2024 Hambletonian Newsroom
Hambletonian showdown: ‘Let’s get it on’
August 1, 2024 by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hightstown, NJ — Since the end of last year, harness racing fans have looked forward to a third meeting between 3-year-old trotters Karl and T C I. The award-winning colts split their two encounters in 2023, and after both beginning this season in May, will finally compete together in the same race on Saturday at The Meadowlands.
The fact the encounter will occur in the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters, the $1.05 million Hambletonian, with both horses coming off elimination wins last week, has only heightened the drama.
Count trainer Ron Burke among the group who can’t wait for the clash.
“I love it,” said Burke, who will send out T C I against the Nancy Takter-trained Karl. “Nancy thinks hers is the best horse. I think mine is the best horse. So, let’s get it on.
“And I don’t discount any horse in there, but these two know how to win. That’s the one thing they do, they win.”
Yannick Gingras, who will drive the Karl, the Hambletonian’s 6-5 morning-line favorite, also counted himself among those looking forward to the matchup. But he, too, was not discounting any of Karl’s and T C I’s eight rivals.
“It’s far from just a TCI-Karl race, in my opinion,” Gingras said. “I think it’s a strong field. I think you can make a case for five or six horses to win the race given the right trip. I thought a couple horses were pretty impressive in the eliminations, Karl and TCI included, obviously.”
Karl won his Hambletonian elimination last week by 1-1/4 lengths over Bella’s Musclehill in a career-best 1:50.3. Karl left alertly from post six and settled into third prior to reaching the midpoint of the first turn, began a first-up march entering the final turn, and overtook leader Situationship in mid-stretch on his way to victory.
Gingras and Karl will start Saturday from post one.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s probably not the post I would have picked if I got to pick, but with the way it shook out with where other horses drew in the race, I think it’s actually a good spot for him,” Gingras said. “The way he left the gate last week, it was the first time I kind of asked him, and he really responded well. And, really, he did it on his own. I had planned on going out of there, but he dragged me out of there, in a good way.”
Karl, who had finished third in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial two weeks prior to the Hambletonian elims, has won 14 of 16 career races and earned $1.27 million. The son of Tactical Landing-Avalicious was the 2023 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male trotter. He is owned by Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing, and Bender Sweden.
“I could not be any more confident in my horse,” Gingras said. “I think last week was the best start of his career. I think it’s all systems go. I think he’s coming into the race in peak form, and we’ve just got to get the job done now. He’s a tremendous horse.”
Takter, who won the Hambletonian last year with Tactical Approach, is bidding to become the first trainer to win the race in back-to-back years since her father, Jimmy, in 2014 with Trixton and 2015 with Pinkman. The only other trainer to pull off consecutive victories since the Hambletonian moved to The Meadowlands in 1981 was Per Eriksson in 1991-92.
“I think that would be pretty cool,” Takter said. “I’ve always tried to fill his shoes, which hasn’t always been easy, so if we can get it done, that would be great.”
T C I won his Hambletonian elimination by a neck over Private Access in a career-best 1:50.4. The victory snapped a two-race skid, which included a third-place finish in his division of the Dancer Memorial, after the colt had won his first three races of the season.
He will start the Hambletonian from post four with driver David Miller and is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
“I couldn’t have been happier with him,” Burke said about the elimination victory. “He came back sharp. He was super. He was just dull (in the Dancer). As much as anything, his stomach was an issue, so we went to work on that.
“I could tell when I trained him last week that he was 90 percent. I just got off him right now (Wednesday) and he was 100 percent.”
Last season, T C I won 10 of 12 races and earned $1.23 million to become the richest 2-year-old male trotter in history. He received the O’Brien Award for best freshman male trotter to race in Canada, where his triumphs included the Mohawk Million.
A son of Cantab Hall-Nicole’s Promise, T C I was named for vacation destination Turks and Caicos Islands. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi.
The $1.05 million Hambletonian will be race 12 with a post time of 4:45 p.m. (EDT) and air nationally on Fox Sports. The companion $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 14 and will go at 6:06 p.m. and air on FS2.
For all the ways to watch on Hambletonian Day, click here.
Racing begins at noon. For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.
Following is the field for Saturday’s Hambletonian in post-position order with drivers, trainers and morning-line odds.
