FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2020 ©2020 HORSEMAN PUBLISHING CO., LEXINGTON, KY USA • FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CALL (859) 276-4026 Ruthless Hanover Turns Heads With Big 1:48.4 Meadowlands Win ACCEPTING ENTRIES Last Saturday’s card at the Meadowlands was highlighted by two performances that turned heads, especially because for the hottest sale this winter of the strong head wind that horses faced as they reached the homestretch, and a wind chill temperature that felt like it was in the 30s. The conditions were so extreme that the judges gave a one-second time allowance. American History, who won last year’s Breeders Crown Open Pace, won the Meadowlands Preferred in 1:48.4, reeling off his third straight win at the Big M. He is back in to go this Saturday night at the Meadowlands in the $28,000 Preferred. American History’s effort last Saturday made the perform- February 9 & 10, 2021 ance turned in by the winner the race before him all the ENTER ONLINE AT more notable. Ruthless Hanover, a 3-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere, won a non-winners (of six or www.bloodedhorse.com $75,000, for 5 year olds and under and with other condi- Sale entries will close around mid-January, 2021. tions) event by an astounding 5 ¼ lengths in 1:48.4. It was the sophomore’s sixth career victory, which have all come this year because of an injury he sustained as a 2 year old. Going into the race, Ruthless Hanover had a record of 11- 5-2-2 and had won at the Meadowlands in 1:49.2 on Nov. 14. Since Ruthless had not raced as a 2 year old, trainer Tom Cancelliere and his brother, John, who owns the horse, are “There’s No Substitute for Experience” thrilled with the youngster’s development. JERRY HAWS • P.O. Box 187 • Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 “When he trained down as a 2 year old with our horse Fa- Phone: (859) 858-4415 • Fax: (859) 858-8498 ther Nuno (a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes winner at age two), Nuno couldn’t beat him,” recalled Tom Cancelliere. “He WHAT’S INSIDE . qualified in 1:55 and change in June, and I’ve got to admit, I Fanning horses winning at Yonkers—pg. 2 was thinking of the Metro. But Dave (Miller, who drove Riad an early success in harness racing—pg. 4 Ruthless Hanover in the qualifier) said, ‘He’s not right.’” Miller’s instincts while driving Ruthless Hanover were spot Career finale Friday for Dapper Dude—pg. 5 on. Ruthless Hanover won another qualifier in 1:55.1 and Breeding Banter—pg. 12 then showed lameness. When the colt was diagnosed with ting a short break, but the Cancellieres have hopes for the a broken P-1 bone in his right hind leg, Tom shipped him to horse competing in stakes action next season. the dean of repairing those injuries, Dr. Patty Hogan, who is “George Nap never pulled the (ear) plugs or turned the based in New Jersey. Dr. Hogan repaired a broken P-1 in a whip,” noted Tom. “He’s just a nice, nice horse.” rear leg of world champion Always B Miki. In addition to being a son of Somebeachsomewhere, Ruth- This year Ruthless Hanover was put back in training, but less Hanover has extreme speed in his maternal line. Al- didn’t seem 100 percent perfect. With the covid-19 pan- though just a $57,000 yearling, Ruthless Hanover’s dam, demic shutting down racing, Tom gave the horse more time. Rockaroundthetrack p,3, 1:54.4h, is out of a half sister to “He just kept getting better,” said Tom. “The horse just likes Quik Pulse Mindale p,3, 1:48. his job. His name does not suit him. We call him ‘Ruffles’ Tom also has high hopes for Father Nuno in 2021, along around the barn because he’s a sweetheart. He was gelded, but with 16 babies, which are all in training at the Cancellieres’ only because he was a 2 year old coming three, with no record. Magical Acres complex in New Jersey. He had no stud duty prospects, so we geld horses like that.” “He needed throat surgery and then kicked a wall, so Ruthless Hanover was entered to race this Saturday at the there’s been one thing after another with him, but he’ll be Meadowlands, but the race was not used. Thus he’ll be get- back,” said Tom.