Darlene Hanover, Captain Corey win Sun Stakes trots
August 21, 2021, by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Wilkes-Barre, PA — Darlene Hanover scored an emotional win in Saturday’s (Aug. 21) $250,000 Delmonica Hanover Stakes for 3-year-old female trotters, winning by three lengths over Flawless Country in 1:51.4 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. You Ato Dream finished third.
The victory came eight days after the passing of Hall of Famer Charlie Keller III, who was among the filly’s Yankeeland Partners ownership group.
Two races later, Captain Corey won the $300,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for 3-year-old trotters in his first start since capturing the Hambletonian on Aug. 7. Captain Corey won by 1-3/4 lengths over stablemate Johan Palema in 1:51, with Take All Comers finishing third.
In the Delmonica Hanover, Darlene Hanover was fifth at the half-mile point before using a first-over march to eventually take the top spot from even-money favorite You Ato Dream in the stretch. Mazzarati had led to the quarter in :26.3 before You Ato Dream took over and set fractions of :55, and 1:23.4.
The final time was one-fifth of a second off the track record for a 3-year-old filly trotter.
Todd McCarthy drove Darlene Hanover for trainer/co-owner Brett Bittle, who is Keller’s nephew.
“This win obviously meant a lot today,” McCarthy said. “I’m sure we might have had a little bit of help from above. Brett is super to drive for. Full credit to him, he had the horse spot on today and made my job real easy.
“The way the race panned out, there were a couple moves (early) and I figured we’d be slowing down a little from the half, so it was a good time to pull her. She’s raced like that before. She’s got a lot of heart, that filly, and she showed it today.”
Darlene Hanover, a daughter of Chapter Seven out of Danielle Hanover, has won two of seven races this year and six of 15 in her career. She has earned $481,462. The filly was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.
Sent off at 5-1, Darlene Hanover paid $13.00 to win.
In the Beal Memorial, Captain Corey sat behind an early duel for the front between Take All Comers and Johan Palema, with the latter leading to the first quarter in :26.4. From there, Captain Corey took over, reaching the half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:23.4 on his way to victory.
“It’s easy to drive when you drive a horse like him,” trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt said about Captain Corey. “He’s a really smart horse. I think that’s the reason good horses are good; they are smart. And they like to race.”
Captain Corey has won four of six races this year and nine of 13 in his career. He pushed his lifetime earnings to $1.06 million with his Beal triumph.
The colt is owned by S R F Stable, Knutsson Trotting Inc., Midnight Sun Partners Inc., and Ake Svanstedt Inc. The son of Googoo Gaagaa-Luv U All was bred by Carter Duer.
Captain Corey paid $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favorite.
$200,000 EARL BEAL JR. MEMORIAL CONSOLATION
The Ake Svanstedt stable took the top two spots in the $200,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial consolation, with Fly Light finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Capstone in 1:52. Magical Muscle Man finished third. Dexter Dunn drove Fly Light (Father Patrick-Hustle Heart) for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc. and Stable Why Not. The gelding was bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. He picked up his first win in five races this year and second in 13 starts lifetime. He has earned $248,271.
$125,000 DELMONICA HANOVER CONSOLATION
In the $125,000 Delmonica Hanover consolation, Dazzling Reign rallied in the stretch following a circuitous trip from mid-pack on the backstretch to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Aunt Irene in 1:55.1. Above The Clouds finished third. Dazzling Reign (Father Patrick-Broadway Chuckles) was driven by Todd McCarthy for trainer Claude Huckabone III. The filly is owned by James Crawford IV and was bred by Red Well Stables. She has won five of nine races this year and six of 16 starts in her career, earning $125,749.