Race 12 – Post time 4:45 p.m. (EDT)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Odds
1 – Karl – Yannick Gingras – Nancy Takter – 6-5
2 – Mars Hill – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 20-1
3 – Highland Kismet – Bob McClure – Mark Etsell – 5-1
4 – T C I – David Miller – Ron Burke – 5-2
5 – Security Protected – Tim Tetrick – Marcus Melander – 20-1
6 – Bella’s Musclehill – Scott Zeron – Nifty Norman – 15-1
7 – Secret Agent Man – Andy Miller – Julie Miller – 12-1
8 – Sig Sauer – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 4-1
9 – Private Access – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 10-1
10 – Amazing Catch – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 20-1
Beachy and Etsell ready for Oaks, Hambo debuts
July 31, 2024 by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hightstown, NJ — Vernon Beachy’s goal last week was to see Allegiant advance from her Hambletonian Oaks elimination to reach Saturday’s $525,000 final at The Meadowlands.
Following the 3-year-old filly trotter’s victory in her elim in a career-best 1:51.4, the trainer’s hope for this week is to enjoy the experience.
Beachy and Mark Etsell, who trains Hambletonian Stakes finalist Highland Kismet, will be starting horses for the first time in harness racing’s premier races for 3-year-old trotters. The remaining 11 trainers with horses in either the Hambletonian Oaks, for sophomore female trotters, or Hambletonian, open to any 3-year-old trotter, have appeared in at least one of those races previously.
“This is something that every kid dreams about, and you never think it’s going to happen,” said the 36-year-old Beachy, who is training a stable of 10 horses. “But we’re here. I’ve got to thank (owner) Ryan Smith. It’s been a great ride.
“Hopefully, we can enjoy it. Sometimes when the expectations start climbing, the joy of it is less. Hopefully, we’ll come back and do good in the final.”
Allegiant, driven by Scott Zeron, won her Oaks elimination by four lengths over French Champagne. She will start Saturday’s final from post four and is 3-1 on the morning line, the third choice behind fellow elimination winners Elista Hanover at 9-5 and R Melina at 5-2.
“This didn’t surprise me; I knew this was in her,” Beachy said. “We’ve been trying to prep her for the bigger races. We’ve been trying to set her up for this. So, I was expecting Scotty to drive her a lot more aggressively than he has. In some of her other races, it just didn’t work out; it seemed like we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it wasn’t a big deal. This is more important.”
Allegiant, a daughter of Tactical Landing-Too Good For You, has won eight of 17 career races and earned $427,997. She was the fastest 2-year-old female trotter of 2023, with a mark of 1:52.2, when her victories included the early Kentucky Sire Stakes championship at Oak Grove Racing & Gaming.
This year, Allegiant has won the Moni Maker Stakes at Eldorado Scioto Downs and the Currier & Ives Stakes at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows in addition to her Oaks elim.
“She never has a bad day,” Beachy said about Allegiant, who was purchased as a yearling for $50,000 at the 2022 Standardbred Horse Sale. “She’s always happy, loves her job. She’s been a really easy filly to get along with. When you get a filly that loves her job, those kinds can take you far.”
Beachy, who resides in Ohio, grew up in Dover, Del., and began working with harness racing horses in his early teens. He started his own stable in 2011.
“I grew up Amish,” Beachy said. “I got a job when I was about 14 working for Henry Westbrook. I would drive my horse and buggy to the barn, and he started having me jog and train. I learned from him, and then I moved to Saratoga and had a few horses, worked for Andrew Byler for a little bit. He had a bunch of (young horses) so that’s how I got a taste for that.
“I just love buying young horses and watching them go from nothing to something. What that is, you never know. We buy under 10 horses a year. You can dream, but this doesn’t happen often for small guys like us. You have to get lucky.”
Etsell’s trip to the Hambletonian with Highland Kismet resulted from a bit of luck as well. Etsell, who received the 2023 O’Brien Award of Horsemanship and was runner-up to Ian Moore for Canada’s 2023 Trainer of the Year Award, was still uncertain about Highland Kismet’s potential when it came time to make stakes payments in February. The horse was unraced at 2 and had difficulty trotting the turns when Etsell got him in January.
“I give full credit to his owner, Mary,” Etsell said, referring to Mary Clark of Highland Thoroughbred Farm, the breeder and owner of Highland Kismet. “She asked me what I wanted to pay him to, and I was kind of, not cheap, but realistic. I said, let’s just pay him to the stuff in Canada and hope we get a racehorse.
“She wanted to pay him to the Hambletonian, and she was the smart one because if I had anything to do with it, he wouldn’t have been eligible,” he continued, with a laugh. “Those payments are steep, especially when you’re not sure what you have.”
