Tivoli Hanover Wins Hempt

The locally-owned longshot Tivoli Hanover roared down the middle of the stretch at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Saturday afternoon and captured the $301,032 Max C. Hempt Memorial in a lifetime-best 1:51 with Eric Goodell in the bike.

Takeshigemichi and Daniel Dube fought off Whats Up Now and Ron Pierce for the lead at the quarter in :26.2 and set the pace past the half in :54.1 and three quarters in 1:21.4.

Takeshigemichi opened daylight on the field in the final turn, but the field caught up in the lane, with Goodell tipping Tivoli Hanover to the middle of the stretch and blowing past the leader in the final strides. Takeshigemichi held for second. Whats Up Now was the third horse across the finish line, but was set back to fourth for interference with Mr. Aviator and Kevin Sizer moving up to third.

“I was the third one three wide (in the last turn),” said Goodell. “At the head of the stretch Danny’s (Daniel Dube) horse started coming back to us a little bit and mine was pretty much the only horse going forward at that point. I had a good shot then. I knew he was going to win.”

On the tote board Tivoli Hanover paid $47.40 for his first victory of the year in three starts. The 3-year-old Western Hanover gelding is owned by Richard Phillips and Susan Oakes, wife of the horse’s trainer, Chris Oakes.

This was the second Hempt victory for Oakes, who trained 2004 winner Skydancer Hanover, and makes Pocono Downs his home base. He currently ranks fourth in the Pocono trainers’ standings.

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