Oak Grove: Spencer Hanover surges from second-over in Trotting Derby final

Breeders Crown champion Spencer Hanover put another notch on his stakes resume in the first edition of the $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby for sophomore colts and geldings on Saturday afternoon, rallying from second-over to score in 1:51 3/5 for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Marcus Melander.

Silverstein (Scott Zeron) was able to overcome post nine with a rush off the gate that carried him to the front around AI (Yannick Gingras) in a 26 2/5 quarter. Meanwhile, favored Endurance (Andy McCarthy) floated out from post six and appeared like he was trying to get Spencer Hanover in front of him, but instead he wound up in front of Spencer Hanover as a two-wide Geologic (Marvin Luna) forced McCarthy to drive on.

Endurance was on the inside only briefly from past the quarter to just before the finish line as McCarthy put him in motion first-up, and he would advance into a joint second as Silverstein hit the half in 54 4/5. Watching all that was Bartlett and Spencer Hanover from fourth, and Bartlett would put Spencer Hanover into a second-over position as Geologic faded out of contention.

After he made his way into second on the rim, Endurance kept moving forward to battle head-and-head with Silverstein to three-quarters in 1:22 4/5, and their duel would continue on the final bend, though Endurance now had an advantage. Endurance turned for home first and had the jump on the others, but Spencer Hanover was guided off McCarthy's helmet for the stretch drive, and Spencer Hanover would go by late, prevailing by half a length. Requiem (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) grabbed third over AI.

"In the first turn it was a battle between me and Andrew of who wanted to follow who," Bartlett offered. "When he saw the horse on the outside of him, then he was forced to go forward and I was able to get him in front of me. He loves a target and he's just a good horse."

A Chapter Seven colt owned by Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti, Spencer Hanover has a summary of 5-4-1 from 15 outings and has banked $916,297. He paid $10.28 to win.

"We're just in the beginning of the year. It's a fantastic race to win here and I'm very happy," said Melander. "He had two nice qualifiers at the Meadowlands and then the elimination he did very easy.

"He's got a sire stake at Vernon next Monday; we'll see about that. He'll go home to New Jersey on Monday and we'll take it from there. [The Hambletonian] is the goal."

A $75,000 consolation went to 1-5 favorite Big Ranger, driven by trainer Ronnie Gillespie, on the front-end in 1:52 3/5. An In Range colt bred by Spring Haven Farm, Big Ranger is owned by Madison Global and has eight victories in ten lifetime outings with earnings of $412,860.