Donato Hanover
Donato Hanover (foaled 3 April 2004) is a retired Standardbred race horse who was voted the 2007 United States Harness Horse of the Year. He was sired by Andover Hall, out of D Train, a Donerail mare. The colt is currently owned by David B. Scharf, Steven Arnold, and Golden Touch Stable. Donato Hanover earned $2,983,858 during his racing career.
The most notable of Donato Hanover's achievements include wins of the 2007 Hambletonian, the 2007 Kentucky Futurity, the 2007 World Trotting Derby, the 2007 Canadian Trotting Classic, as well as the 2006 Breeder's Crown for two-year-old trotting colts. The colt was the recipient of the 2006 Dan Patch Award for two-year-old colt trotters.
By winning the Kentucky Futurity, in a world-record 1:50.1, Donato became the first trotter to win more than $2 million in a single season ($2 198 540).
For much of his career, the only loss that he had endured was in his first career start, a non-parimutuel race, considered by some to be a "schooler with a purse". This led to some debate amongst people as to whether or not races such as this should really be considered a loss, and hence that Donato's career should be viewed as perfect. On 17 November 2007, any debate surrounding a so-called perfect career came to an end, when Donato lost, in the stretch, to Arch Madness in the Breeder's Crown eliminations. Despite this loss, during the following week, trainer Stever Elliott as well as many other notable horsepeople, including John Campbell, believed that Donato would rebound with an easy win in the finals, despite the handicap of having drawn post 10. The following Saturday, Donato went off as a 3-5 favorite in the $610 000 final, and gunned straight for the lead. The colt was parked until the 3/8 mile mark when he took the lead. He led the race into the stretch, but it was deja vu when Arch Madness took the stretch drive lead and Donato ran out of steam.
The Breeder's Crown marked the end of Donato's career. The horse began his stud career at Hanover Shoe Farms in 2008.
Wins
| Date | Track | Race | Purse | Finish | Time | Last 1/4 | Odds | Driver | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Nov 2007 | Meadowlands | Breeder's Crown F | $610 000 | 3/1Q | 1:53.0 | 28.1 | *0.70 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 17 Nov 2007 | Meadowlands | Breeder's Crown E | $25 000 | 2/2T | 1:52.2 | 27.3 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 06 Oct 2007 | Lexington | KyFuturity | $356 160 | 1/1T | 1:50.1 | 27.3 | *0.05 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 06 Oct 2007 | Lexington | KyFuturity | $192 920 | 1/3H | 1:51.1 | 27.1 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 29 Sep 2007 | Lexington | D-Bluegrass | $136 000 | 1/1T | 1:52.0 | 27.3 | *0.05 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 15 Sep 2007 | Mohawk | D-Cdn Trot | $1 000 000 | 1/3Q | 1:54.0 | 28.3 | *0.40 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 08 Sep 2007 | Mohawk | D-Cdn Trot | $40 000 | 1/2 | 1:52.3 | 27.2 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 01 Sep 2007 | Duquoin | World Trot Derby | $600 000 | 1/1Q | 1:51.2 | 27.0 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Lexington | QUAL | $0 | 1/50 | 1:51.3 | 27.2 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 04 Aug 2007 | Meadowlands | D-Hambo F | $1 500 000 | 1/1Q | 1:53.2 | 27.2 | *1.00 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 28 Jul 2007 | Meadowlands | D-Hambo E | $70 000 | 1/1 | 1:53.1 | 28.3 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 14 Jul 2007 | Meadowlands | D-Dancer M | $400 000 | 1/1 | 1:54.2 | 28.2 | *0.30 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 06 Jul 2007 | Meadowlands | D-Dancer M | $35 000 | 1/2Q | 1:53.3 | 27.3 | *0.40 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 29 Jun 2007 | Meadowlands | D-Dickerson | $85 000 | 1/1 | 1:54.1 | 28.3 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 14 Jun 2007 | Meadowlands | QUAL | $0 | 1/10T | 1:53.3 | 27.2 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 31 May 2007 | Meadowlands | QUAL | $0 | 1/T | 1:54.1 | 28.0 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 24 May 2007 | Meadowlands | QUAL | $0 | 1/2T | 1:54.3 | 28.0 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 28 Oct 2006 | Woodbine | D-Breeder's Crown | $683 100 | 1/4 | 1:56.0 | 30.0 | *0.60 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 20 Oct 2006 | Woodbine | D-Breeder's Crown | $28 462 | 1/T | 1:56.2 | 28.1 | *0.20 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 5 Oct 2006 | Lexington | D-Intr Stl | $79 500 | 1/3 | 1:57.2 | 27.2 | *0.05 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 28 Sep 2006 | Lexington | D-Bluegrass | $82 800 | 1/6 | 1:57.4 | 28.1 | *0.40 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 15 Sep 2006 | Lexington | QUAL | $0 | 1/15T | 1:59.0 | 29.1 | NB | Steve M. Elliott | Steve M. Elliott |
| 3 Aug 2006 | Meadowlands | D-Peter Haughton Memorial | $456 000 | 1/2T | 1:55.0 | 27.1 | *0.40 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 26 Jul 2006 | Meadowlands | D-Peter Haughton Memorial | $20 000 | 1/3Q | 1:56.2 | 29.0 | *0.40 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Meadowlands | 2YR C&G | $5 000 | 1/H | 1:56.4 | 28.2 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 29 Jun 2006 | Meadowlands | Harriman Cup | $55 675 | 1/H | 1:57.2 | 28.2 | 2.50 | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 22 Jun 2006 | Meadowlands | 2YR C&G | $5 000 | 3/3Q | 1:59.1 | 28.2 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 10 Jun 2006 | Meadowlands | QUAL | $0 | 1/1 | 2:04.1 | 27.3 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |
| 3 Jun 2006 | Meadowlands | QUAL | $0 | 4/3T | 2:03.0 | 28.4 | NB | Ron Pierce | Steve M. Elliott |