posted on 9/26/2011 1:34 pm
September 24, 1992 was a beautiful fall day
for all the fans of the Little Brown Jug except for the bettors and connections
of Western Hanover. They had just witnessed the defeat of their
hero at the hands of Fake Left in the final heat of the Jug. Western Hanover
raced his heart out in those grueling heats and did not deserve his fate. After all he would go on to earn in excess of
2.5 million dollars. He then went on to attain a record of p1:50.4m followed by
a great career as a stallion at Hanover Shoe Farms.
Western Hanover was
purchased as a yearling in the fall of 1990 for the price of $105,000.00 by trainer Gene Riegle on behalf of owner George Segal. His racing career was sandwiched between
Segal’s great colts Artsplace and Little Brown Jug winner Life Sign, who would
make up for Western Hanover’s defeat in
that classic event the very next year with a miraculous victory for his
connections.
After Western Hanover’s
racing career ended he went to stud at Hanover Show Farm for a very modest
$4,000 stud fee. His very first crop
produced the Jug winner Western Dreamer. That was just the beginning. His offspring include Won the West, who is
approaching $4,000,000.00 in purse earnings, The Panderosa , Western Terror, Badlands
Hanover and Jug Winners Well Said and this years winner Big Bad John from his final crop. He also sired Western Ideal who unfortunately
missed his Jug appearance because of an injury.
Western Ideal became a great aged pacer and retired to stud
in New Jersey. During his career he has sired Rocknroll
Hanover, American Ideal, Big Jim and a consortium of great fillies. Rocknroll Hanover has started his stud career with the
great Rocknroll Heaven. American Ideal has
sired in his first two crops Jugette winner Idyllic and She’s a Great Lady
winner and world record holder American Jewel. He has also sired the very
talented colt Heston Blue Chip already a winner of 8 of 9 starts as a two year
old.
Western Hanover’s legacy
lived on after his Little Brown Jug defeat. His accomplishments on and off the
track make him one of the all time greats.
MLB
