“Perfectboy” aims for more ideal 2021

At this time last spring, trainer Blake MacIntosh had high hopes for then 2-year-old male pacer Perfectboy Hanover.

“I thought he was probably the fastest horse I ever trained down,” MacIntosh said, adding with a laugh, “He’s the whole reason this year that I won’t say anything about any of the 2-year-olds training down. I was so high on him last year and then so disappointed with the year we had with him.”

Last year, Perfectboy Hanover won one of eight starts in a season when, MacIntosh said, “nothing went right.”

MacIntosh, though, remains hopeful Perfectboy Hanover can fulfill the potential he saw last year. Perfectboy Hanover makes his seasonal debut in Saturday’s opening round of the Bobby Weiss Series at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, where he faces a field of eight in the fifth of five $17,500 divisions for 3-year-old male pacers.

Perfectboy Hanover makes his seasonal debut in Saturday’s opening round of the Bobby Weiss Series at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Dale Leiska photo.

“He’s been training really good,” MacIntosh said. “He’ll need a start or two to get tight, but he’s got a lot of talent. I’ve been high on that horse all the way. I’ve kept the stakes payments up on him because I think he’s the real deal. We won’t know for sure until push comes to shove, but he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right gait, and hopefully everything goes right this year for him.”

Last year, things began to go wrong for Perfectboy Hanover when a water truck and tractor came on the track in front of him during his first visit to Woodbine Mohawk Park.

“From that point on, he just lost his mind and started doing stupid things,” MacIntosh said. “He was really immature. We ended up having to geld him at the end of the year just to try to get his head straight.”

Perfectboy Hanover’s victory last year came in the Pennsylvania Stallion Series. He made two Grand Circuit starts, finishing fifth in divisions of the Nassagaweya and Champlain stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

He is 6-1 on the morning line in Saturday’s Weiss division.

“Hopefully, he’ll be able to sit in on Saturday for a little bit and then pace home and show his talent,” MacIntosh said.

MacIntosh trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Perfect Cents for Fred Brayford, Mac And Heim Stables, Ridgeway Racing, and Knot Xzachallie Stable.

Perfectboy Hanover is among four MacIntosh trainees in Weiss Series action Saturday. He is joined by pacers Major Makover and Victory Move plus Black Tie Bash, who is in the third of three divisions for 3-year-old male trotters.

“It will be easier to tell what you have after the first couple starts,” MacIntosh said.

The Weiss Series is for 3-year-olds that did not win two extended pari-mutuel races or $30,000 lifetime through Feb. 1. The first round for female pacers is Monday and the first round for female trotters is Tuesday. Each series will consist of three preliminary legs followed by consolations and finals.

Racing begins at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.