M-M's Dream -2023
M-M’s DREAM UPSETS JIGGY JOG S IN VINTAGE HAMBLETONIAN MATURITY
By Jay Bergman, for the Meadowlands
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The added eighth of a mile made a difference on Saturday night (July 15) in the $410,250 E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity at The Meadowlands, as M-M’s Dream and driver David Miller needed every inch of the 1-1/8-mile distance to track down heavily favored Jiggy Jog S and end her 11-race win streak on the wire to capture the event for 4-year-olds.
With a longer drive to the first turn, Miller left with purpose from post 9 but didn’t press the issue in the opening eighth of a mile as Raised By Lindy and Yannick Gingras and Looks Like Moni and Scott Zeron took early control of the race.
Looks Like Moni had the lead into the first turn and passed the quarter in :26.3 with Raised By Lindy on his back. M-M’s Dream and Miller continued parked and needed three-eighths of a mile before clearing to the front with the favorite Jiggy Jog S on her back. Miller was content to yield to Dunn with Jiggy Jog S, who crossed over and hit the half in a respectable :55.4 clocking.
An outer flow developed on the far turn, though Pretender and Andrew McCarthy were mostly on the offensive as Cool Papa Bell struggled to keep with cover, impacting Justice in the outer flow.
Following a soft three quarters of 1:24.3, Dexter Dunn and Jiggy Jog S began a solid sprint and opened ground not only on M-M’s Dream but the entire outer tier and appeared to turn it into a one-mare race. Miller kept M-M's Dream in hailing distance as Jiggy Jog S flashed a huge :26.2 fourth quarter and looked to have the race sewn. That final eighth proved the tipping point and Jiggy Jog S struggled to maintain her advantage as a persistent M-M’s Dream kept shortening her lead. In the final strides, the Ron Burke-trained M-M’s Dream prevailed by a neck in a clocking of 2:04.3 for the 1-1/8-mile distance, just two-fifths off the world record. Raised By Lindy rallied for third with Looks Like Moni and Justice completing the top five finishers.
“This is a special mare. She gives me Hannelore Hanover vibes,” said Ron Burke, her trainer, following the victory.
Owned by Eleven Star Stables, Frank Baldachino and Hillside Stables, M-M’s Dream became harness racing’s newest millionaire with $1,014,605 now in her coffers from 27 starts, with 22 wins now on the card of the 2022 Indiana Trotter of the Year.
“A lot of credit goes to Henry Graber Jr. for breaking her and training her in Indiana,” said co-owner Baldachino.
Off at 12-1, M-M’s Dream returned $26.60 to win.
The Horses
Bella Bellini - 2022
Bella Bellini bests the boys in Hambletonian Maturity
by Ray Cotolo, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Last year’s Hambletonian Oaks winner, Bella Bellini, journeyed overland out of her second-tier starting spot and overpowered all in her way to post a world-record 2:04.1 win over 1-1/8 miles in the $432,000 Hambletonian Maturity on Saturday (July 16) at The Meadowlands.
Driver Dexter Dunn scored Bella Bellini from the center of the gate in the second tier to track Balenciaga at race’s dispatch. She then took back to ninth before Balenciaga broke stride, leaving Take All Comers to contend with Rattle My Cage in the :25.4 first-quarter sprint to the first turn. Cuatro De Julio floated towards the lead to grab the top into the backstretch before Rattle My Cage sprang back out to reclaim the lead.
Rattle My Cage raced on an uncontested lead by a :54.2 half while Dunn got underway with Bella Bellini. No one flushed off the pylons to supply cover to the 4-year-old Bar Hopping mare, so she ground uncovered to the far turn, though she caught brief cover as Cuatro De Julio vacated the pocket when the field reached three-quarters in 1:22. Cuatro De Julio put away Rattle My Cage off the corner, but Bella Bellini barreled to a one-length victory, knocking one-fifth of a second off the stakes and world record set by JL Cruze in 2015. Ambassador Hanover hustled into contention late to settle for third and Take All Comers finished fourth.
