Meadowlands: Wide trip doesn't bother Sylvia Hanover in Mistletoe Shalee

Sylvia Hanover never saw the cones at any point during the mile and was shuffled back nearing the half but still vaulted off cover into the lead in the lane to capture Saturday night's $169,000 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old pacing fillies at the Meadowlands in 1:48 4/5.

Zanatta (Brian Sears) rocketed to the early lead from post ten but would be overtaken by Twin B Joe Fresh (Dexter Dunn) before the 27 1/5 opening quarter. That left Sylvia Hanover (Bob McClure) on the outside, and McClure pressed forward with her, but as has been a tendency through her career, Sylvia Hanover stalled in the backstretch despite Dunn being willing to let her go.

With Sylvia Hanover stuck two-wide and the inside jammed up behind Twin B Joe Fresh, David Miller fired My Little Captain three-wide out of fourth, and she would loop both Twin B Joe Fresh and Sylvia Hanover beyond the 55 4/5 half. Strong Poison (Yannick Gingras), who had landed in fifth from the trailing post 11, tracked My Little Captain's charge and then was left first-over on the final bend, giving Sylvia Hanover a helmet to follow.

Strong Poison was able to forge her way into the top spot on the rim heading to the 1:22 three-quarters but was unable to cross back down to the rail, and that allowed Sylvia Hanover to track her all the way into the stretch before McClure angled her out for clear sailing. After being fed racetrack, Sylvia Hanover powered by Strong Poison and My Little Captain, and from there, she was able to hold off a re-rallying Twin B Joe Fresh by half a length. Strong Poison wound up third, followed by Zanatta and Front Page Story (Tim Tetrick).

"My game plan was kind of to come with cover or come first-up. She can take a lot of air, but the way it was working out following Dexter, I thought I'd get her to follow to the front," relayed McClure. "I thought with a new track maybe some of her habits she might have left at Mohawk, but I was mistaken. Once she was covered up in the last turn she felt like a million bucks. When I moved her, she kicks home the same no matter what trip you give her. She's got a wicked set of lungs and great endurance. Like I've said a million times, just happy to be along for the ride.

"Dexter was doing everything he could to let me go. When one cleared, I was okay with that, but then there was another one, and I said I can't get locked in. Strong Poison's a real good one to follow, and once she got a helmet, she swelled up. I felt a lot better at the five-eighths than I did halfway up the backside, I can tell you that."

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Mark Steacy trains Sylvia Hanover, a daughter of Always B Miki bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, for owners Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. Sylvia Hanover has 12 wins and a second from 13 attempts, has earned $940,820, and paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

"I'm losing my hair and I think I lost a lot more of it tonight. Watching this horse, she's very stressful, but at the end, she's very satisfying, too," Steacy stated. "She's got a great set of lungs on her and she just relaxes so much in the mile. That's the thing, the other guys have to respect her because she'll wear them down. Majestic Son was a very special horse, and before this year I probably would have said he was my best, but this one, I might change my tune very soon.

"There's a race in a couple weeks for her here again. I can't remember the name, but I hope it's within two weeks this time. She sat out four weeks or so this time, and even though she had the work, it's still a long time to sit out."