Highland Kismet is a son of Father Patrick out of the mare Highland Top Hill, who had a mark of 1:52.4 and finished second to Ariana G in a heat of the Kentucky Filly Futurity in 2017. The family includes Dan Patch Award-winner SJ’s Photo and 2015 Hambletonian fifth-place finisher Jacksons Minion.
“He’s well-bred and a very personable horse,” Etsell said. “He’s just a nice, easygoing horse. He’s not hot, he’s very easy to maintain. We made some shoeing changes and he just started getting better and better.”
Highland Kismet’s career began with three conditioned races, with him winning two and finishing second in the other, when he was 11 lengths back at the opening quarter and came home in :26.2 to miss by a half-length. From there, he won his elimination of the Goodtimes Stakes in 1:54 before capturing the final by 3-1/4 lengths in a career-best 1:51.3, the fastest mile by a 3-year-old trotter in Canada this season.
Last week, Highland Kismet finished fourth in his Hambletonian elimination, two lengths behind winner Karl. Highland Kismet and driver Bob McClure came home in :26.1, the fastest last quarter of any Hambletonian finalist.
“He got stopped up a couple times there with the cover, but once he got clear sailing down the lane, he closed well,” Etsell said.
Highland Kismet will start the Hambletonian from post three and is 5-1 on the morning line, the fourth choice behind Karl at 6-5, T C I at 5-2 and Sig Sauer at 4-1.
“We’ve trained trotters for a long time, and it’s always been a dream to race in the Hambletonian, so it’s super for me,” Etsell said. “Now, at least, we’re in it. You can’t win it if you’re not in it. These are tough horses, but he showed he fit, so I’m happy with that.”
The $1,050,000 Hambletonian will be race 12 with a post time of 4:45 p.m. (EDT) and air nationally on Fox Sports. The companion $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 14 and will go at 6:06 p.m. and air on FS2.
Racing begins at noon. For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.
For all the ways to watch on Hambletonian Day, click here.
Zeron happy for chance at another Hambo
July 31, 2024 by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hightstown, NJ — Scott Zeron was left without a drive in Saturday’s Hambletonian Stakes following last week’s eliminations, but the three-time winner of the event didn’t have to wait long for that to change. Zeron picked up Bella’s Musclehill, giving the driver the opportunity to become the first back-to-back winner of the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters in 36 years.
Bella’s Musclehill finished second in his Hambletonian elimination, which was won by Karl in 1:50.3, to advance to Saturday’s $1.05 million final at The Meadowlands. David Miller drove Bella’s Musclehill for trainer Nifty Norman, but the door was left open for Zeron when Miller piloted T C I into the final with a 1:50.4 victory two races after Karl’s score.
Miller will drive T C I in the final, leaving from post four. T C I is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line behind Karl, the 6-5 favorite, who will leave from post one with driver Yannick Gingras.
Zeron and Bella’s Musclehill will go from post six, the most advantageous starting spot at The Meadowlands, with a 15.5-percent win rate. The son of Muscle Hill-Barn Bella is 15-1. Zeron will be driving him for the first time.
The most recent driver to win the Hambletonian in consecutive attempts was John Campbell, with Mack Lobell in 1987 and Armbro Goal in 1988.
“I’m happy to be part of the race,” Zeron said. “I wish I knew my horse very well, but I’ll do some homework and figure out the best way to go about it. We do it on a daily basis, learn as we go. So, I’ll learn as I go.”
Last year, Zeron, at the age of 34, became the 11th driver in history to win the Hambletonian at least three times. The other 10 are all in the Hall of Fame.
A fourth victory would put Zeron in a tie for second most ever, joining Ben White, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, and Mike Lachance. The only driver with more Hambletonian trophies is Campbell, with six.
Zeron captured last year’s Hambletonian with Tactical Approach, trained by Nancy Takter. He won from post 10, the least advantageous starting spot at The Meadowlands, at 12-1 odds. His previous wins came in 2018 with Atlanta, trained by his father Rick, and in 2016 with Marion Marauder, trained by Paula Wellwood.
Atlanta was the first female trotter since Continentalvictory in 1996 to win the Hambletonian. Marion Marauder went on to capture the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity to sweep the Trotting Triple Crown.
“I think last year, the expectations weren’t that I was going to win from the 10-hole,” Zeron said. “This year, everybody has said Karl’s already won it, so I can go in there with an open mind and just run a nice pressure-free race.
“(Bella’s Musclehill) has been kind of peaking. You’ve got to hope you get a little lucky and hope your horse is good on that given day.”
Unraced as a 2-year-old, Bella’s Musclehill has hit the board in seven of 10 races, winning two and earning $69,943 for owners Pinske Stables and Curly Tall Curly Small. Tagliabue, in 1995, was the most recent Hambletonian winner who didn’t race at 2.
