Contact: Tom Kelley
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TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLIES GET TOP BILLING IN SUNDAY’S HANOVER ACTION

With a total of 18 two-year-old pacing fillies dropped into the entry box for Sunday night’s Hanover Stake race secretary Doc Narotsky was forced to split the ladies into a pair of $32,000 divisions as the 2006 Hanover season hit full stride.

Dances on the Wind and driver Jason Dillander blew by their rivals to win the first of two $32,000 divisions of the Hanover Stake for two-year-old pacing fillies on Sunday night.

A field of eight was sent postward in the opening split with last week’s Misty Misty Stake winner Whisky Girl garnering most of the betting public’s support. Unfortunately the “chalk” players came up a little short as Pinske Stable’s Dances On The Wind got the jump on the favorite and then held on gamely for a three-quarter-length decision in 1:54.2.

Floated away from post position four by driver Jason Dillander, this daughter of Cole Muffler settled in third some six lengths off the pace of Whisky Girl (Dave Magee) who led the field through an opening quarter in 28.1.

As the field settled onto the backstretch, Dillander pulled on the right line and his filly responded beautifully as she charged from third to first while leading the ladies to the halfway station in 57.0.

Getting his filly to relax once she made it to the top, Dillander was more than content to let a hard-charging first over Miss Richess (Andy Miller) grab control as the field paced around the final turn. That filly showed the way by two lengths as she sped by the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:25.3.

Continuing to draft right on the leaders helmet, Dillander finally moved to the outside of Miss Richess with a sixteenth of a mile to go. Looking fit and fresh the Tim Pinske trainee rolled home in 28.2 as she cruised to her first lifetime win. Whisky Girl, the even-money choice in the wagering, found her best stride in the late going as she rallied to be the bridesmaid. Miss Richess hung on well to get the show dough.

After a pair of second place finishes to kick off her career, Dances On The Wind now sports earnings of $18,235. The second choice in the wagering returned $5.80, $3.00 & $2.40 to her backers.

Cabana Fever and driver Ryan Anderson blazed home in 26.3 to win the second division of Sunday's Hanover Stake at Balmoral Park.

The nightcap provided a thrilling finish and quite an impressive effort as L & L Devisser, Leroy Schmucker & Sawgrass Farms Cabana Fever came flying down the lane to win by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:55.3.

Part of a three-horse entry, Cabana Fever was unhurried early by driver Ryan Anderson as she came away eighth in the field of 10. The early pace was tepid with Forever Showin Off (Charles Conrad) settling into an easy lead as the youngsters moved by an opening quarter in 29.1.

The pace sped up a bit on the backstretch but Forever Showin Off was still in full control as she stepped by the half-mile mark in 57.4. At this point Cabana Fever was back to ninth, 11 ½ lengths off the pacesetter.

Heading around the far turn Forever Showin Off continued to lead the way. Odds On Arttoheart (Tim Tetrick), a 26-1 outsider, was sitting in the pocket second while the heavily favored Macon Up (Andy Miller) led the outer flow while moving up first over into third as the field reached the three-quarter-mile station in 1:27.1.

Battling through the lane, Forever Showin Off was hanging on tenaciously. Macon Up had now moved to inside of the drifting leader and was gaining ground in second while Odds On Arttoheart began to fade in third. With still more than six lengths to make up with just over a sixteenth of a mile to go, Cabana Fever kicked into high gear while racing out in the center of the track.

Picking off rivals like a well seasoned veteran this first time starter for trainer Joe Seekman looked like a freight train as she flew by the favorite with a wicked 26.2 final split to get the victory. Macon Up had to settle for a runner-up role on this night while Ozmopolitan (Dale Hiteman) rallied late to finish third.

The daughter of Real Desire came into the race off a pair of winning qualifiers and despite being coupled with her two stablemates still managed to return a nice mutuel of $9.00, $3.40 & $2.20.

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