“She’s something else,” trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman said after the race. “There was a lot of strategy there, and none of it worked out the way we thought it would. That was a real good run, to be uncovered so long.... I was a little concerned about that, but she was very relaxed trotting up there. Andy [McCarthy] pulled the two-hole, which gave her just a little bit of the cover she likes, and she did the rest.”
Bella Bellini has now banked $1,549,800, and has won 16 of her 35 starts. Norman trains last year’s Dan Patch 3-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year for owner David McDuffee. She paid $5.80 to win.
2022 Horses
GRADUATE CHAMPIONS TO BATTLE IN E.T. GERRY JR. HAMBLETONIAN MATURITY
Recently crowned Graduate Series champions Bella Bellini and Rattle My Cage will put win streaks on the line when they lead a field of 11 horses into Saturday’s $432,000 E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands. The race will be contested at 1-1/8 miles.
last years champion
ahundreddollarbill
Sire - Chapter Seven
Owner - Crawford Farms Racing, James Crawford IV
Trainer - Tony Alagna
Driver - Todd McCarthy
ambassador hanover
Breeders Crown Elim Winner
Sire - Chapter Seven
Owner - M3 Racing Stable
Trainer - Ake Svanstedt
Driver - Scott Zeron
balenciaga
Sire - Chapter Seven
Owner - S R F Stable, Crawford Farms Racing
Trainer - Paul Kelley
Driver - Mark MacDonald
bella bellini
Hambletonian Oaks & Breeders Crown Champion
Sire - Bar Hopping
Owner - David McDuffee
Trainer - Nifty Norman
Driver - Dexter Dunn
Cuatro de julio
Breeders Crown Elim Winner
Sire - Trixton
Owner - D Farm LLC, Marie Ortolan Bar
Trainer - Marie Ortolan Bar
Driver - Andy McCarthy
delayed hanover
Hambletonian Elim Winner
Sire - Southwind Frank
Owner - Mellby Gard Inc, Ake Svanstedt Inc
Trainer - Ake Svanstedt
Driver - Ake Svanstedt
inaminute hanover
Sire - Bar Hopping
Owner - Determination
Trainer - Luc Blais
Driver- Bob McClure
incommunicado
Sire - Chapter Seven
Owner - Knutsson Trotting, Little E LLC, A. Geiger, D. Stolz
Trainer - Ake Svanstedt
rattle my cage
Sire - Love You
Owner - Perry Soderberg
Trainer - Ake Svanstedt
Driver - Yannick Gingras
sonofamistery
Sire - Muscle Hill
Owner - S R F Stable, Holly Lane Stud East LTD
Trainer - Marcus Melander
Driver - Brian Sears
take all comers
Sire - Creatine
Owner - Runthetable Stables
Trainer - Jim Campbell
Driver - Tim Tetrick
Beads - 2021
East Rutherford, NJ — Beads barreled from post 10 in the initial straightaway sprint to land a pocket trip, and then shook loose in the homestretch dash to win the $400,000 E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity on Saturday (July 17) at The Meadowlands.
Gangster Hanover grabbed the lead in the charge to the first turn with Ab’sattitudexpress securing the pocket and Beads floating first-over. Past the opening quarter in :26, Beads seized the lead while 8-5 favorite Ready For Moni circumvented traffic with a three-wide spurt for the front. Beads clicked the half in :55.1, but soon yielded control to Ready For Moni midway up the backstretch.
As Ready For Moni cruised to three-quarters in 1:23.1, Hypnotic AM spun three-wide and surged towards the pacesetter heading to the top of the stretch. Hypnotic AM loomed closer to a game Ready For Moni, but room opened for driver David Miller to split his rivals with Beads. Popping the pocket, Beads slid through at the 1:50.4 mile mark en route to a one-length win over Hypnotic AM, completing the 1-1/8-mile race in 2:04.4. Ready For Moni settled for third while Sorella, weaving through traffic, snagged fourth.
“He’s been unlucky with the post draws when we’ve been going for big money last year and this year, but today he did his own race and did it well,” winning trainer Per Engblom said after the race. “He never won from behind before; this is the first time he’s winning that he’s not been on the lead. But the trip was great.”
