Coleman, MacDonald win Fan Hanover Stakes

The team of trainer Casie Coleman and driver Mark MacDonald started North America Cup night at Mohawk in the right fashion as they captured the $666,000 Fan Hanover Stakes with Western Silk, who scored in 1:50.1, just one-fifth of a second off the stakes record. Betting favorite Put On A Show tried to make up ground in the stretch, but ran out of racetrack and finished second, just a neck back, while Fancy Filly was third.

 

Western Silk drew post position eight in the field, but MacDonald had the filly by Western Terror moving forward at the start. They secured the lead before the :26 first quarter and then carved out a :28.1 second panel before cruising to the three-quarters in 1:23.3.

 

Brian Sears was forced to move first-over with Fancy Filly, which doomed her chances, while betting favorite Put On A Show started from post five but ended up stuck with a third-over trip, which left her with too much ground to make up in the homestretch. She turned in a big stretch rally, but fell short. 

 

"I was concerned when (Mark) was leaving the gate," said Coleman after the race. "I never give Mark instructions, but she's a closer. I've already told him he was lucky (he won), because I was going to kill him (for leaving)!"

 

Western Silk is a daughter of Western Terror owned by the Casie Coleman Stables and Tom Hill of England. The filly has now won three of four starts this season, giving her 10 wins in 18 career starts.