Hanover (USA)
April 3, 1884 – March 23, 1899
Hindoo (USA) x Bourbon Belle (USA), by Bonnie Scotland (GB)
Family 21
April 3, 1884 – March 23, 1899
Hindoo (USA) x Bourbon Belle (USA), by Bonnie Scotland (GB)
Family 21
A member of a vintage crop that also included National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame members Kingston and Firenze as well as the sensational juvenile Tremont, Hanover became a great racehorse in spite of a chronically painful foot which was numbed by severing its main nerve when he was a 4-year-old (a procedure known as “nerving”). Although this extended his racing career by another year, it eventually shortened his life, as Hanover broke a bone in the nerved foot (which could no longer feel pain) due to excessive pawing and had to be destroyed at the relatively young age of 15. His death was a great loss to American breeding as he was a four-time American champion sire.
Race record
50 starts, 32 wins, 14 seconds, 2 thirds, US$118,887.50
1886:
1887:
1888:
1889:
Honors
As an individual
A big, rugged chestnut standing over 16 hands, Hanover was lazy as a 2-year old but much more focused at 3 and up. He could make all the running or come from off the pace and was indifferent as to track condition. He had a deep girth and strong hindquarters but was slightly upright in the shoulder.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Hanover with 29 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World:
Notable progeny
Half Time (USA), Halma (USA), Hamburg (USA), Han d'Or (USA), Handball (USA), Handspring (USA), Tea's Over (USA), The Commoner (USA), Yankee (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hanover was bred by the partnership of Clay and Woodford at their Runnymede Farm. He was owned by Phil Dwyer, who purchased him for US$1,350 as a yearling. He was trained by Frank McCabe. He entered stud in 1890 at Colonel Milton Young's McGrathiana Farm and died there in 1899. He was buried on land that became part of Coldstream Stud, but his bones were later disinterred and his skeleton was put on display in the Natural Science Building at the University of Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Hanover is inbred 3x3 to the important American sire Vandal. He is a full brother to Kentucky Belle, dam of stakes winners Six Shooter (by Sir Dixon), Kentucky Beau (by Star Shoot), Colinet (by Star Shoot) and Rifle Brigade (by Star Shoot); second dam of the good juvenile filly My Reverie; and third dam of 1932 American champion 2-year-old filly Happy Gal.
Hanover is out of the unraced Bonnie Scotland mare Bourbon Belle. Her dam, Ella D. (by Vandal), is a half sister to Alert (by Lexington), dam of the good stakes winner Richmond (by Vandal's champion sire son Virgil) and the juvenile stakes winner Vandala (by Vandal). The next dam in Hanover's tail-female line, the Woodpecker mare Falcon, is a full sister to Grey Eagle, who set an American course record for 2-mile heats.
Books and media
Hanover is one of 51 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, second printing, 1974).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo by Jenks. From the estate of Walter Vosburgh, now in the private collection of Dale Wyatt. Used by permission.
Last updated: December 18, 2021
Race record
50 starts, 32 wins, 14 seconds, 2 thirds, US$118,887.50
1886:
- Won Hopeful Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won July Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Sapling Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
1887:
- Won Carlton Stakes (USA, 8FD, Gravesend)
- Won Brookdale Handicap (USA, 9FD, Gravesend)
- Won Withers Mile (USA, 8FD, Jerome Park)
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Jerome Park)
- Won Brooklyn Derby (USA, 12FD, Gravesend)
- Won Swift Stakes (USA, 7FD. Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Tidal Stakes (USA, 8FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Coney Island Derby (USA, 12FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Emporium Stakes (USA, 12FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Spindrift Stakes (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Lorillard Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
- Won Stockton Stakes (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- Won Barnegat Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
- Won Stevens Stakes (USA, 13FD, Monmouth)
- Won United States Hotel Stakes (USA, 12FD, Saratoga)
- Won Champion Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
- Won Breckenridge Stakes (USA, 13FD, Pimlico)
- Won Dixie Stakes (USA, 16FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Raritan Stakes (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Choice Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Jerome Stakes (USA, 14FD, Jerome Park)
- 3rd Omnibus Stakes (USA, 12FD, Monmouth)
1888:
- 2nd Brookdale Handicap (USA, 9FD, Gravesend)
- 3rd Brooklyn Cup (USA, 12FD, Gravesend)
1889:
- Won California Stakes (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
- Won Merchants' Stakes (USAFD, Saratoga)
- Won Express Stakes (USA, 7FD, Morris Park)
- Won Coney Island Cup (USA, 12FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Coney Island Stakes (USA, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd St. James' Hotel Stakes (USA, 10FD, Gravesend)
- 2nd Brooklyn Cup (USA, 12FD, Gravesend)
- 2nd Electric Stakes (USA, 6FD, Morris Park)
- 2nd Excelsior Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd New Rochelle Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Morris Park)
- 3rd New York Jockey Club Handicap (USA, 10FD, Morris Park)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted as part of the inaugural class of 1955)
- American Horse of the Year (1887)
- American co-champion 3-year-old male (1887)
As an individual
A big, rugged chestnut standing over 16 hands, Hanover was lazy as a 2-year old but much more focused at 3 and up. He could make all the running or come from off the pace and was indifferent as to track condition. He had a deep girth and strong hindquarters but was slightly upright in the shoulder.
As a stallion
Clio Hogan's Index to Stakes Winners 1865-1967 credits Hanover with 29 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 1895-1898; 2nd in 1899 and 1901; 7th in 1902.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World:
- 10th on the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1907.
Notable progeny
Half Time (USA), Halma (USA), Hamburg (USA), Han d'Or (USA), Handball (USA), Handspring (USA), Tea's Over (USA), The Commoner (USA), Yankee (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hanover was bred by the partnership of Clay and Woodford at their Runnymede Farm. He was owned by Phil Dwyer, who purchased him for US$1,350 as a yearling. He was trained by Frank McCabe. He entered stud in 1890 at Colonel Milton Young's McGrathiana Farm and died there in 1899. He was buried on land that became part of Coldstream Stud, but his bones were later disinterred and his skeleton was put on display in the Natural Science Building at the University of Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
Hanover is inbred 3x3 to the important American sire Vandal. He is a full brother to Kentucky Belle, dam of stakes winners Six Shooter (by Sir Dixon), Kentucky Beau (by Star Shoot), Colinet (by Star Shoot) and Rifle Brigade (by Star Shoot); second dam of the good juvenile filly My Reverie; and third dam of 1932 American champion 2-year-old filly Happy Gal.
Hanover is out of the unraced Bonnie Scotland mare Bourbon Belle. Her dam, Ella D. (by Vandal), is a half sister to Alert (by Lexington), dam of the good stakes winner Richmond (by Vandal's champion sire son Virgil) and the juvenile stakes winner Vandala (by Vandal). The next dam in Hanover's tail-female line, the Woodpecker mare Falcon, is a full sister to Grey Eagle, who set an American course record for 2-mile heats.
Books and media
Hanover is one of 51 stallions profiled in Joe Palmer's Names in Pedigrees (The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, second printing, 1974).
Fun facts
- Hanover was named for a city in northern Germany. During the horse's lifetime, the city was the capital of the Prussian province of Hanover.
- At the time of his retirement, Hanover was the leading money winner among American-raced Thoroughbreds.
Photo credit
Photo by Jenks. From the estate of Walter Vosburgh, now in the private collection of Dale Wyatt. Used by permission.
Last updated: December 18, 2021