A 4-year-old son of Archangel competing for Buckstone Land Livestock, Beads won his 11th race from 30 starts and pushed his career earnings to $547,963. He returned $19.00 to win.
Gimpanzee - 2020
Lizzi Photo
by Jay Bergman, for the Hambletonian Society
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Gimpanzee and Brian Sears overcame post 13 — as well a solid field — to capture the $464,900 Hambletonian Maturity in rather easy fashion Saturday night (July 18) at The Meadowlands.
The 4-year-old son of Chapter Seven covered the 1-1/8 mile distance in 2:05.4 as the 3-5 betting choice.
There was much action in the early stages, as Marseille and driver Åke Svanstedt blasted out from post eight to loop many of the horses going into the first turn. Last year’s Hambletonian Oaks champion, When Dovescry, was away in good position as well for David Miller through the hot :26 second opening quarter.
Owners
Courant Inc & SRF Stable
Southwind Avenger and Andy McCarthy were parked three-eighths of a mile before clearing to the front, and that was Dave Miller’s cue to send the lone mare in the field to the top. When Dovescry got to the half in :55.2 and was soon joined when Yannick Gingras and Kings County made a power move to try to gain control.
When Dovescry and Kings County were locked in battle through much of the final turn, Forbidden Trade attempted to keep with cover second-over and Sears sat third-over in the flow waiting to make his move.
When Dovescry shook off pressure and secured the lead in upper stretch, but after passing the mile marker in 1:52.2, the mare — making her first start this year — began to tire. Sears and Gimpanzee were in full flight and easily powered on in the stretch to win convincingly by 3-1/4 lengths. Forbidden Trade, last year's Hambletonian winner, was pushed hard by driver Scott Zeron and just held down the place spot, holding off a wicked rally by Soul Strong and driver Dexter Dunn.
When Dovescry settled for fourth, and Don’t Let’em finished fifth — but did so while on a break and thereby lost the position. The judges moved Kings County up to fifth and Reign Of Honor to sixth in the official order of finish.
Trainer | Driver
Marcus Melander | Brian Sears
Trained by Marcus Melander, two-time Breeders Crown champion Gimpanzee won for the 21st time in his career and is now unbeaten in four 2020 starts. Owned by Courant Inc. and S R F Stable, Gimpanzee returned $3.40.
“I thought Scott (Zeron aboard Forbidden Trade) would be a good one to follow,” said Sears. “I had to move him on the turn he such a class animal.”
The victory pushed Gimpanzee’s lifetime earnings over the $2 million mark.
Sears, looking ahead to racing Gimpanzee against older foes, spoke of the attributes required to compete:
“He’ll need a trip against those horses, but he’s so handy.”
ENTRIES
Crystal Fashion - 2019
By Jay Bergman, Meadowlands Media
East Rutherford, NJ — An extra eighth of a mile can make the difference, and that seemed to be the case when 23-1 shot Crystal Fashion drove by heavy favorite Atlanta nearing the wire to capture the $450,000 Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-olds at The Meadowlands on Saturday night (July 13) for driver Tim Tetrick.
The outcome of the race appeared to go through the 1-5 favorite Atlanta, as Yannick Gingras got her away in third in the early stages while Crystal Fashion wrestled the lead from Custom Cantab through a :26.1 opening quarter. Gingras hit the accelerator, and Atlanta hustled to the front after the opening fraction. Atlanta appeared in complete command through a half in :55 and three-quarters of a mile in 1:23.1, with Manchego on the offensive but Gingras appearing relaxed and ready to sprint home.
The fourth quarter had Atlanta leading through a 1:50.2 mile, but the mare started to bear out, enabling Tetrick and Crystal Fashion to find room along the pylons to go by the favorite. Custom Cantab and David Miller flew to the finish and came up just a nose off the winner, with Atlanta third past the finish line. However, a judges' inquiry into the race revealed that Custom Cantab had in fact interfered with three horses — Phaetosive, Fiftydallarbill and Six Pack — and was placed behind them as a result. The revised order of finish elevated Atlanta to second, with Six Pack placed third and Manchego fourth.
Crystal Fashion is a 4-year-old gelding by Cantab Hall trained by Jim Campbell for Fashion Farms LLC of New Hope, Pa. Sent off at 23-1, Crystal Fashion returned $48.20 in his third win of the season in seven starts.
"I wanted to be forwardly placed," said Tetrick following the victory. "I followed Atlanta last week and it didn't work out. I thought the extra distance would help my horse."
Crystal Fashion completed the mile and one-eighth distance in 2:04.3.
Ariana G - 2018
Ariana G, the 1-5 favorite driven by Yannick Gingras, led wire-to-wire before drawing clear late to a 2¾-length victory in the 27th edition of the $405,850 Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Ariana G completed the 1 1/8-mile distance in 2:05 and cruised to her third win in five starts this season, posting her 24th victory in 31 career starts. Coming off a world-record 1:50.2 score in the Graduate Series final just a week ago, Ariana G also joins 2016 winner and Gingras-driven Hannelore Hanover (who won earlier on the Saturday card in the Miss Versatility), 1964 winner Elma and 1963 winner Spry Rodney as mare winners of the Maturity and also hits the record books as the first mare to complete the Hambletonian Oaks-Maturity double. As the prohibitive favorite, Ariana G returned $2.60 to win. “I was so happy with her performance. I was a little nervous with her nine post.She cut it close a bit down the stretch,but she is just an amazing horse”, said trainer Jimmy Takter, who took home his first Maturity win. ”We should not compare great horse with others. She has been so good. She is just a perfect horse.” Takter said Ariana G will next race on Hambletonian Day (Aug.4) in the John Cashman Memorial. Bill’ sMan, driven by Corey Callahan, was second, with Top Flight Angel and Andy Miller grabbing the show dough.
Marion Marauder - 2017
In 2016, Trotter of the Year Marion Marauder won the Triple Crown by about three feet, a head and two noses. He’s not a horse to go to the lead before he has to, and he doesn’t win in spectacular fashion. But nobody is more determined to get past every horse in front of him, and nobody digs in harder late, than Marion Marauder, the son of Muscle Hill. Spellbound Hanover who won by an uncharacteristically large margin, a half-length in the Hambletonian Maturity, covering 1 1/8 miles in 2:05.2. The mare CelebrityEventsy was always swiftly, then yielded to Warrawee Roo, whose connections went game and supplemented him for $50,000 after finishing a hard-charging second in the Graduate Final.The fractions were :27.1, :56,1:24.1,and 1:51.3 as Warrawee Roo and driver Dan Dube appeared to be doing everything right. Still having the lead in midstretch. But then,without much asking from driver Scott Zeron, Marion Marauder,who had been first-over before the far turn, reached down to the spot where champions find more and produced it,shifting to a higher gear and dashing the pacesetters hopes.The late-flying Cufflink Hanover,a 1:51.1 winner two starts back, was flying late to win a l-o-n-g photo over Warrawee Roo, whose connections (the Determination group that won with Emoticon Hanover) made money on the race; third was worth $55,050 against their $50,000 supplement fee. Marion Marauder, of course, made a bit more money. In fact, trainer Paula Wellwood and owners Jean Wellwood and Devin Keeling saw the Marauder become the richest Triple Crown winner ever, trot or pace,bumping his bankroll to $2,139,235. After the race, Zeron acted just like a kid in a candyshop. You can grind with him, because you know he won’t get weak on you at the end. He likes to race at a target in front of him.And if anything,he’s got more drive this year at four than last year.
Hannelore Hanover - 2016
by Lou Monaco, for the Hambletonian Society
Hannelore Hanover and driver Yannick Gingras took the lead on the far turn and was much the best, capturing the $471,200 Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles by 3 1/2 lengths on the Meadowlands Pace undercard Saturday night at the Meadowlands.
Hannelore Hanover, the 4-5 post-time favorite and daughter of Swan For All, recorded her ninth victory in 10 starts this year and paid $3.80 to win.
“She was even better tonight than she was in Canada (winning three straight in the Armbro Flight eliminations and final and Ms. Versatility),” said Gingras. “The second time I raced her in Canada, she was a little bit hot. They made a couple of changes on her and she usually starts out a little bit stiff, but she warms right out of it. Tonight, the minute she hit the track, she felt super. She just dominated them.”
