and the chestnut filly started gaining on St Pauli Girl past the three-quarters in 1:26.1.

Racing neck and neck with St Pauli Girl coming off the final turn, Elista Hanover and Miller just surged away from the field and went on to win by five and three-quarter lengths in 1:53.1. St Pauli Girl was second with Kinesiology (Yannick Gingras) third.

ELISTA HANOVER REPLAY

Having finished third in her first start of the season, Elista Hanover has been perfect ever since for trainer Annie Stoebe. A $240,000 yearling purchase, Elista Hanover is co-owned by R Lynn & Philomena Curry with Annie Stoebe, and she paid $2.40 to win.

Elista Hanover is now the early favorite for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks Trot for three-year-old fillies and starts next Saturday at The Meadowlands with elimination divisions.

In the 8th race second $30,800 division of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes for three-year-old fillies saw Honey’s Sweet (Chapter Seven) and driver Yannick Gingras take nearly a half mile to pass leader Sambuca Hanover (David Miller), but once on the lead, no one would catch her as Honey’s Sweet won by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:52.1. Sambuca Hanover was second with Cool Ma Bell (Andy McCarthy) third.

It was the third win in six starts for Honey’s Sweet, who is trained by Tony Alagna for owner-breeders Crawford Farms Racing. She paid $3.20 to win and is also eligible to next week’s Hambletonian Oaks.

HONEY’S SWEET REPLAY

The third Tompkins-Geers filly division was taken by Upallnight Hanover for Dexter Dunn and Ake Svanstedt in a lifetime-best 1:53.1. The daughter of Bar Hopping-Upfront Ob’s Janet raced in the four-hole to the half, went first-over heading to three-quarters while providing a live tow for even-money favorite Spy Coast but dug in to hold off that foe by a half-length at the finish as the 2-1 second choice, returning $6.40 to her backers. She’s now four-for-13 lifetime, good for earnings of just over $147,000.

UPALLNIGHT HANOVER REPLAY

The 9th race saw ten three-year-old colt trotters battle in the lone $76,700 division of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes and when the dust settled, it was Secret Agent Man (Chapter Seven) getting the glory for driver Andy Miller with a one and one-half length victory.

It was Spaaaanzano and driver Andy McCarthy leading the way at the quarter in :27.3 with Bryant Bros S (Tim Tetrick sitting the two-hole trip. Then at the half mile in :55.4, Bella’s Musclehill (David Miller), the 6/5 race favorite, came first-over and was able to grind his way to the lead at the three-quarters in 1:24. With French Kronos (Mattias Melander) now first-over and Secret Agent Man second-over, the battle was on.

As they started on the final turn before the stretch drive, Bella’s Musclehill went off-stride as French Kronos took the lead but not for long as Secret Agent Man and Andy Miller had plenty of trot left and took off towards the wire, winning over French Kronos with Bryant Bros S third.

SECRET AGENT MAN REPLAY

Now one of the early hopefuls for the $1 million Hambletonian Trot, Secret Agent Man notched his second straight win for trainer Julie Miller. A $170,000 yearling purchase, Secret Agent Man is owned by the Andy Miller Stable, Plouffe Racing, Patrick Hoopes and Knutsson Trotting, Inc. He paid $7.20 to win.

Driver Carter Dalgety, a 21-year-old native of New Zealand who will be trying to make a go of it in North America for the next two months, scored his first Meadowlands win in his second try, winning the third race with Stonebridge Reef. The Chris Ryder trainee scored as the 9-2 third choice in a lifetime-best 1:48.4. … Gingras led the driver colony with three Saturday scores. … All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $2,669,701. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m., the first of the final four programs of the Championship Meet.

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

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink