Woodbine Mohawk Park: Hannelore Hanover three-peats in Armbro Flight

Hannelore Hanover won her third consecutive edition of the C$250,000 Armbro Flight Stakes for trotting mares on Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, pulling away in the lane to a 1:52 victory at odds of 1-9.

With Yannick Gingras taking his usual seat behind her and coming off a victory in her elimination last week, Hannelore Hanover was away well from post five and cleared fellow elimination winner Emoticon Hanover (Bob McClure) for the lead passing the 27 second opening quarter. With longshot Majestic Presence (Chris Christoforou) stuck on the outside and clogging any flow, Gingras was able to steal Hannelore Hanover a big breather in the second quarter, getting to the half in just 56 1/5.

The tempo began to quicken around the far turn, with Hannelore Hanover putting three-quarters on the board in 1:24 3/5, and she would pull away with ease through the lane, winning by open lengths in the end. Emoticon Hanover was the second-place finisher, followed by Caprice Hill (Doug McNair), Dream Together (James MacDonald), and Southwind Tesla (Phil Hudon).

Even though the win could not have looked easier, Gingras did say that wasn't exactly the case.

"There was an anxious moment for me. She's not a big fan of that new board that they have halfway down the stretch, and I guess warming up she was sideways and scared a bit," he relayed. "I scored her down in front of it, and she wasn't a big fan of it again. She did go a little bit wide and was looking at it, but she's a professional. She's a great horse, and I don't know anything else to say about her.

"Right now she couldn't be any better. She's sound and she's happy. I didn't even kick the plugs the last couple weeks; she's doing it on her own. We have some big races later on and maybe some big plans over the winter."

It was lifetime victory number 40 for Hannelore Hanover, a 6-year-old Swan For All mare trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Frank Baldachino, and J And T Silva Stables LLC. Hannelore Hanover, who paid $2.20 to win, has now earned C$2,894,632.

Baldachino echoed Gingras's sentiments that the connections are running out of words to describe the great trotting mare.

"I only wear this shirt once a year, for this night. So far the shirt has a three-peat," said Baldachino. "She's just some animal, that's all I can say. I'm running out of superlatives for her."