Meadowlands: Allywag Hanover caps off 2021 campaign with TVG Open Pace win

Allywag Hanover wound up suffering two recent defeats in the Breeders Crown and the Potomac Pace, but he was back on his top level in Saturday night's $350,000 TVG Open Pace final at the Meadowlands, winning in 1:48 1/5.

Todd McCarthy took his regular seat in the bike behind Brett Pelling-trained Allywag Hanover, and he put him in play early from post three. Allywag Hanover had to work to clear Breeders Crown champion Ocean Rock (Dan Noble) before the 26 3/5 opening quarter and then was immediately confronted by a two-wide Cattlewash (David Miller).

Cattlewash pressed on and grabbed command in the second quarter, but Potomac Pace victor and even-money favorite Enavant (Dan Dube) had been on the rim and tracking Cattlewash's cover, and after a brief duel, Enavant struck the front just past the 53 1/5 half-mile marker. This put Allywag Hanover in third on the cones and Ocean Rock had been shuffled back to fourth. On the final bend, Noble tried a first-over move with Ocean Rock, but he stalled immediately after being fed racetrack, allowing Enavant to keep clear to the 1:20 2/5 three-quarters and into the lane.

In the stretch, Miller angled out with Cattlewash, but he didn't have a big response, allowing Enavant to cling to an advantage. With Cattlewash fanning out, Allywag Hanover took the inside route as Enavant drifted out, and in contrast to the pocket-sitter, he had a strong kick in him and powered into the lead in the last eighth. From there, Allywag Hanover was able to hold sway to the wire, winning by half a length over Workin Ona Mystery (Tim Tetrick), who rallied with a 26 4/5 last quarter from third-over. Catch The Fire (Scott Zeron) worked out a second-over trip behind the stalled Ocean Rock and came on for third, Cattlewash was fourth, and Ocean Rock ended up fifth.

"I think it's just I've been very fortunate to get on this horse at the right time. Full credit to Brett and the job he's done managing throughout the season. Every time I've gotten behind him he's had him spot on, and he said to me tonight that he'd be really sharp coming off that run down at Rosecroft. He was certainly right," offered McCarthy. "He's a funny little horse. He can do it each way. He seems to get a little bit of enjoyment about weaving through the field like that. He likes that sort of tactical side of racing. When things work out, it's certainly a fun way to drive.

"At the time when Cattlewash was there first, I was kind of planning on moving back, and then when I saw Dube hot on his back, I kind of figured that I was going to get put away third there. Then I stepped back on the gas and just figured I'd stretch them out a little bit further and try and take a bit more sting out of them. Then it was just a matter of hoping things worked out in the end."

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Pelling trains Allywag Hanover, a 4-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous, for owner Allywag Stable, which is comprised of Anatolia Racing LLC., Let It Ride Stables Inc., Adam Bowden, Fred Hertrich, Dan Lagace, Malcolm Nicholas, Dana Parham, Diamond Creek Racing, and McKinlay & Fielding. Allywag Hanover posted his 18th career victory, and he has now earned $1,204,738. He was the 2-1 second choice and paid $6.20 to win.

"None of those runs were poor runs," Pelling said of Allywag Hanover's third in the Breeders Crown and second in the Potomac Pace. "The horse, he always races close to the front, and it's a great group that he's racing against. Utilizing your speed all the time, sometimes you don't end up exactly where you want to. Even there tonight, great effort by Todd going left at the top of the lane. He knows a target, and he dove through there. I couldn't be prouder for him. There's always someone taking a shot at you. That's the bottom line. All these races, we're at the Meadowlands and we're racing for a lot of money. It's never easy.

"He's heading home down to Diamond Creek here tomorrow, but I can't wait for him to come back. He's gotten sounder as he's gotten older. He's more mature. He's more settled, and he's a lot kinder for us to be around and everything. He's just turned into a beautiful horse."