Exceptional fillies headline Hanover’s Harrisburg roster
by James Platz
Hanover Shoe Farms enters Harrisburg on the heels of a strong Breeders Crown showing, with multiple yearlings sporting significant pedigree updates. The 2025 consignment is leaner in numbers — 189 babies as compared to 204 last fall — but not suffering in quality. The roster that will sell at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex is fairly balanced between pacers (100) and trotters (89), and more than half of the group are fillies.
“On our trotting side and pacing side, I think our fillies are very strong,” said farm manager Patti Murphy. “I mean, not taking anything away from the colts, but the fillies, I feel like are an exceptional group of fillies, especially the trotting fillies overall.”
The consignment boasts 60 pacing fillies and 41 trotting fillies selling over the course of three days. Several have ties to top performers this season, beginning with Hip #12 Salubrious Hanover. The Walner filly out of Yankee Glide mare Secret Passion already possessed a strong pedigree, but when sibling Spencer Hanover captured the G1 Breeders Crown final for freshman trotting colts, it only enhanced what is on the page. The second dam also produced multiple Dan Patch Award winner Manchego.
Another yearling that benefitted from the Crown championships is Epitome Hanover, Hip #112. The Papi Rob Hanover filly is a sister to G1 Open Pace final winner Ervin Hanover as well as graded stakes winner Caviart Belle. Dam Eloquent Grace is a Well Said mare that produced four winners from five foals, with three in 1:50 or faster.
“Ervin’s just been a monster this year, and this filly is gorgeous, just a beautiful filly and has all sorts of potential with that family,” Murphy said. “I mean, it’s been such a good, productive family with Eloquent Grace.”
Of the yearlings selling during Monday’s session, Murphy said that 14 are dual eligible to Kentucky. One of those is Loki Hanover, Hip #145. The Walner colt is a brother to G1 Hambletonian and G1 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colt Trot runner-up Super Chapter.
“Super Chapter didn’t win, but he was in there and he had a tough mile in the final,” Murphy said of the colt’s half-length defeat in the Crown. “He’s been a heck of a horse this year.”
Also selling on Monday is Hip #94 Climatic Hanover. The Walner filly out of Crucial is a half-sister to Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner Maryland.
“She’s a very beautiful filly,” Murphy said. “She’s got a really strong personality, always on the go. I think she’s going to end up being a very good racehorse herself.”
Near the end of the first day Ramona Hill’s second foal will sell as Hip #174 Ronette Hanover is a Walner filly that is a full-sister to freshman Rani Hanover 2, 1:55.2-’25; BT1:52.3-’25 ($51,160).
“She’s a very beautiful, racy looking filly,” Murphy said. “She does very well in the paddock.”
The first crop of Hanover stallion Captain Corey impressed on the track, and now buyers are anxious to buy his second crop. The consignment includes nearly two dozen sired by the Hambletonian champion.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how they sell,” Murphy said. “I think he proved himself very well this year.”
Included in the group is a sibling to Breeders Crown upset winner Meshuggah. Starsatsea Hanover, Hip #24, is a colt from Trixton mare Starita, a $300,000 winner on the track that has since produced a pair of winners from three foals.
“He’s kind of stocky, but has a lot of power,” Murphy said. “The Captain Coreys just have the powerful hind ends on them and are very sturdy built. I think he should sell very well.”
Hip #33 Southern Hanover is a colt out of Muscle Hill mare Southwind Percy. She has already produced six-figure earners Sadie Hanover and Send It In Hanover.
“Both are very nice individuals and very powerful looking,” Murphy said.
Hanover’s consignment also includes a trio of colts from the late Bar Hopping: Hip #279 Wellers Hanover, Hip #391 Emulous Hanover, and Hip #448 Icedmartni Hanover. All three sell on Tuesday.
“None of them are big colts,” the farm manager said. “They’re more on the medium size, but they’re very nice individuals. I’m hoping they sell well.”
On the pacing side, the consignment is carried by Captaintreacherous and Papi Rob Hanover, with each siring over two dozen yearlings, with another 15 by Stay Hungry. Hip #74 Bossanova Hanover, is a Papi Rob filly from a sister to the great Bulldog Hanover. Dam Boss Lady Hanover produced 20-time winner Harper.
“This is a very nice filly out of a sister to Bulldog Hanover,” Murphy said. “Unfortunately, the mare died this year when she was in foal. This will be the only foal we sell out of her. She’s a beautiful filly.”
Hanover also consigned a handful from champion pacer Bulldog Hanover’s second crop. Tamika Hanover sells on the first day, cataloged as Hip #38. The filly is the second foal from Trillions Hanover, a Somebeachsomewhere sister to Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner Lyons Sentinel. Sootie Hanover, Hip #27, is a dual-eligible filly out of the 100-per cent producing Captaintreacherous mare Shining Beauty. The second dam is Dan Patch and O’Brien Award winner American Jewel.
Last fall Hanover averaged $52,377 at Harrisburg, including the sale of Cambridge Hanover for $1 million. Murphy admits that feat may be tough to match, but is optimistic that the farm’s offering will fare well in the marketplace.
“I think we have a wide variety of options,” she said. “We have very good individuals. I don’t know that we’re going to have anybody sell for a million dollars this year. That one’s pretty special. But you never know. As far as breaking last year’s records, we’re hopeful. Every year you’re hopeful.”
