The Race of The Century
by Lisa Harkema
He won one of the most prestigious races of all time, then retired to become an elite stallion. His performances in Europe in 1988 are still occasionally talked about by Scandinavian trotting fans who all agree on one thing: there was something really special about Sugarcane Hanover.
When Sugarcane Hanover sold at Harrisburg, Hanover president John Simpson bought him together with farm superintendent Peter Boyce for $15,000. According to Dean Hoffman in his book Quest For Excellence, some people probably didn’t like the farm president bidding on a horse, feeling it was a buy-back or prearranged deal, but Simpson, together with Boyce, had simply fallen in love with the son of Florida Pro, and was buying the horse for himself. At first attracted to the colt by his fluid and elegant gait, Simpson didn’t force Sugarcane at 2 – but there was no question about his abilities. In his elimination heat of the Horseman Stake he beat Royal Prestige, winning in 1:58.3 (1.13,7). Even though he finished third in the race-off behind Royal Prestige and Express Ride, he had shown what he was capable of. The young talent showed one major weakness, however, which would affect him the rest of the freshman season. Sugarcane suffered from sore hooves and occasionally made breaks. After his 10th freshman start, he developed a quarter crack. Not wanting to push him, Simpson simply decided to turn him out for the season.
Return to the track in May, tragedy struck as the quarter cracks also returned, and more time off was required. Not wanting to risk anything, Sugarcane Hanover was initially racing in overnight races against easy opposition but this was merely done to give the horse time to ready himself. His first meeting against some of the better horses in his crop came in the Matron at Garden State in mid-September where he met Hambletonian winner Nuclear Kosmos. Although losing to Mangrove and Stanley Dancer, Sugarcane was an encouraging second and had the strongest finish of all.