Monticello, NY --- Haroun Hanover is a gritty pacer who has gone some tough trips this year en route to his current victory total. On Tuesday afternoon (June 11), with rain falling steadily, the 7-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding scored his 14th seasonal triumph for driver Jimmy Marohn, Jr.
The pacer, who doesn’t pull up after the mile, got a dream trip Tuesday when Marohn allowed Thunder Seelster and Bruce Aldrich, Jr. to take command on the first turn. Once Haroun Hanover was settled in the two hole, Marohn had no trouble keeping the head-strong pacer behind the leader.
Aldrich and Thunder Seelster cut fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:27.1 before Marohn wheeled his pacer to the outside and charged to the lead as they passed the three-quarters.
“This was the easiest race we had all year. Bruce was cutting fast fractions and it was easy keeping him (Haroun Hanover) in a hole,” Marohn spouted after the victory. “Usually he’ll sit in for a hole for a while then get rammy and I have to move him, most of the time earlier than I’d like.
“But this time when I pulled him, the wind kicked up and the rain began to come down real hard which I believe scared him a bit and we shot to the front and coasted home an easy winner.”
Haroun Hanover finished three lengths ahead of Bob’s Alibi and Mike Merton. Thunder Seelster faded and finished third.
The pacer, who is second in races won this year in North America, is owned by Ed and James Hall and trained by Danny Gill. He paid $3.70 for win.
Speaking of Gill, he harnessed four winners on the Monday card and had a pair again Tuesday. Besides Haroun Hanover, another of Gill’s pupils, Prince Of Pleasure, scored his fourth consecutive victory when Marohn reined him to a 1:58.1 triumph.
Gill has taken a commanding lead in training victories over Bob Lounsbury. His 85 winners are 10 better than Lounsbury’s 75.