Austin Hanners aims to keep improving as 2026 season begins

At 0h03, on January 8, 2026 • By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Austin Hanners can look back on his 2025 season and enjoy the fact he won the three biggest races of his career so far, including a Breeders Crown, but that will not change his focus going forward.

The 26-year-old Hanners captured his first Breeders Crown with Always B Naughty in the $400,000 Grade 1 Breeders Crown Mare Pace on Oct. 25 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, garnered his first Ohio Sire Stakes championship with Jailhouse Pearl in the $300,000 final for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Sept. 27 at Hollywood Dayton Raceway, and won the $250,000 Charlie Hill Memorial Trot (G2) with Hillexotic on Sept. 6 at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

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