Mitchell York isn’t one to normally race horses this late in the season, especially a two-year-old, but Thai Hanover (Stay hungry) will be a rare exception when he goes behind the harness racing starting gate in Thursday’s $122,600 Grade 3 Matron Stakes for first-year male pacers at Bally’s Dover.
Two-time Grand Circuit winner Thai Hanover will get his chance thanks to a consistent campaign that saw him appear on the board in nine of 13 races, facing some of the sport’s best two-year-old male pacers along the way. That trend will continue on Thursday, when he starts from post one while Jeremy Indof rides for co-owner/trainer York in the Matron. He’s 8-1 on the morning line.
“He drew well, I wish he could have competed with a different group of horses,” York said with a laugh. “But I’m excited about the race. I hope they know he’s there. That’s just a tough group of studs, but he’s raced with them all year and he’s always been competitive. Hopefully he’ll be competitive again.”
Thai Hanover’s competition in the eight-horse Matron field includes Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion and Metro Pace runner-up Frantic Hanover (the 5-2 favorite in the morning line with Tim Tetrick at the wheel for trainer Ron Burke), multiple graded stakes winner and Breeders Crown third-place Melillo (7-2, Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Burke) and New York Sire Stakes champion and Big Apple Pace winner Fragment (9-2, Jason Bartlett, Per Engblom).
Frantic Hanover and Fragment rank second and third, respectively, in season earnings among male freshman goers, with more than $500,000 each.
“Some years are a little weaker, but this year was just a great group,” said York, who has seen Thai Hanover compete against six of eight 2-year-old male pacers at some point this season to win in 1:49.4 or faster. “They are all phenomenal.”
Thai Hanover, a $14,000 yearling purchase at the 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale, has earned $116,891 for York and his wife Erin this season. The son of Stay Hungry-Tempest Blue Chip is his mother’s ninth six-figure earner and his family also includes millionaire Kenneth J and O’Brien Award winner Percy Bluechip, mother of this year’s Grade 1 Adios champion Prince Hal Hanover.
“He’s what we could afford, and that’s how we always buy,” York said. “We were fortunate enough to purchase his full sister (Tempt Me Hanover) for $24,000 at a Preferred Equine Online auction in September, so we’ll see how she goes next year.”
Thai Hanover heads to the Matron after an Oct. 20 victory in a $45,950 division of the Simpson Memorial Stakes at Pocono Downs in Mohegan Pennsylvania, covering the mile in 1:55.2 on a sloppy track. He also captured the $48,000 Standardbred Stakes for 2-year-old male pacers on September 17 at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio, stopping the timer in 1:52.1.
This year, Thai Hanover has four wins, four seconds and a third in thirteen races. Two of his seconds came against Frantic Hanover and another came against Melillo. His third came in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes (G3) at Lexington’s Red Mile, where he set the pace before finishing well behind Signal Caller in a 1:48.4 mile. He almost held on for second place, but was taken out by Ubrute.
“I never thought I’d have a two-year-old go 1:49, and we got 1:49 and finished third,” York said. “But he has been consistent all year. He can start very well and he still finishes well. I think he has matured a lot throughout the year. He is nice in the stable, but on race day he was a bit difficult to deal with in the paddock. He is becoming calmer. The more he races, the more he learns.”
The Matron will be the final start of the campaign in Thai Hanover.
“We’ve never ridden this far into the year with a two-year-old,” York said. “Hopefully he continues to mature and grow over the winter and comes back as a nice three-year-old. We’re looking forward to that. I feel blessed to have him, that’s for sure.”
Racing starts at Bally’s Dover at 4.30pm. In addition to the Matron for 2-year-old male pacers, there will be a $110,300 Matron for 2-year-old female trotters and $104,900 Matron for 2-year-old female pacers.
For free past performances of Bally’s Dover, click here.
For full race entries, click here: American Trotting Entries
Through Ken Weingartnerfor the USTA
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