Harrah's Hoosier Park: Dan Patch starter Prince Hal Hanover proving himself versus older foes

Sometimes 4-year-olds can struggle a little bit when making the transition to facing older horses in open company, but Prince Hal Hanover has held his own this season, right from the start.

Prince Hal Hanover, a 4-year-old pacing stallion trained and co-owned by Dr. Ian Moore, began his campaign in May by beating a field of nine older rivals in the Pacey Mindlin Memorial Invitational (Grade 3) at Miami Valley Raceway. He has competed against older foes in four graded stakes/invitationals since then, with three second-place finishes and a third to show for his efforts.

One of those setbacks, to Mossdale Ben N in the Battle of Lake Erie (G2), was by a nose. Most recently, he was beaten by a neck by Captain Albano in a division of the Sam McKee Memorial (G2) this past Saturday at the Meadowlands.

For the year, Prince Hal Hanover has hit the board in all 11 of his races, winning four and earning $373,981. His other wins this season include the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup (G2), an event restricted to 4-year-olds, at Flamboro Downs in May. He was second in the Graduate Series final (G2), also for 4-year-olds, at the Meadowlands in July.

“He has become one of my favorite horses of all time,” said Moore, who co-owns Prince Hal Hanover with five others under the Prince Hal Hanover Stable banner. “Just his whole demeanor and the way he is so ultra-consistent. He can race any way – from a hole, from the back, on the front – and he gives you all he’s got every time out. I don’t even recall the last time he’s gone a poor race for us. And that’s (racing) all over the place. We’re at different tracks every week with him. That says a lot too.”

Last season as a 3-year-old, Prince Hal Hanover won eight of 21 races, including the Adios (G1), Carl Milstein Memorial (G2), and divisions of the Bluegrass and Somebeachsomewhere stakes (both G3). He hit the board an additional seven times and earned $830,560. At the end of the campaign, the ownership group considered all its options for the horse – who has hit the board in 33 of 42 career races, winning 14 and earning $1.49 million – and decided to bring him back in 2026.

“Three-year-olds coming 4, a lot of them, maybe eight or nine of 10, struggle a bit until they get acclimatized,” Moore said. “I’ve had 4-year-olds struggle in recent years, so that was a concern. But I made the push to race him as a 4-year-old. I said this what we buy yearlings for every fall, to get a horse like him. He had a record of (1):47 2/5 last year and competed at the top level all year, so why not give him another chance. I’m glad it turned out because no matter what happens now he’s already got his year paid for. It’s been good.”

What qualities have helped the son of Captaintreacherous-Percy Bluechip adjust quickly to facing older rivals?

“I think just his toughness, his durability, and his desire to win,” Moore said. “It doesn’t seem to matter if I train him or just jog him; week in and week out he gives you all he’s got every time he’s out there, no matter what. He’s a pleasure to be around in every way, shape or form. We just love him.”

On Friday (Aug. 14), Prince Hal Hanover will visit Harrah’s Hoosier Park – his seventh different track this season – for the $300,000 Dan Patch Stakes (G1). He is one of six 4-year-olds in the free-for-all event, which will go behind the gate with a field of 11 horses. Prince Hal Hanover will leave from post 7 with regular driver Todd McCarthy and is 7-1 on the morning line.

The 3-1 morning-line favorite in the Dan Patch is 4-year-old Dandy Ideal, who will start from post 4 with Tyler Buter driving for Hunter Oakes. In six races this season, the son of American Ideal-OK Heavenly has four wins and a second, with $74,750 in earnings.

Graduate Series champion Captain Optimistic (driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Nancy Takter) will leave from post 6 and is the 7-2 second choice followed by Bythemissal (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-Ron Burke) at 6-1. Last week, Bythemissal finished third in the McKee division won by Captain Albano, just missing out on second place as Prince Hal Hanover rallied for the spot with a race-best 26 1/5 last quarter.

“I haven’t been out to Indiana for a couple of years now, and it’s a nice spot,” said Moore, who won the 2020 Dan Patch Stakes with Century Farroh. “I love racing there. We’re looking forward to it. It’s a big field and it’s a lot of good horses. We’ll see what happens.”

In addition to the Dan Patch Stakes, Hoosier Park hosts the $100,000 Rockin Nola (G3) for older female pacers. Three Times Bettor, who has won seven of nine races this year, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the field of seven. The daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady will leave from post 7 with Dunn driving for Brett Pelling.

Racing begins at 5:30 p.m. (EDT).