The Record
Laddie Hanover appears in the surviving Plainridge programs across 2 seasons, 2004 to 2005, with 5 starts for which the official chart records a finishing position. 2 of those produced wins, and the horse finished in the first three on 2 occasions altogether.
The fastest mile recorded here is 1:56.4, set on Tuesday, September 14, 2004. A harness time is written in minutes, seconds and fifths, so the final digit is a fifth of a second rather than a hundredth. On an oval of five-eighths of a mile like Plainridge a horse turns four times in a mile, which costs ground against the bigger tracks and makes comparison against the divisional marks misleading.
The winner's line in the chart gives the breeding as BIG TOWNER out of LUVLORN HANOVER, herself by ALBATROSS. Harness pedigrees are quoted in that order — sire, dam, then the dam's own sire — because the maternal grandsire carries much of the weight in judging a standardbred family.
The classes Laddie Hanover was entered in run to QUA, 5000CL, 4000CLHC, 4000CL. These are condition races rather than claiming events, so eligibility rested on money already won rather than on a posted purchase price.
The drivers who sat behind Laddie Hanover most often were Shawn T Gray (4), Michael L Cushing (1). Driver changes matter more in harness racing than the bare numbers suggest, because the same horse can be driven for early speed or held for a late quarter depending on who holds the lines.
Every Start Held Here
| Date | Rc | Fin | PP | Time | Odds | Driver | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2005 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | Scott R Nichols | QUA |
| Oct 19, 2004 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2:00.2 | 2.80 | Shawn T Gray | 5000CL |
| Oct 12, 2004 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 1:58.0 | 9.80 | Shawn T Gray | 4000CLHC |
| Sep 28, 2004 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1:57.0 | 3.80 | Shawn T Gray | 4000CL |
| Sep 21, 2004 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 1:58.2 | 6.00 | Michael L Cushing | 4000CL |
| Sep 14, 2004 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 1:56.4 | 9.80 | Shawn T Gray | 4000CL |
Questions about this horse
Was Laddie Hanover a trotter or a pacer?
A pacer — every charted start is at the pace. A pacer moves its legs in lateral pairs, a trotter in diagonal pairs, and a horse is normally campaigned at one gait or the other.
What class did Laddie Hanover race in?
QUA, 5000CL, 4000CLHC and 4000CL. Each code is a set of eligibility conditions rather than a grade — the class pages explain what each one admitted.
What were the odds on Laddie Hanover?
The shortest price in the recovered charts is 2.80 to one. Odds are the closing figures printed on the chart, so they reflect what the pool decided at the off, not a forecast.
How many starts does the record show for Laddie Hanover?
The record shows 5 charted starts for Laddie Hanover, 2004 to 2005. The name appears on 6 race days in all once entry sheets are counted, because a horse can be drawn into a race and then scratched before it is run. That is what the programmes and result sheets hold, not necessarily the horse's full career: starts made at other tracks are outside this record.
How did Laddie Hanover finish in these races?
Yes — 2 wins from 5 starts, a strike rate of 40%. Adding 0 seconds and 0 thirds, Laddie Hanover finished in the first three on 2 occasions.
What was Laddie Hanover's fastest mile?
1:56.4, on 2004-09-14. Harness times are read as minutes, seconds and fifths, so 1:56.4 is 1 minute and the rest in seconds — the final fifth is the digit after the last point.
Which drivers sat behind Laddie Hanover?
Shawn T Gray (4) and Michael L Cushing (1). The figure in brackets is the number of drives.