“He was just a big, raw horse last year; he needed time,” said Norman, a three-time Hambletonian Oaks winner looking for his first Hambletonian trophy. “He’s turned into a nice horse, he’s just green. It was a good run (in the elim). He’s just been getting better and better all the time.
“We’re in the final. That’s all I wanted. Give us a chance. Anything can happen. We’ve seen it before.”
* * * * * * *
Marcus Melander has finished second in the Hambletonian each of the past two years, and three times overall. He will look to break through Saturday with Security Protected, who finished fifth in his elimination (won by Karl) and will leave from post five in the final with driver Tim Tetrick.
Security Protected is 20-1 on the morning line but has done well in big races in the past, finishing third in last year’s Breeders Crown and Peter Haughton Memorial. The son of Father Patrick-Thatsnotmyname opened up this season with three wins on the Pennsylvania stakes circuit and is looking to return to form after going off stride in the MGM Yonkers Trot on June 28 at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
In his start prior to the Hambletonian elim, he was fifth from post seven in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial (won by Sig Sauer in 1:50) but was timed in 1:50.3. For his career, Security Protected has hit the board in 12 of 18 races, winning seven and earning $454,087 for owners Brad Grant and Order By Stable AB.
“His year started out very good, and he’s actually raced good his last two starts,” Melander said. “He’s a solid horse. OK, he made that break at Yonkers, but otherwise he does everything right. It’s going to be a tough race, of course, but if he can follow someone, you never know what can happen. I think he’s coming into pretty good form.”
Last year, Melander was second in the Hambletonian with Oh Well. In 2022, he was second with the filly Joviality S, third with Temporal Hanover and fifth with Periculum. He also finished second, third and fifth in the 2019 final, with Greenshoe, Gimpanzee and Green Manalishi S.
Melander also hit the board in his first Hambletonian in 2017, when he saw Enterprise win his elimination and finish fourth-placed-third in the final.
Tetrick won the Hambletonian in 2012, with Market Share.
In addition to Security Protected in the Hambletonian, Melander will send out Date Night Hanover in the Hambletonian Oaks. She finished third in her elimination (won by R Melina) and will leave from post nine in the final with driver Dexter Dunn. She is 15-1.
The daughter of Chapter Seven-Don’t Wait Up notched her only victory this year in the filly division of the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial. She finished third in her division of the Del Miller Memorial (also won by R Melina) on July 13. She has won five of 19 career races and earned $425,859 for owners Jeff Snyder and Onda Racing Stable.
“These last couple of starts have been really good for her,” Melander said. “She’s only won once this year, but she’s been racing very good. The last time, she came home in :26. (In the elimination), she came the back half in like :53.4. You can’t ask for much more. She’s a fast filly.”
Melander won last year’s Hambletonian Oaks with Heaven Hanover, who scored from post 10 with Tetrick in the sulky.
* * * * * * *
Trainer Luc Blais also will have one horse in each the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks. Private Access will leave from post nine in the Hambletonian and is 10-1 on the morning line while Drawn Impression will go from post 10 and is 12-1. Determination owns both horses.
Private Access (here with trainer Luc Blais) finished second in his Hambletonian elimination, a neck behind T C I. USTA/Mark Hall photo.
Private Access, a son of Muscle Hill-Open Access, finished second in his Hambletonian elimination, a neck behind T C I. In July, he won the consolation division of the Zweig Memorial. His start in the Hambletonian elim was his first race since that victory.
“He’s a nice horse,” said Blais, who won the 2019 Hambletonian with Forbidden Trade. “He’s very laidback and does everything right. Last year, he was a little bit immature and made some breaks. Now, he is more mature. He can still be goofy a little bit, but I think that’s good. He’s not nervous. He travels and nothing bothers him. He feels good everywhere he goes.
“I think (off the elimination race) he is going to step up; the same thing with the filly. That’s what I hope.”
Drawn Impression, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Emoticon Hanover, finished second in her Oaks elimination, which was captured by Elista Hanover. Drawn Impression won last year’s Peaceful Way Stakes.
James MacDonald will drive both Private Access and Drawn Impression. MacDonald won the Meadowlands Pace with Legendary Hanover in July and will try to become the first driver to win the Pace and Hambletonian in the same year since Mike Lachance in 2003.
The $1,050,000 Hambletonian will be race 12 with a post time of 4:45 p.m. (EDT) and air nationally on Fox Sports. The companion $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 14 and will go at 6:06 p.m. and air on FS2.
