From Eldorado Scioto Downs
Emoticon Legacy, under a hand drive, put separation on the field to set a new track and world record for 4-year-old stallions, winning the $250,000 Grade 2 Charlie Hill Memorial Trot in 1:50.2 on Saturday (Sept. 12) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
An uncharacteristic break by race favorite On To Norway (Yannick Gingras) as the field left the gate allowed 2025 Charlie Hill winner Hillexotic (Austin Hanners) to go straight to the front from post four, hitting the quarter in :27.1. Scott Zeron got Emoticon Legacy away third and tipped out as the field went by the :55.2 half. By the 1:23 third-quarter, Emoticon Legacy drew head to head with Hillexotic and drew off to win by six lengths in the world-record performance. Emoticon Legacy was the 7-5 second choice and paid $4.80 to win.
Fresh off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Maple Leaf Trot, it was just the 4-year-old stallion’s seventh start, and second win, on the year. The Luc Blais trainee by Walner is a winner of over $1.3 million for owner/breeder Determination and has a lifetime best of 1:49.2 set at Lexington.
“I’ve raced against him enough to have a lot of respect for him,” said Zeron, who sat behind the horse for the first time Saturday. “I felt like I had the best horse in the best spot really. I spoke to his driver last year, Louis-Philipe, and he gave me all the instructions to get in the winner’s circle today. He’s an incredible animal, and I could feel the speed he was giving me coming out of the last turn, so we just rode it out.”
The previous track record of 1:50.4 was set by Winner’s Bet in the 2024 Charlie Hill. The previous world record of 1:50.3 was co-held by Uncle Peter (set in 2013) and Nordic Catcher S (matched in August 2026).
Jim Ewart Memorial Pace
Roland Mallar’s Ken Hanover took the $260,000 Grade 2 Jim Ewart Memorial Pace after never seeing a pylon, in 1:48.
Tim Tetrick got Ken Hanover away sixth as Women Layer (David Miller) was parked heading towards the :26 opening quarter. Jordan Stratton had For Once Inmy Life on the move from the word go and made the front as the field straightened out down the stretch for the first time, getting to the half in :53. Pulling from third, Dandy Ideal (Jason Bartlett) came first up to make the lead by the 1:20.1 third quarter, towing Harrisburg Heist (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) second over, with Ken Hanover stalking third over. Tetrick pulled three wide in the last turn and sprinted away to win by two and three quarter lengths. Bythemissal (Chris Page) came up the middle of the track to finish second, with Clever Cody (Luke Ebersole) closing to get third. Ken Hanover went off at 5-1 and paid $12.20 to win.
Ken Hanover’s last start was on Aug. 22, and to prep for Saturday’s Ewart, Mallar opted to qualify him at the Meadowlands, where he went a 1:48.1 mile with a :25.3 last quarter.
“I think he’s rounding into where he was last year, when he was sharp,” said Mallar. “He needed that qualifier at the Meadowlands to get stretched out. When you race against these types of horses, you have to be ready to go, and qualifying in 1:55 ain’t going to do it.”
“This year I got to drive him, and he started the year off really good,” said Tetrick. “He qualified super and then just went through a little lull spot. I think last year when the weather got cooler, he got hotter, so I’m hoping he does the same thing.”
Mallar said that next up for Ken Hanover, the plan is to take him to Hoosier, Dayton, Red Mile, and Breeders Crown.
Ken Hanover is owned by Mallar in partnership with Patrick Leavitt, William Jordan, and Dennis Osterholt. The 6-year-old stallion by Captaintreacherous now has 24 lifetime wins and over $1.46 million in earnings.