Donato, Dewey, named 2007's top colt trotters

Hambletonian winner Donato Hanover was named 3-year-old colt trotter of the year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association in Dan Patch Award voting announced Tuesday by the U.S. Trotting Association.

Donato Hanover, the No. 1-ranked harness racing horse in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll and a leading contender for Trotter of the Year and Horse of the Year, received 189 of 191 votes. He won 11 of 13 races and $2.3 million, setting a single-season earnings record for trotters, and equaled the fastest trotting mile in history by winning the Kentucky Futurity in 1:50.1.

His other victories included the World Trotting Derby and Canadian Trotting Classic. He was trained by Steve Elliott and driven by Ron Pierce.

Other winners among trotters were 2-year-old colt Deweycheatumnhowe, 2-year-old filly Snow White, 3-year-old filly Pampered Princess, older male Vivid Photo and older female Mystical Sunshine.

Among pacers, Tell All topped the 3-year-old colts while Southwind Tempo led the fillies. In the 2-year-old ranks, Somebeachsomewhere was the top colt and A And G’sconfusion was the top filly while honors for older horses went to Mister Big among the males and Moving Pictures among the females.

Pacer of the Year, Trotter of the Year and Horse of the Year will be announced Jan. 27 at the Night of Champions in Dover, Del.

Deweycheatumnhowe, named after a fictitious law firm in a comedy routine, won all 10 of his races. Snow White, who won 11 of 13 starts, became the fastest 2-year-old in history with her 1:52.4 stakes victory at Lexington’s Red Mile in October.

Pampered Princess won the Elegantimage and Delvin Miller Memorial against the girls and then faced the boys in the Hambletonian, finishing sixth, and the Canadian Trotting Classic, where she was second.

Mystical Sunshine set world records on five-eighths and half-mile tracks in addition to winning the Breeders Crown. Vivid Photo won the Trotting Classic and Titan Cup.

Tell All won the North America Cup and Little Brown Jug while Southwind Tempo set the world record for filly pacers on a five-eighths-mile track in winning the James Lynch Memorial in 1:49.3.

Somebeachsomewhere won all six of his races, including a 1:49.3 victory in the Metro that made him history’s fastest 2-year-old pacer. A And G’sconfusion set the world record for 2-year-old fillies with her 1:50.3 stakes triumph at the Red Mile.

Mister Big won the William Haughton and U.S. Pacing Championship while Moving Pictures won the Breeders Crown, Milton, and Roses Are Red in Canada.

2-YEAR-OLD COLT TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Deweycheatumnhowe
Muscles Yankee-Trolley Square-Speedy Somolli
Breeder: Steve Jones.
Owners: Ray Schnittker, Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo, Deweycheatumnhowe Stable.
Trainer: Ray Schnittker.Driver: Ray Schnittker.
Races: 10-10-0-0.Purses: $936,191.Mark: 1:54.2 at Lexington.
Top wins: $692,692 Valley Victory; $650,000 Breeders Crown.
Dan Patch Award votes: 183.

2-YEAR OLD FILLY TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Snow White
Self Possessed-Mom’s Millionaire-Pine Chip
Breeder: Moni Market Breeders.
Owners: North State Street Stable, Harness The Power, Jerry Silva.
Trainer: Kevin Lare.Driver: John Campbell.
Races: 13-11-0-1.Purses: $1.25 million.Mark: 1:52.4 at Lexington (world record).
Top wins: $679,068 Goldsmith Maid; $650,000 Breeders Crown; $558,138 Oakville.
Dan Patch Award votes: 190.

3-YEAR OLD COLT TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Donato Hanover
Andover Hall-D Train-Donerail
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms.
Owners: David Scharf, Golden Touch Stable, Steve Arnold, Donato Hanover Syndicate.
Trainer: Steve Elliott.Driver: Ron Pierce.
Races: 13-11-1-1.Purses: $2.33 million.Mark: 1:50.1 at Lexington (world record).
Top wins: $1.5 million Hambletonian; $970,000 Canadian Trotting Classic; $742,000 Kentucky Futurity.
Dan Patch Award votes: 189.

