Hall Of Fame - Western Hanover
p,2,1:52.1; 3,1:50.4 Earnings: $2,541,647
H, 1989 By No Nukes-Wendymae Hanover, by Albatross
Background & Current Status
Bred by: Hanover Shoe Farms
Sale history: 1990 Harrisburg yearling ($105,000)
Owned (during his racing career) by: George Segal
Trained by: Gene Riegle
Current status: Deceased
Racing Credentials: In 1991: Voted "2-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year" and the year's fastest 2-year-old pacer on both mile (1:52.1) and half-mile (1:54.4h) tracks. In 1992: Voted "3-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year," the year's leading money-winning Standardbred ($1,844,315) and fastest 3-year-old pacer on both mile (1:50.4) and half-mile (1:52.4h) tracks.
Major Stakes Victories: Cane Pace, Messenger Stakes, Governor's Cup, New Jersey Classic, Cleveland Classic, heat of Little Brown Jug.
Western Hanover's racing career, though perhaps overshadowed by his amazing siring exploits (below), was exceptional in and of itself. He was first, second or third in 40 of 42 starts at 2 and 3, was voted the champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old, and would have been "Horse of the Year" his sophomore season had it not been for Brittany-bred Artsplace taking that crown.
As a sire, his career was one for the ages, and even more impressive was that he did it the hard way...he earned it. He didn't gain full acceptance from the breeding community until his foals hit the racetrack, but when they did, they lit the harness world on fire.
Western Hanover ranks as harness racing's all-time leading money-winning sire ($178-million). What's more, he has ranked as either the sport's leading or second-leading single-season money-winning sire on 11 occasions. He took his place at the very top as recently as 2010, with over $14.5-million on the season.
His sons--and now his grandsons--are desirable as both racehorses and future sires. He has sired 19 horses with earnings of $1-million or more, including Western Ideal, Western Terror, Well Said, Won The West and Jereme's Jet. His daughters are now busy making their own marks as the dams of today's champions, having produced such top horses as World Champions Shark Gesture and Dancinwiththestarz.
He has been the greatest force the pacing marketplace has ever seen. From 2001 through 2007 alone he led all pacing sires in yearling average five times over those seven years, while producing 114 yearlings that sold for $100,000 and higher.
Videos
| Western Hanover 1992 Best Of Western Hanover  |