Ken Warkentin's 2021 Hambletonian Winterbook

week 1

The 2021 Hambletonian may bring together familiar faces on Saturday, August 7, and could set the stage for Andy and Julie Miller to finally kick the door in they’ve been knocking on for the past several years.  Team Orange Crush have last season’s richest freshman trotter, Dan Patch Award and Mohawk Million winner Venerate.  2019 Hambletonian winning combo Bob McClure and Luc Blais go for another with On A Streak.  Rising star Marcus Melander hopes to return to big dance with In Range, and Ake Svanstedt looks for his second Hambo with three in our 2021 Winterbook Top Ten.  

1 | Venerate

The son of Love You won five of ten starts and $772,914, including the KYSS Final in 1:51.4, the Mohawk Million from post ten in 1:53.2, and a Breeders Crown elimination in 1:52.2.  Andy and Julie Miller have been on the board in three of the last five editions.

2 |On A Streak

Bob McClure and trainer Luc Blais pulled the 2019 Hambletonian upset with Forbidden Trade, and they hope to be back with a son of Cantab Hall, who scored at 9-1 in the Breeders Crown in 1:52.4.  On A Streak also won the William Wellwood Memorial at 15-1 on his home turf in 1:54.3 and finished second in division earnings with $740,947.

3 | In range

Marcus Melander was second, third and fifth in 2019, and sent out another three in last year’s final to no avail.  In Range, leading the first crop of Bar Hopping, could break the ice for Melander.  Runner up in the PASS Final and Breeders Crown, In Range took a mark of 1:54.1 winning a Crown elimination over a sloppy track. 

4 | Southwind tyrion

The Ake Svanstedt triple threat is led by a son of Muscle Hill, who won five of seven, didn’t miss the board and took a mark of 1:51.1 in a division of the ISS.  He also won the NJSS Final, the Garden State Stake, and finished second by a head in William Wellwood Memorial. 

5 | Cuatro De Julio

This colt by Trixton won nine of 14 starts for trainer Marie Ortalan Bar, a native of France, who has a truly inspirational story.  The speedy Cuatro De Julio raced mainly at The Red Mile, won a division of KYSS in 1:51.4 and took a mark of 1:51.3 in a division of ISS.  

6 | Captain Corey

This Ake Svanstedt trainee won his first five career starts, including the PASS Final in 1:53.3.  The son of Googoo Gaagaa also won a Reynolds Stake division at the Meadowlands in 1:54.4.

7 |Delayed Hanover 

Ake Svanstedt adds a third colt to his contingent from the first crop of 2016 Hambo runner up Southwind Frank.  Delayed Hanover scored his lone win in a division of the Bluegrass in 1:53.4 and finished a close third in the Valley Victory. 

8 | Anoka Hanover

Fillies have won two of the last three Hambletonians, so why not another?  This daughter 2007 Hambletonian champion Donato Hanover capped off her Dan Patch Award winning season with seven straight wins, including the Kindergarten Classic in 1:52.3 and Goldsmith Maid in 1:53.2.  Rising star Todd McCarthy in the bike and trainer Noel Daley has been there done that with Broad Bahn in 2009. 

9 | zenith stride

Victory in the Peter Haughton Memorial makes you an automatic next-year Hambletonian prospect.  This Muscle Hill colt trained by Mark Harder stormed home at better than 87-1 in 1:55.1, and took a mark of 1:53.2 in a division of the ISS.  Hall of Famer Brian Sears set the stakes record of 1:50.1 with the prolific sire in 2009. 

10 | Bee Forever

You have a lot to live up to with a Horse of the Year on both sides of your pedigree.  This son of Muscle Hill out of Bee A Magician saved his best for last with a 1:54 upset in the Valley Victory for Victor Kirby and trainer Nifty Norman.  The very consistent Jack Fire gives Nifty a solid one-two punch.