STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33

Manalapan, NJ 07726

Phone: 732-462-2357

Fax: 732-409-0741

STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726 

Phone: 732-462-2357 | Fax: 732-409-0741

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‘BENJAMIN’ GUNS DOWN LEXUS KODY IN BIG M FEATURE

Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations • May 18, 2024

Benjamin Hanover used an ideal pocket trip and a perfect steer from Hall of Fame driver Dave Miller to take down 1-2 favorite Lexus Kody Friday night at The Meadowlands in the $27,500 featured winners-over trot ...

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- May 17, 2024 -- Benjamin Hanover used an ideal pocket trip and a perfect steer from Hall of Fame driver Dave Miller to take down 1-2 favorite Lexus Kody Friday night at The Meadowlands in the $27,500 featured winners-over trot.


Looking for a fourth straight win, Lexus Kody was predictably away quickly from post seven in the seven-horse field and settled on the front out of the first turn. Miller had Benjamin Hanover on the go, and settled into the two-hole as Lexus Kody hit the quarter in :26.4, which may have been the difference in the outcome, since his fastest opening panel during his three-race win streak was :27.2.


There were no issues down the backside, as Lexus Kody trotted the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.1, with all appearing well for the chalk players.


But just after straightening away with three-sixteenths-of-a-mile to go, Miller eased Benjamin Hanover off the rail, and inched away at the leader’s edge through the entirety of the stretch drive before hitting the wire a head in front of Lexus Kody in a lifetime-best 1:50.3, four-fifths-of-a-second faster than his previous mark. Stabile Genius was third.


“He’s a little bit of a nervous horse, a little antsy,” said Miller. “So, I gave him a score to calm him down. After that, he felt like himself. [In his last start, when he broke at the start but eventually finished second] he was way too hot and got crammed at the gate. Tonight, my plan was to sit the pocket and he got his nose up. He went a couple of real good races at [Harrah’s Philadelphia] and we couldn’t be happier with him.” 


Trained by Joe Holloway, Benjamin Hanover is putting together a superb season. He’s won half of his eight starts and hit the board on seven occasions. The 4-year-old gelded son of Sebastian K S-By A Nack Hanover now has 11 victories from just 18 lifetime attempts, good for earnings of $85,730 for owners Sarah J Andrews, Angela Cornell and Jarod M Miller.


As the 4-1 second choice, Benjamin Hanover paid $10.80 to win.


A LITTLE MORE: There were no winning favorites during the Early 20-cent Pick-5 sequence, but none of the winners went off at odds greater than 6-1. Those with winning tickets were rewarded with a payoff of $1,051.78. … All-source betting on the 14-race card totaled $3,102,763, the 32nd time from 38 race cards this year when wagering went past the $3-million mark. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. with the featured event the $145,150 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial for open trotters. The Cutler – and 3-year-old trotting sensation Karl – can be seen live on a two-hour live broadcast on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) that kicks off at 9 p.m.

By Ray Cotolo, for The Meadowlands August 3, 2025
Royally bred Apex notched a hard-fought win as the second betting choice while Emmas Mystery CCL ripped to victory at long odds in their respective $225,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes finals, for trotting 2-year-olds, on Saturday (Aug. 2) at The Meadowlands ...
By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations August 3, 2025
Total handle on the 16-race Hambletonian Day card Saturday at The Meadowlands totaled $7,464,087, up slightly over 2024, when $7.427 million was pushed through the windows in North America ...
By Ray Cotolo, for The Meadowlands August 3, 2025
Team Steacy’s enigmatic star mare Sylvia Hanover continued in her rejuvenated form and added another victory in her renewed rivalry with Twin B Joe Fresh when reigning in a stretch battle to score a 1:48.2 win in the Grade 2 $139,000 Lady Liberty free-for-all mare pace on Saturday (Aug. 2) at The Meadowlands ...
By Gordon Waterstone, for the Hambletonian Society August 3, 2025
With Dexter Dunn in the driver’s seat, Captain Luke parlayed a two-hole trip into a 1:47.3 victory in the $131,650 first division of the Grade 2 Sam McKee Memorial on a picture-perfect Saturday (Aug. 2) afternoon at the Meadowlands. The $130,400 second split went to the David Miller-driven Ken Hanover in 1:49 ...
By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager August 3, 2025
Ake Svanstedt won his third $1 million Hambletonian Stakes on Saturday, capturing the 100th edition of America’s Trotting Classic for 3-year-olds with Nordic Catcher S in a stakes-record 1:50 at The Meadowlands ...
By James Witherite, Meadowlands Media Relations August 3, 2025
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