Bret Hanover

Bret Hanover

Bret Hanover (May 19, 1962 - November 21, 1992), possibly the greatest ever pacing Standardbred, was born at Hanover Shoe Farms in Pennsylvania.

The son of the great sire, Adios out of the mare Brenna Hanover, Bret Hanover was born on May 19 1962. He would become one of only nine horses in history to win harness racing's honour by capturing the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers.

Trained and driven by Frank Ervin in his 1964 debut season in racing, two-year-old Bret Hanover was undefeated, winning all 24 races he entered and would continue undefeated for 35 races. In his second season of racing, he was 21-for-24 and in his last year of racing at age four, he was 17-for-20 for a career total of 62 wins in 68 races. He never placed worse than third. He was voted "Horse of the Year" for all three years by the US Trotting Association and the US Harness Writers Association, the only pacer ever to accomplish that. Bret Hanover was only ever beaten by three horses, one of them the great Cardigan Bay, the first standardbred horse ever to win $1 million dollars.The others were ADIOS VIC AND TRUE DUANE.

Bret Hanover was retired as the fastest and richest standardbred. He went to stud at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky where he immediately became one of the most in-demand breeding stallions in harness racing history. Among his many successful offspring were Little Brown Jug winners Melvin's Woe and Strike Out. He is remembered as one of the best broodmare sires of the century.

After his death on November 21 1992 Bret Hanover was buried at Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park, and the statue that had been erected for him at Castleton Farm today stands at his gravesite.

Numerous stories have been written about the horse including the book "Big Bum, The Story of Bret Hanover".

For links to other harness horse information and biographies, see also:
*Harness racing


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