3-YEAR OLD FILLY TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Pampered Princess
Andover Hall-Bold Dreamer-Donerail
Breeder: Valley High Stable.
Owners: Bob Anderson, David Anderson.
Trainer: Jimmy Takter.Driver: John Campbell.
Races: 15-6-7-1.Purses: $1.02 million.Mark: 1:53.0 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $499,892 Elegantimage; $350,000 Delvin Miller.
Dan Patch Award votes: 170.

OLDER MALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Vivid Photo
S J’s Photo-Miss Garland-Garland Lobell
Breeder: Winbak Farm.
Owners: Roger Hammer, Todd Schadel.
Trainer: Roger Hammer.Driver: Roger Hammer.
Races: 15-7-3-3.Purses: $738,769.Mark: 1:50.4 at Colonial (world record).
Top wins: $250,000 Trotting Classic; $240,000 Titan Cup.
Dan Patch Award votes: 105.

OLDER FEMALE TROTTER OF THE YEAR

Mystical Sunshine
Yankee Glide-Aura Of Glory-Royal Prestige
Breeder: Kentuckiana Farms General Partnership.
Owners: Alvin Jacobson Estate, Sid Korn.
Trainer: Chris Ryder.Driver: Dan Dube.
Races: 19-8-4-2.Purses: $337,070.Mark: 1:50.3 at Lexington.
Top wins: $250,000 Breeders Crown; $116,000 Miss Versatility.
Dan Patch Award votes: 138.

2-YEAR-OLD COLT PACER OF THE YEAR

Somebeachsomewhere
Mach Three-Wheres The Beach-Beach Towel
Breeder: Stephanie Smith-Rothaug.
Owner: Schooner Stables.
Trainer: Jean Louis Arsenault.Driver: Paul MacDonell.
Races: 6-6-0-0.Purses: $773,296.Mark: 1:49.3 at Mohawk (world record).
Top wins: $950,000 Metro Pace; $285,000 Battle of Waterloo.
Dan Patch Award votes: 115.

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER OF THE YEAR

A And G’sconfusion
Allamerican Native-Colorado Creek-Dexter Nukes
Breeder: George Plyley.
Owner: A & G Stables.
Trainer: Mark Capone.Drivers: John Campbell/David Miller.
Races: 10-5-4-0.Purses: $817,020.Mark: 1:50.3 at Lexington (world record).
Top wins: $743,090 She’s A Great Lady; $686,608 Three Diamonds.
Dan Patch Award votes: 147.

3-YEAR-OLD COLT PACER OF THE YEAR

Tell All
Real Desire-Have No Secrets-Albatross
Breeder: Tom Crouch.
Owner: My Desire Stable.
Trainer: Blair Burgess.Driver: Jody Jamieson.
Races: 22-12-2-4.Purses: $1.5 million.Mark: 1:48.3 at Lexington.
Top wins: $1.4 million North America Cup; $480,000 Little Brown Jug.
Dan Patch Award votes: 151.

3-YEAR-OLD FILLY PACER OF THE YEAR

Southwind Tempo
Bettor’s Delight-Tsunami Hanover-Artsplace
Breeder: Southwind Farm.
Owners: Alton “Toby” Lynch, Wayne Chrebet.
Trainer: Steve Elliott.Driver: Tim Tetrick.
Races: 21-16-2-2.Purses: $863,604.Mark: 1:49.3 at Pocono (world record).
Top wins: $250,632 James Lynch Memorial; $242,620 Lismore.
Dan Patch Award votes: 179.

OLDER MALE PACER OF THE YEAR

Mister Big
Grinfromeartoear-World’s Sweetheart-Jate Lobell
Breeder: Kentuckiana Farms General Partnership.
Owner: Joe Muscara.
Trainer: Virgil Morgan Jr.Driver: David Miller.
Races: 28-12-9-3.Purses: $1.31 million.Mark: 1:47.4 at the Meadowlands.
Top wins: $650,000 William Haughton; $342,000 U.S. Pacing Championship.
Dan Patch Award votes: 100.

OLDER FEMALE PACER OF THE YEAR

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