Tioga Downs: Hannelore Hanover cruises again in Miss Versatility

Hannelore Hanover continued her dominance of the trotting mare ranks this year with an easy 1:52 4/5 win in the lone $40,000 Miss Versatility leg at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon. There were also two New York Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old pacing colts staged on the program, and they were won by American Passport and Roll Away Joe.

With regular pilot Yannick Gingras calling the shots, Hannelore Hanover was away third at the 27 1/5 opening quarter, then moved to the point before the 56 second half. Hannelore Hanover would go on to hit three-quarters in 1:24 1/5, putting away the first-over bid of Jewels In Hock (John Campbell) in the process, and then Hannelore Hanover trotted a 28 3/5 final quarter to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Jewels In Hock just held on for second over Barn Doll (Jeff Gregory).

Hannelore Hanover, a 4-year-old daughter of Swan For All, is trained by Ron Burke and is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., and Frank Baldachino. She has now won 21 times from 34 starts, and she has earned $885,763. She paid $2.10 to win as part of an entry that was sent off at 1-9.

Back in the first $60,200 New York Sire Stakes split, Missile J (Tim Tetrick) was the leader through fractions of 27, 55 3/5, and 1:23 4/5, but American Passport (Scott Zeron) pulled three-wide from behind the leaders and cleared both Missile J and first-over challenge Nox Vegas Bluechip (Jim Marohn Jr.) just past three-quarters. Once he hit the front, American Passport poured it on, drawing off to score by six lengths in 1:51 4/5. Public choice Talk Show (Jim Morrill Jr.), who was stuck on the inside in traffic until the stretch, rallied to finish second, and Nox Vegas Bluechip checked in third.

Tony Alagna trains American Passport, an American Ideal colt, for co-owner/breeder Brittany Farms and co-owners Riverview Racing LLC., Alagna Racing LLC., and Jodi Siamis. American Passport picked up his first win of the season, the fourth victory of his life, and he has now banked $248,584. Sent off at 4-1, American Passport returned $10.80.

Roll Away Joe (Morrill Jr.) extended his New York Sire Stakes win streak to five in the other $59,100 section. He brushed from third to first en route to the 54 4/5 half-mile marker, put away a first-over try from Stolen Glimpse (Yannick Gingras) past the 1:23 three-quarters, and dug in when called on by Morrill Jr. to win by half a length over a charging Bottom Deals (Tetrick), who rushed from sixth and last to second in the final quarter. Craftship (Zeron) took third.

Tracy Brainard trains Roll Away Joe, a gelded son of Roll With Joe, for owners Howard Taylor, Stephen Demeter, and Thomas Lazzaro. Roll Away Joe, who was winless in five starts as a 2-year-old, has won five times from 14 attempts in 2016. He has earned $214,489 lifetime and paid $2.70 to win as the 1-5 favorite.