SARNIA, ON — Hiawatha Horse Park fans were treated to a once in a lifetime experience on Thursday when two-year-old pacing filly Voelz Hanover and trainer-driver Rick Zeron tore down the stretch to a 1:51.3 World Record mile and their first Gold Final title.

Starting from Post 6, Voelz Hanover got a sweet trip behind fan favourite Chancey Lady, who set a track and Ontario Sires Stakes record in last week’s Gold Elimination.

Two-time Gold Final winner Shake That Junk shot off the starting gate to a :27.3 opening quarter, and then handed control over to Chancey Lady heading for the :55.4 half. Chancey Lady rang up a 1:24 three-quarters and was one and a half lengths on top when the field of eight turned for home.

Once he got her straightened out in the stretch, Zeron unleashed Voelz Hanover and she battled through the final steps of the mile to the 1:51.3 triumph, ousting Chancey Lady from the top spot by a mere neck. Longshot Southwind Swallow closed hard to claim the third-place finisher’s share of the $130,000 Gold Final purse.

Zeron trains and drives Voelz Hanover for R. Berthiaume Inc. of Montreal, QC. Through 12 starts this season the daughter of Astreos and Vassar Hanover has now posted seven wins, three seconds and one third for earnings of $215,593. The half-sister to $571,206 winner Northern Sun was a modest $27,000 US yearling purchase at last fall’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale.

Thursday’s mile lowered the 1:52.3 Hiawatha Horse Park record set by Chancey Lady last week, the 1:52.3 Ontario Sires Stakes record shared by Chancey Lady and former provincial star Odies Fame, and the 1:52 world record set by American-bred Lady Annie earlier this season.

Voelz Hanover will now have two weeks to rest on her laurels and prepare for the Nov. 10 Super Final at Woodbine Racetrack. The filly heads into the $300,000 season finale in third spot in the standings with a total of 150 points, 25 behind Chancey Lady and 73 behind Shake That Junk, and the top ten point earners will appear in the Super Final.

Voelz Hanover’s world record performance was a spectacular way to wrap up Hiawatha Horse Park’s 2007 Ontario Sires Stakes season, which saw a total of three track records fall in provincial competition.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rsarfth.html#N8