Red Mile: Elver Hanover, Tall Dark Stranger stay undefeated

Both Elver Hanover (nine-for-nine) and Tall Dark Stranger (seven-for-seven) remained perfect in their careers with victories in two of the four $68,750 International Stallion Stakes splits for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday afternoon at The Red Mile. Major Betts and Capt Midnight were also victorious.

Elver Hanover (Chris Page), coming off a world record 1:48 3/5 mile last week, moved from fourth at the 27 3/5 opening quarter to the point nearing the 55 3/5 half in the last flight. Page was able to back down the tempo around the final bend, getting three-quarters in 1:24, and then he quickened and dug in when asked in the lane, defeating early leader Seeyou At Thebeach (Tim Tetrick) by a length and a quarter in 1:50 3/5. Captain Groovy (Matt Kakaley) was third.

Page missed out on driving Elver Hanover in his world record effort because he was getting married, but he was happy to be back in the bike today.

"I was joking with the groom coming out here, and our little joke was 'if every horse was like this horse, it'd make our job easy.' The horse is a complete professional, does nothing wrong," said Page. "He'll stand in the winner's circle as long as you want. He drives with two fingers. He definitely makes my job very easy.

"Ronnie's (Ron Burke) done a good job managing him this year, and I think I have as well. When the zeroes are behind the purse, the horse seems to come up pretty sharp, as he has all year. It's tough for any horse, let alone being an Ohio-bred, to come down here on the Grand Circuit level and be undefeated. Hat's off to everybody."

Elver Hanover, a gelded son of Yankee Cruiser-Edra Hanover (The Panderosa) is trained by Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Dr. Bridgette Jablonsky, Jason Melillo, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. Elver Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and acquired for $50,000 at last year's Ohio Selected Jug Sale, has earnings of $363,450, and returned $2.20 to win as the 1-9 choice.

"He had a good year and did everything he was supposed to do," offered assistant trainer Mickey Burke Jr. "He's being turned out. He's not eligible to the Breeders Crown, and we aren't putting him in anything else."

Tall Dark Stranger (Yannick Gingras) had used similar tactics to take the third section in 1:50. He landed fourth from the pole position at the 28 1/5 opening quarter, then came to the outside and took over on the way to the 55 1/5 half. Tall Dark Stranger would keep command around the last turn and to the 1:23 three-quarters, then remained clear through the lane, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Captain Barbossa (Andrew McCarthy) was the second-place finisher, and Father Nuno (Brian Sears) rallied for third.

"It was a perfect race, nice and easy," remarked Gingras. "I didn't have to use him hard at all."

Nancy Johansson trains Tall Dark Stranger, a Bettor's Delight-Precocious Beauty (Art Major) colt who was bred by Jim Avritt Sr. and sold for $330,000 at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, for the ownership group of Crawford Farms Racing, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms, and Howard Taylor. He has stashed away $411,265 to go with his perfect record, and he paid $2.10 across the board as the 1-9 favorite.

"He just had great presence when he was brought out for us to look at, and I think charisma is one of the most important attributes that a racehorse can have," Johansson recalled about what she liked about him as a yearling. "He was very easy to work with, very willing to please, and always showed tremendous speed. It was pretty easy just to train him down."

Tall Dark Stranger was coming off an impressive 1:49 1/5 win in the Metro at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and despite being used multiple times in that race, Tall Dark Stranger appeared none the worse for wear.

"We always check our horse's heart rates after they race, and he still had a very low heart rate after the race. I don't think it took much out of him. The plugs were still in. Obviously he was used a few times in the race, but he's a good-attitude colt, so I don't really think that bothered him at all," Johansson said. "He was strong across the wire (today). Yannick said he had plenty of pace left."

The fastest of the four winners was Major Betts (Dexter Dunn), who won the second grouping in 1:49 1/5 at odds of 12-1. Major Betts was not on his game last week, making a break, but he was in fine fettle today, rushing to the outside from fourth in the second quarter and landing on the engine passing the 53 4/5 half. Major Betts got separation on the field around the far turn and to the 1:21 2/5 three-quarters, and kept going stoutly in a 27 4/5 final kicker. He downed Put To Right (McCarthy) by a length and three-quarters, with Cattlewash (Gingras) third.

"He's always been a nice colt. Last week was not his best day," said Dunn. "He got a little bit wound up there, so Mark (trainer Mark Harder) changed some gear on him. His first-ever start at the Meadowlands he put on a great mile. He's always been a nice colt. He just didn't have that much luck this year, but he showed them what he's got today."

Major Betts, an Art Major-Southwind Johanne (Dragon Again) colt, has won three of his seven starts and put away $87,180 for co-owner/trainer Harder and co-owners Joseph Jannuzzelli and Deena Frost. Major Betts was bred by Southwind Farms LLC. and was purchased for $70,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Major Betts paid $26.20 to win.

"Firstly, I think last week was just an aberration. He had a bad day for whatever reason, I don't know," said Harder. "I put a chain in his mouth, made him a bit more controllable, and it made a huge difference. I just told Dexter 'forget about last week. He had a bad day, race the colt.' He's always liked him; I said 'race him like you still like him.'

"He's beaten some really good colts. He's gotten locked-in in New York a couple of races and never a got a chance to race. He showed what he's made of today."

Capt Midnight (McCarthy) finished third in the Metro as the odds-on favorite, but he bounced back today to win in 1:49 3/5. Positioned third at the 27 2/5 first quarter, McCarthy brought Capt Midnight off the cones in the backstretch, and he made his way around Roll With JR (Doug McNair) just past the 55 2/5 half. Capt Midnight buzzed a 27 3/5 third quarter to hit the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:23, then polished off his 3 1/4 length decision with a 26 4/5 final kicker. Fortify (Scott Zeron) was up for second, with Roll With JR third.

"I was hoping to just sit and wait today, really, but Dougie was slowing down there pretty good at the half, and I figured I might as well get going. It wouldn't be too taxing to get him there," said McCarthy. "I was hoping I'd get to trip him out a little bit longer, but it worked out great. I kicked the earplugs out at the head of the stretch, and he did his job."

The victorious Captaintreacherous-It Was Fascination (American Ideal) colt is owned by Marvin Katz, Ken Jacobs, Brad Grant, and Capt Midnight Racing. Capt Midnight, who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. and sold for $350,000 at last year's Standardbred Horse Sale, is now a six-time winner, and he pushed his bankroll to $255,839. Sent off as the 1-5 choice, he returned $2.40 to win.

"I thought he was great. He had a week off, so we didn't do a whole lot with him," relayed Alagna. "He needed a start today. We didn't want him on his toes because he needed a little break after some hard races up in Canada. He had plenty of go, felt really good.

"I think his future is unlimited, honestly. He does this so easy, and I think he'll be that much better next year at three, I really do."