Horse racing, long known as the Sport of Kings, echoes a history written in hoofbeats and heartbeats telling tales of honor, heartbreak, and hope. Trainer Jody Riedel’s story began in a small town nestled between two racetracks — Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs — where she and her sister Donna were raised by parents who ran a stable of their own. Inspired by her sister’s path, Jody launched her career as an outrider at several tracks, all while owning racehorses, too. Eventually, her passion led her to training — a profession that’s taken her across the Northeast and connected her with countless horses. But one horse stands out among the rest – Kingpin Hanover. Kingpin Hanover, now 5 years old, is a son of E L Titan and the Cantab Hall mare Keepsake Hanover. He was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms and bought out of the Harrisburg Sale for a $35,000 price tag in 2021, spending his early career with Nifty Norman. He showed potential, but his lines were marred with breaks. In 2023, Kingpin Hanover got a flat line in a qualifier and he was put online after that, sold to Victor Libratore, one of Jody Riedel’s owners. Around that same time that Kingpin Hanover was struggling to find his feet in a race, Riedel was facing her own struggle: cancer. After her diagnosis, she had surgery and then six weeks of radiation. In the midst of their struggles, their paths collided. Kingpin Hanover was moved into Riedel’s care. “Nifty said he was fast but had some ‘head’ issues and would make breaks. He just needed some confidence,” Riedel recalled. “He was known for breaking and running away with the driver, so he was pretty intimidating for me to go with during my radiation treatments and not being very strong but you know…funny thing…it was like he knew. Maybe he knew I couldn’t fight? Horses are smarter than we give them credit for. I gave him confidence and ease and he did the same for me when I was at my lowest.” Despite warnings to be careful with the aggressive bay gelding, Riedel took the challenge in stride and grabbed the lines. Their connection formed instantly and as Riedel said, ‘Kingers’ took care of her. “Kingpin Hanover – what can I say? He’s definitely my heart horse. He’s my ‘special needs child’, but I think we need one another. We have gotten one another through tough times. I helped get him through his fears, anxiousness and anxiety, and he helped me through my cancer and radiation.” Riedel entered him in a couple of conditioned classes with aged horses to start and despite finishing out of the money he showed greater potential, with miles trotted faster than he had been before. His real test would come in his first race in the New York Excelsior Series, which he won in 1:56 4/5 in-hand to Jim Pantaleano. “That season, Kingers won three divisions of the New York Excelsior Series for me at Saratoga, Yonkers and Tioga. I was so proud. He made me cry. In fact, I teared up just now [talking] about it,” Riedel said. “I would train him, paddock him, and warm him up all myself. He could get a little strong, still can, but he always took care of me and knew his limits. He is definitely a tricky horse to drive. He only has a select few drivers that he gets along with so you have to select the right match. “I’m glad I’m a match for you, Kingers, and Victor took a chance on you. King is now 5 and well, he’s settled down a little. I still have to pick a quiet time to jog him and he is still very picky about his driver. Needless to say, there’s a few instructions that come with him when I hand [over] the lines. And even then, sometimes it doesn’t matter. King is King. All I hope for every time he steps on the track is that he comes back safe and sound because he’s my friend and we’ve looked out for one another and always will.” Kingpin Hanover has two wins in five starts this year with one in the Winners Over/Open Handicap Trot at Saratoga. Sporting his bright yellow equipment, he has banked over $132,000 in his 68-race career with an overall record of 13-9-8 in line to his trainer, who has nearly $5 million earned and over 400 wins herself, not to mention 35 driving wins as well. Together Kingpin Hanover and Jody Riedel have climbed mountains and formed a bond that embodies the significance and spirit of the Sport of Kings. Kingpin is now a fine contributing member to the Standardbred racing population and Riedel rang the bell last year signifying she is cancer free. “I love you Kingers, thank you for picking me to be ‘your person’. We’ve given one another hope and confidence and excitement. Definitely excitement,” Riedel concluded. “Win or lose.”