All Speed Hanover in 1:50.3 in ISS

Despite less than ideal conditions on a rainy Friday afternoon at The Red Mile, All Speed Hanover posted a huge 1:50.3 victory over a "sloppy" track in the third of three divisions of the $355,900 International Stallion Stake (ISS) for 2-year-old colt pacers. Finishing second in the race was world champion One More Laugh, coming off wins in the Governor's Cup and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes finals.

 

All Speed Hanover threw a shoe right before the start of the race but the short delay was well worth it for the son of Cam's Card Shark as he overcame a tough first-over trip to earn the victory. Driven by Ron Pierce, All Speed Hanover outdueled the heavy favorite One More Laugh down the stretch, edging clear in the final strides. World Of Rocknroll was a distant third for Andy Miller.

 

"I just kind of sat him out there and made sure he had a target," Pierce said afterward of All Speed Hanover. "I felt confident at the head of the lane. I still had my hands full and felt confident I would go by (One More Laugh)."

 

The win was the fourth of the year in six starts for All Speed Hanover, increasing his earnings to more than $137,000 for owners Adam Victor & Son Stable and John D. Fielding. Noel Daley trains the winner who was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.

 

High Def Z Tam won the first of the three divisions of the ISS for 2-year-old colt pacers Friday afternoon at The Red Mile, posting a 1:52.3 victory. Mike Lachance directed the son of Real Desire to the career-best win.

 

Lachance had High Def Z Tam in the middle of the lane as the freshman rallied to the victory. Although High Def Z Tam took control in midstretch, the colt had to fight off a game Payne's Landing and David Mille late. OK Commander also closed fast to finish third.

 

The win was the sixth in eight starts this year for the Richard Ringler-trained High Def Z Tam, with one of those victories being the recent $300,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final. High Def Z Tam is owned by Pat Lachance and Z Tam Racing. Perretti Farms is the breeder.    

 

Rockin Image, sent first over by driver John Campbell past the half, wore down a front-running Woodstock down the stretch to easily win the second ISS division in 1:53.2. Woodstock, driven by Tim Tetrick, set fractions of :29, :56.2 and 1:26 but gave way in midstretch. Four Starz trace finished third for Jody Jamieson.

 

Jimmy Takter trains the Lee and Linda DeVisser-bred winning son of Rocknroll Hanover for Susan Grange's Lothlorien. The win was Rockin Image's third of the year in six starts, increasing his earnings to more than $230,000. Last week, Rockin Image won a division of the Bluegrass at The Red Mile in a career-best 1:50.4.

 

"This is a serious, colt," said Takter in the winner's circle. "I think the future is ahead of him."