Hall of Fame Profile: Gin On the Rocks

Original article written by Dan Kauffman posted 8 years 4 weeks ago

When the Standardbred-Trotter division debuted in the SIM in Year 23, it wasn't long before two standout horses engaged in a thrilling rivalry that made the new endeavor a smashing success:

* Gin On the Rocks, who won two Trotter Triple Crown races and finished 7-for-14 (with seven seconds) and just shy of $1 million in earnings.

* Hanover Hack, who won the other leg of the Trotter Triple Crown and finished 8-for-14 lifetime (with five seconds and a third) and just over $1 million in earnings.

Both were 3-year-olds when they debuted in Year 23, and both retired at the end of their 4-year-old seasons the next year. They would race 11 times in one of the most prolonged and prolific rivalries in any division in SIM history.

The rivals would first clash in Year 23, Week 1 in a maiden special weight race for 3-year-old colts and geldings at the Maroon Mile in Kentucky. Gin on the Rocks was purchased by Leonard Beagle for $5,000 before his first race. One would have been hard-pressed to believe any sort of rivalry would come about after Gin On the Rocks dominated and won by more than two lengths over Hanover Hack in the 11-horse field.

Three weeks later, Gin On the Rocks would race in his first stakes outing, the World Cruise Stakes, to begin a long stay at The Meadowfields in New Jersey. With Hanover Hack absent from the field, none of the six challengers threatened as Gin On the Rocks rolled to a two-length victory over Hanover My Food.

He returned two weeks later for the first-ever Trotter Triple Crown race, the Yankee Trot. The seven-horse field included Hanover Hack, and this time he came ready to test the favored Gin On the Rocks. An exciting battle came down to the end, and it was Gin On the Rocks who held on by half a length to improve to 3-for-3 and make history as the first winner of a Trotter Triple Crown event.

The two engaged two weeks later in the second leg, The Emotonian. They would have company, as Hoosier Gazette also ran a strong race to make it a close three-way battle. For the first time, Gin On the Rocks would taste defeat as Hanover Hack scored the upset victory by half a length, with Hoozier Gazette a quarter-length behind Gin On the Rocks in third. Now the rivalry between Gin On the Rocks and Hanover Hack was truly on.

The Triple Crown rubber match came in Week 10 with the Meadowfields Futurity. In another thrilling finish, Gin On the Rocks held on for a quarter-length victory to prevail in two of the three legs and improve to 4-for-5 lifetime.

The rivals were at it again two weeks later in the American Trotting Derby, and the tables were turned again as Hanover Hack scored an impressive one-length victory, with Gin On the Rocks holding off Hanover My Food by a quarter-length for second.

The stage was set for the Grade 1 Steward's Crown Classic Trot (the precursor to the Steward's Cup trotter races which would debut in Year 29). The winner would almost certainly garner the first-ever Champion Three Year Old Standardbred Trotter Male honors. And once again, Hanover Hack had the measure of Gin On the Rocks, rolling to a 1 1/2-length win to make it two straight over his rival. Gin On the Rocks once again had to fight off Hanover My Food by a quarter-length for second.

Gin On the Rocks made her 4-year-old debut in the New Jersey Royal Trot in Year 24, Week 2 -- with the five-horse field missing Hanover Hack. Gin On the Rocks took full advantage, rolling to a win of almost three lengths.

The rivalry resumed two weeks later in the Windsong's Legacy Stakes. Gin On the Rocks took the lead on the backstretch, built it up to a length and easily held off the late-charging Hanover Hack by three-quarters of a length to regain the upper hand and win a second straight race to start the year.

In Week 6, Gin On the Rocks took the starting gate for the Yankee Mile. With Hanover Hack absent from the field, most expected Gin On the Rocks to roll to another easy victory. Instead, Hanover My Food finally scored a long-sought upset, storming from more than two lengths back over the final two furlongs to win by a quarter-length.

Two weeks later, Gin On the Rocks traveled to the Chariot Expo in Canada -- leaving The Meadowfields after 10 straight races there -- to re-engage Hanover Hack, coming off a win in the Grade 3 Five Star Trot on the Chariot Expo track two weeks earlier. History would be made, as for the first and only time, both of them would be defeated in the same race. Challenge Hanover (a fitting name for this race) rallied from more than three lengths back with two furlongs left to edge Gin On the Rocks by a neck at the wire for a stunning win. Gin On the Rocks edged Hanover Hack by a head for second in an ultra-close 1-2-3 finish.

Gin On the Rocks and Hanover Hack headed back to The Meadowfields to do battle three more times before retiring and the end of the year. The first came in Week 10 in the Meadowfields Cup, and Hanover Hack pulled off a stunner, coming from more than five lengths back over the final two furlongs to fly past the fading Gin On the Rocks for a one-length victory.

The pattern repeated itself two weeks later in the Mr. Muscleman Trot, when Hanover Hack once again overcame a five-length deficit with two furlongs left to blow past Gin On the Rocks and win by a length. It was Gin On the Rocks' fourth straight loss -- three in a row after losing a large lead to the eventual winner.

Needless to say, Gin On the Rocks was not the favorite for the Grade 1 Steward's Crown Open Trot, what with three challengers (Hanover Hack, Challenge Hanover, Hanover My Food) all having scored victories over him in the previous four races. Little did anyone know that Gin On the Rocks would run the race of his life -- a dazzling 87 speed figure and 1:53.89 final time that was by far his best ever. Hanover Hack left himself too much ground to make up -- he was seventh (dead last), trailing by more than six lengths with two furlongs left -- and while his scintillating charge came close, Gin On the Rocks held on by a half-length in a brilliant final chapter to his racing career. The surprise victory led to his being named Champion Older Male Trotter.

Gin on the Rocks was a success as a stud, as his progeny earned more than $8.6 million on the track (a very high amount for a trotter). His progeny included:

* Very Tipsy, $724,000, Steward's Cup Distaff Trot champion, Champion Older Female Trotter.

* I'm Hot to Rock, $717,030, Steward's Cup Classic Trot champion, Champion Three Year Old Male Trotter.

* After the Night, $677,300, Steward's Crown Juvenile Trot champion, Trotter Champion Two Year Old Male.

* Little Drunk, $410,000, Steward's Crown Juvenile Fillies Trot champion, Trotter Champion Two Year Old Female.

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