—By Kathy Parker HarnessRacing Weekend Preview, 2 of 14 December 11, 2020 www.harnessracing.com Mississippi Storm, Betting Exchange Look For Yonkers Repeats FREE THIS WEEKEND’S Program With his win in the $30,000 Open Trot last Friday night Pages FEATURED RACES (Dec. 4) at Yonkers Raceway, Mississippi Storm went over the $100,000 mark in seasonal earnings for the third All times listed are local. straight year. And with his win in last Friday’s Open, Missis- Friday, Dec. 11 sippi Storm was rewarded with drawing for post 7 or 8 in 7:50p Wbsb3 Valedictory 3CP div. Trackmaster PPs this Friday’s $30,000 Open, and he landed the outside spot. 9:05p Wbsb6 Valedictory 3CP div. Trackmaster PPs After a 2-year-old campaign for trainer Julie Miller in which 9:12p YR7 Open Trot Trackmaster PPs he banked $68,888, Mississippi Storm was sold in the mixed 10:12p YR10 Cond. Pace Trackmaster PPs sale at Harrisburg, with Joseph Smith paying $70,000. The 5- Click here to download all Friday PPs year-old gelded son of Cantab Hall, whose third dam is the Saturday, Dec. 12 $1.3 million-winning Casual Breeze, has been in the barn of 7:25p Wbsb2 Niagara 3FP div. Trackmaster PPs trainer Tom Fanning since Smith’s purchase. 9:05p Wbsb6 Niagara 3FP div. Trackmaster PPs “This is the kind of horse Joe Smith likes, the ones who 9:12p YR7 Open Pace Trackmaster PPs are two turning three and they have a little potential to go 10:11p M9 Preferred Pace Trackmaster PPs on,” said Fanning. Click here to download all Saturday PPs In the three years in Fanning’s barn, Mississippi Storm has earned $346,230, bringing his career total to $413,888. Fan- ning said with this year’s shortened race schedule due to the covid-19 pandemic, he wasn’t expecting another six- digit-winning year by the trotter. “I’m surprised this year because he missed so much rac- ing,” said Fanning. “It’s really an accomplishment for him Racing. With 117 starts under his belt, Betting Exchange has that he’s made that much money this year.” won $770,938, with $430,975 coming during his sophomore Back on Aug. 6 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, campaign in 2015. Mississippi Storm trotted to a career-best 1:52 win with An- That year as a 3 year old, Betting Exchange’s three wins in- thony Napolitano driving. Mississippi Storm’s last six starts cluded the $225,000 New York Sires Stakes final as Yonkers. have all come in the Yonkers Open, including victories on He also picked up big checks when he finished second in Oct. 30 and Nov. 13 with George Brennan driving. the $300,000 Art Rooney final at Yonkers and third in the In his latest Open score, Mississippi Storm dropped in sec- $810,000 North America Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park. ond for Matt Kakaley after starting from post 6. He got shuf- “That was quite a year for him,” understated Fanning. “It fled back in the final turn, but Kakaley angled his charge off seems like a long, long time ago.” the pylons and he charged home Betting Exchange’s last start in 2015 came in the Circle City “It’s really an to win by a neck in 1:55.1 over a at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, where he finished 11th. Disaster accomplishment “good” racetrack at odds of 7-1. struck as he came up sick afterward, which caused him to for him that he’s “Last week was the third time he not make his first start as a 4 year old until early July. made that much won that class,” said trainer Tom “He went out to Hoosier and got really sick and almost money this year.” Fanning. “(Matt) Kakaley drove him died,” remembered Fanning. –Tom Fanning about very good last week and when Betting Exchange also had to recently work his way Mississippi Storm (George) Brennan won with him through a foot problem. before he drove him very well also. “He had a foot issue for a long, long time,” said Fanning. “He’s not a hard horse to drive. He tries hard and stays at “It took something like three months for an abscess to pop it. He’s cooperative and it worked out well. He’s a versatile out of his foot. During that three months he’d be sound for a horse and can race either way.” few days, then he would get sore again for a couple of On Friday, Mississippi Storm is listed as the 3-1 morning- weeks. When it finally popped out it took care of things.” line favorite with Kakaley back aboard. Although Betting Exchange drew post 8 for his last start, a The Open Trot is Race 7, and three races later in Race 10 drop in class was enough that the gelding led gate-to-wire (an $11,000 conditioned pace) Fanning will send out 5-2 sec- for driver Kakaley.