MILTON, Ont., Sept. 28, 2024 – Pick Me Up Hanover put in a purposeful performance in the $75,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final for Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies, on a misty Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The bay daughter of Bettors Delight-Plaudit Hanover arrived at her championship tilt off a fourth, albeit less than two lengths behind the winner, in her previous start on Sept. 17.
On this night, Pick Me Up Hanover picked up the pace and put forth a top-shelf effort.
Saddlebags (Control The Moment) crossed over from Post 9 to make the front into the first turn, while Odds On Fiat Money (Bettors Delight), who suffered broken equipment just before the start, moved into second, followed by Dee (Bettors Delight), Tricky Wicky (McWicked) and Pick Me Up Hanover.
After an opening panel in :26.4 carved out by Saddlebags, there was action galore ahead of the half as Dee rocketed to the front, only to be overtaken by Tricky Wicky. James MacDonald, driving Pick Me Up Hanover for the first time, then took over the proceedings just ahead of a half in :56.3.
Still on top through three-quarters in 1:24.4, Pick Me Up Hanover braced for the challenges to come, including a hard-charging Stellrmanipulation (Control The Moment), who announced her arrival in the early stretch.
The pair continued to battle down the lane as Pick Me Up Hanover, who temporarily lost the lead, came back on to record a 1-1/4-length triumph in a time of 1:53.3.
“I just tried to get away as good as I could,” said MacDonald of his rail post. “I had to push out a little bit and see if I could land a good spot. The way the race unfolded, it just worked out. I didn’t think front end was going to be the way to go, but sometimes you’ve got to call an audible behind the gate or in the first turn and that’s just how it worked tonight.”
Trained by Jeff Byron for owners David Byron and Craig Wallwin, Pick Me Up Hanover is now 6-0-0 from eight starts.
“She looks like a gutsy little filly,” praised MacDonald. “It’s that time of the year – the money is down, and you’ve got to put them in play. Tonight, I drove her hard, but she responded well and hung in tough.”
Purchased for the modest sum of $3,000 (Hip No. 278) at the 2023 Harrisburg Yearling Sale, the Hanover Shoe Farms-bred miss now has over $75,000 in purse earnings for her connections.
Sent off as the 6-5 choice, Pick Me Up Hanover, who made her first three starts at Tioga Downs, paid $4.50 for her Grassroots win.
FEATURED PHOTO: Pick Me Up Hanover winning the $75,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Final for Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies on Sept. 28, 2024 at Woodbine Mohawk Park (Clive Cohen/New Image Media)
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