Trained by Ron Burke, Hannelore Hanover brushed past Musical Rhythm, driven by John Campbell, at the half-mile mark and cleared to take the lead for good.
Fractions for the 1 1/8-mile trot were :26.3, :55.4, 1:24.4, 1:52.3 and 2:05.4.
Wings of Royalty, driven by Brian Sears, held on nicely to finish second with Crazy Wow, driven by Tim Tetrick and also trained by Burke, grabbing the show spot.
Hannelore Hanover, who was supplemented to the race for $50,000, joined Bee A Magician (second in 2014) and Shake It Cerry (third in 2015) as the only mares to start in the Maturity against the males.
Created by the Hambletonian Society and the Meadowlands as a racing opportunity solely for 4-year-olds previously eligible to the Hambletonian and Oaks, the Maturity racing conditions prohibit the use of Lasix, the only race day medication permitted in New Jersey.
JL Cruze - 2015
By Bill Finley
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – JL Cruze just keeps getting better and better and so does his incredible story.
The same horse that was a non-entity last year at 3, won for the 15th time this year from 17 starts and did so in the fastest ever trotting mile in the storied history of the Meadowlands. Holding off a fierce late rally from the mare Shake It Cerry, JL Cruze won last night’s $250,000 Graduate Final at the Meadowlands by a nose in 1:49.4. It was the fastest mile in history by a trotter on a one-mile track.
“You look at Mack Lobell and all the great trotters that have raced over this track and for us to come up here and be the first horse to trot in under 1:50 is unbelievable,” co-owner Bill Dittmar said. “This is from a horse we hoped would be a condition horse and now he does this. It really is a fairy tale. We bought him hoping he would be competitive on the Dover, Chester circuit.”
Dittmar and his partners paid a mere $37,000 for JL Cruze during last fall’s mixed sale at Harrisburg. This year alone, he’s made $428,735.
JL Cruze was a terror during the winter months at the Meadowlands, but winter stakes winners are supposed to be long forgotten by the time the top horses return in the spring. With JL Cruze, he has instead kept right on rolling, seemingly getting better all the time.
He first served notice that he was truly something special when he beat Father Patrick in successive legs of the Graduate series, which is restricted to 4-year-olds. Two weeks later he beat Sebastian K at Pocono Downs and last night he conquered Shake It Cerry. That’s four straight wins over 2014 Dan Patch Award winners.
JL Cruze usually doesn’t win by a lot, and last night was no exception.
With John Campbell again driving, the son of Crazed was third in the early going before brushing to the lead approaching the half. He got there in 54.2 and was in front by 1 1/4 lengths. Father Patrick was the next to pull but it was clear on the backstretch that this was going to be a tough night for him as he was having problems keeping up. That seemed to cement the outcome for JL Cruze but Shake It Cerry had yet to be heard from.
With trainer Jimmy Takter doing the driving, Shake It Cerry closed with a rush and simply ran out of racetrack.
“There’s no doubt about it, he’s just very, very special,” winning trainer Eric Ell said. “He’s had a long year; he’s been racing since January. Yet he just keeps getting better all the time. Everybody knows that he has to get beat sooner or later, when it’s going to be I don’t know. But I hope this fairy tale continues. (The world record) means a lot to me. I’ve been in the business a long time and have trained a lot of horses but nothing like this.”
JL Cruze paid $3.20.
It was a puzzling effort from Father Patrick, who began his year with a win in the Maxie Lee at Chester, but has now lost three straight. He finished sixth, beaten by six lengths.
At a cost of $50,000, JL Cruze will be supplemented to next Saturday’s Hambletonian Maturity, a $450,000 race.
He must also be supplemented to the Breeders Crown, and Ell said no decision has been made on that call yet.
He’s also in line to start in the Aug. 8 Cashman, where he will again meet Sebastian K, along with Elitlopp winner Magic Tonight. Ell knows nothing ahead will come easily.
“When we beat Sebastian K, that was his first start back and I know he had to be a little bit short,” he said. “Horses like that are going to be fresh and you have to think our horse has got to be getting tired soon. It’s going to be tough down the road. No doubt about it.”
