Luck finally came the way of Abuckabett Hanover in the $500,000 Tattersalls Pace as he raced into a second-over spot to best a hard-luck Perfect Sting at the finish of a 1:49.4 mile on Sunday (Oct. 10) at The Red Mile.

 

Driver Andrew McCarthy sent Abuckabett Hanover into a tactical spot from post nine, settling into fifth through a :28 first quarter set by Perfect Sting. Lous Pearlman pulled pocket into the backstretch to take over command before a :55.2 half while stablemate Southwind Gendry cruised first-over to apply pressure into the final turn.

 

McCarthy followed Southwind Gendry’s move and raced within two lengths of the lead to three-quarters in 1:23.3 as Summa Cum Laude and Charlie May began to fan off cover in behind. Lous Pearlman drifted off the cones into the stretch to create a seam for Perfect Sting to dash through while Abuckabett Hanover lifted off his cover and inched towards Perfect Sting coming to the final yards. The Betting Line colt edged by Perfect Sting in time to claim a neck victory while Southwind Gendry gave chase from third and Charlie May, a $50,000 supplement, rallied to take fourth.

 

“He started out the year looking like he was going to be as good as anybody,” trainer Tony Alagna said after the race. “He won his first three starts and looked like everything was setting up really well. We went to Yonkers for the Messenger and he drew the eight-hole, that didn’t go well. We had to just kind of take a deep breath. We regrouped, we went to the Simcoe in Canada, he was great there. He came here last week, he was a very good second to [Southwind] Gendry – they came a back half of :53 and change in the mud. The horse showed he was coming back around, and today was his day. If any horse deserved a big win, it was him.”

 

Abuckabett Hanover won his seventh race from 15 starts this season and his 11th from 27 overall. He has now earned $703,072 for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Alagna Racing, Jablonsky Held Stable and Barbera Wienick Stable. He paid $25.80 to win.

 

The Tattersalls Pace was sponsored by Cameo Hills Farm.