Meadowlands: Ervin Hanover delivers in Dave Brower Memorial

A mid-race give-and-go proved the winning strategy for Pollack Racing's Ervin Hanover, who powered to a 1:46 3/5 score - the fastest mile ever by an older male pacer at the Meadowlands - in the Grade 3 $168,100 Dave Brower Memorial on Saturday (July 4).

Ervin Hanover and driver Dexter Dunn were unhurried in the race's early stages, stalking from fourth as Crack Shot (driven by Doug McNair) and Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras) tussled through a 26 1/5 first quarter. Reaching the backstretch, Bythemissal yielded control to Crack Shot, and Ervin Hanover continued up to a brief lead off Crack Shot's cover before ceding control to Ken Hanover (Tim Tetrick) just past the 53 2/5 half.

On the far turn, Ken Hanover and Ervin Hanover continued one-two as Oakwood Ardan IR (James MacDonald) attempted in vain to gain ground on the outside through a punishing 26 2/5 third quarter. Dunn popped the pocket with Ervin Hanover off the corner for home, and the 6-year-old Captaintreacherous-Eloquent Grace entire struck the front in mid-stretch and drew off on his own to win by two lengths.

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Oakwood Ardan IR stayed on well in the breeze to save second; Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) lunged off Oakwood Ardan IR's cover to narrowly miss the runner-up spot. Ken Hanover faded late after giving way and finished fourth.

"He's just in top form; I think he's as good as he's ever been," said trainer Dave Menary of Ervin Hanover, who recorded his first-ever Meadowlands win after failing to convert in his first eight starts over the one-mile oval. "Hopefully his next eight starts (at the Meadowlands) are better than his last eight starts."

Now three-for-three this season after also winning an Open Pace and the Grade 3 Mohawk Gold Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Ervin Hanover has won 29 of his 78 career starts and earned $1,440,033 to date.

"I think he's as sharp as he's ever been," continued Menary. "We tried to start him a little later and keep the traveling down (this season) until now, and so far it's paid off."

Ervin Hanover's 1:46 3/5 mile knocked a fifth of a second off the previous track record for older pacing horses of 1:46 4/5, which Catch The Fire had set in 2022.

As the 4-5 public choice, Ervin Hanover paid $3.60 to win.