Meadowlands: Anoka Hanover dominates in Goldsmith Maid

Anoka Hanover wrapped up a fantastic 2-year-old campaign with a 1:53 2/5 win in the $451,800 Goldsmith Maid for trotting fillies on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. This was her seventh consecutive victory.

Insta Glam (Dexter Dunn) charged to the lead from post four in the Goldsmith Maid and put up a 28 1/5 opening quarter and a 55 4/5 half. Beautiful Game (Andrew McCarthy) drafted in behind her in the pocket, and Anoka Hanover (Todd McCarthy) got positioned well in third from the pole position. On the far turn, Todd McCarthy sent Anoka Hanover first-up, and the Noel Daley trainee advanced into second at the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters. Meanwhile, Breeders Crown champion Lady Chaos (David Miller) couldn't keep up with the cover from second-over and was not in contention.

In the lane Anoka Hanover powered by Insta Glam, and opened up to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Flawless Country (Scott Zeron) rode the rail in mid-pack and came up the inside for second, with Beautiful Game back in third. Wet My Whistle (Yannick Gingras) and Splash Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) completed the top five.

"She's been phenomenal, and I think the job that Noel has done with her, managing her, has just been unbelivable. I can't thank Noel enough for the opportunity to be able to drive this filly. The success that we've had with her has just been a dream come true for me," said Todd McCarthy. "She just seems to just be getting better and better all the time, and she's so brave and so tough. The one thing I love about her is just her attitude. She goes out there, and she wants to do her job every single time she goes out there. It's just such a privilege to be able to work with a horse like that.

"She was riding up pretty good first-over, and I kind of wanted to get her up and race her a little from the top of the stretch. When she cleared out, she probably just got a little bit lost there. I asked her a little, and she put her mind back on the job, and she found the line well. Like I said, she's got such a good attitude, and she does what you ask."

Daley also co-owns Anoka Hanover, a daughter of Donato Hanover, with L.A. Express Stable LLC. and Caviart Farms. Anoka Hanover, who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., was taken out of the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale for $35,000 and now has ten triumphs from 13 appearances, in addition to stashing away $599,053. Anoka Hanover is the fifth foal out of the Yankee Glide mare Aunt Mel (1:54, $280,332), and returned $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

"It was a hell of a season. She's just a tough, tough filly. She's got a very good head on her. She's just very calm and very strong," remarked Daley. "This was as good as she's been, so it's not like we've had enough. She pulls up a little bit when she clears, because she cleared a little early there, but she's in good form, so she's in good shape. It was a good way to end the year.

"Everything about her, she's just a very relaxed filly, and there are no real issues with her. I think she'll be the one they've all got to beat next year. It was a very competitive group."

Buck Chaffee from Caviart Farms was also delighted with Anoka Hanover's performance, and explained why she wasn't eligible to the Breeders Crown this year.

"This is a filly that Noel picked out, and we said she doesn't look all that great as a baby, but boy did she ever keep coming," he said. "She just keeps trying every time. She just out-does herself. Noel has done a great job, and as owners, we're just so happy that this is one of those surprises where you thought 'well, she's going to be a racehorse,' and then she just kept getting better and better and better.

"We didn't think that she was going to be of that caliber. We kept her in (the Breeders Crown) for next year, but for this year we didn't. She just was a big surprise. I'm certainly hoping that we can be in the Hambletonian Oaks next year."