This Saturday marks the highlight of the Hanover Raceway harness racing season as the track plays host to the 15th annual Dream of Glory Trot. GM Gord Dougan says Not only is the field outstanding, it is probably one of the toughest Dream of Glory finals to handicap.
Dougan says first elimination winner Wildwildmen drew post 4, and the second elimination winner, Smoke Monkey drew post 7.
Dougan says both eliminations finished in 1:58 and change, and the field includes some local interests and 2 trainers with their names already on the Dream of Glory Trophy.
Peter and Curtis Clements of Dobbinton each have a horse in the final, and trainers John Bax and Keith Jones know what it’s like to win the final. Jones won the first ever Dream of Glory Trot with Abbey Road C who went on to win over $2,000,000 in purse money. Bax meanwhile is nationally known as a top Trot producer and has won the Dream of Glory title 3 times in the past. Jones has 2 horses in the final, Pukka drew post 5, while Chestnut Schofield has post 6. Bax meanwhile has teamed up with 4 time Dream of Glory winning driver Steve Byron on Very Classy who drew post 2. Local fans will be cheering for PC Foreign Affair who drew post 1 for Curtis and Amy Clements and PC Cantore who drew post 3 for father Peter Clements.
Not only will the $67,500 dollar final be one to watch, Hanover also has 5 divisions of 3 year old Colt pacers competing in the Ontario Sires Stakes.
5 of the top 10 Grassroots leading Colts are taking part including leader Continual Hanover in Race 8. The 3 year old Bettors Delight son is owned by Jack Darling of Cambridge and won his last start at Mohawk in 1:52. Derecho has 2 wins in 4 starts this season.
The horse who finished 2nd in that race was Derecho, owned in part by Dustin Jones of Waterdown. Despite starting from post 10, this 3 year old gelded son of Big Jim finished in 1:52.1 and should be a favorite in Race 4 where he gets post relief in the form of the 3 hole.
Other top Grassroots colts include Perseverant who is 5th in the standings, Spirit Shadow who won his only start in the OSS on June 16th but has 5 wins in 11 starts in his first season of racing, and is 6th in points, and Flaherty who starts from Post 7, but has already earned his ownership group over $80,000 dollars this year.
Flaherty is owned by the Macks stable and Joe Carnovale of Stoney Creek, and Bill Budd of Waterdown. This gelded son of Up the Credit won his last start at Mohawk in 1:52.4 and was 3rd in an OSS Gold event back in May in London in 1:52.4.
Dream of Glory day includes a Beef BBQ, live band and huge fireworks display after the races. Dougan is expecting a crowd upwards of 4,000 fans to attend, including some off duty Hanover Fire Personell, as well as members of the Hanover Curling Club and Hanover Police departments to help out. Post time is 6:15pm.
Gord Dougan