Racing begins at noon. For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.
For all the ways to watch on Hambletonian Day, click here.
Karl is favored in 99th Hambletonian
Elimination winner Karl drew post one for Saturday’s $1.05 million Hambletonian Stakes final at The Meadowlands and was made the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the 99th edition of the sport’s premier event for 3-year-old trotters.
T C I, who won the second of last week’s two Hambletonian eliminations, drew post four and was made the 5-2 second choice. The event’s draw and press conference were held Tuesday at Hogan Equine. The two elimination winners drew for posts one through five followed by the remaining finalists in an open draw.
The Hambletonian will be only the third meeting between Karl and T C I, and the first since Karl’s victory in the Breeders Crown in late October at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. T C I, who finished second in the Breeders Crown, defeated Karl in a division of the International Stallion Stakes three weeks earlier at Lexington’s Red Mile.
Karl’s nose loss to T C I was his lone defeat in 10 starts last year. He earned $1.04 million and received the Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old male trotter. T C I won 10 of 12 races and earned $1.23 million to become the richest 2-year-old male trotter in history. He received the O’Brien Award for best freshman male trotter to race in Canada, where his triumphs included the Mohawk Million.
This year, Karl has won five of six races and earned $232,839 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Takter. He finished third in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 13 at The Meadowlands but rebounded to win his Hambletonian elimination by 1-1/4 lengths over Bella’s Musclehill in a career-best 1:50.3.
“I think everybody was a little hard on him,” Takter said after the elimination, referring to the reaction to Karl’s loss two weeks earlier. “He had a really tough trip and he’d raced one time in six weeks, so he definitely needed that race. Obviously, we didn’t want to lose, but it happens. They’re horses, they’re not machines.
“I think he’s going to be peaking at the right time. He only had one start in six weeks (prior to the Dancer), which was a little bit by design because we can’t over-race horses and it’s a long season. You kind of want to peak them for certain races, and this is definitely the race that we No. 1 wanted to peak for. You’re building like a mountain, and you just want to build a good foundation and hopefully we get to the top next week.”
Takter, who won the Hambletonian last year with Tactical Approach, is bidding to become the first trainer to win the race in back-to-back years since her father, Jimmy, in 2014 with Trixton and 2015 with Pinkman. The only other trainer to pull off consecutive victories since the Hambletonian moved to The Meadowlands in 1981 was Per Eriksson in 1991-92.
“I think that would be pretty cool,” Takter said about the possibility of winning again and duplicating the accomplishment of her father, who is a Hall of Famer in the U.S., Canada and Sweden. “I’ve always tried to fill his shoes, which hasn’t always been easy, so if we can get it done, that would be great.”
Karl, a son of Tactical Landing-Avalicious bred by Crawford Farms, is owned by Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing, and Bender Sweden.
T C I won his elimination by a neck over Private Access in a career-best 1:50.4. The victory snapped a two-race skid after the colt had won his first three races of the season. For the year, he has earned $179,637 for driver David Miller and trainer Ron Burke.
“It’s going to be a great matchup and a great race as always,” Miller said after T C I’s victory, referring to the highly anticipated meeting with Karl. “I’m very excited too.”
Burke, Miller, and Gingras are each seeking a first Hambletonian trophy.
Sig Sauer, who won a Dancer division on July 13 and finished third in the Hambletonian elimination won by Karl, is the 4-1 third choice on the morning line. The son of Muscle Hill-Sigilwig will leave from post eight with Andy McCarthy driving for trainer Noel Daley.
McCarthy won the Hambletonian in 2020 with the filly Ramona Hill. Daley won the Hambletonian in 2011 with Broad Bahn.
The Hambletonian will be race 12 with a post time of 4:45 p.m. (EDT). The companion $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 14 and will go at 6:06 p.m. Racing will begin at noon. For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.
Following is the field for Saturday’s $1.05 million Hambletonian in post-position order with drivers, trainers and morning-line odds.
Race 12 – Post time 4:45 p.m. (EDT)
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Odds
1 – Karl – Yannick Gingras – Nancy Takter – 6-5
2 – Mars Hill – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 20-1
3 – Highland Kismet – Bob McClure – Mark Etsell – 5-1
4 – T C I – David Miller – Ron Burke – 5-2
5 – Security Protected – Tim Tetrick – Marcus Melander – 20-1
6 – Bella’s Musclehill – Scott Zeron – Nifty Norman – 15-1
7 – Secret Agent Man – Andy Miller – Julie Miller – 12-1
8 – Sig Sauer – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 4-1
9 – Private Access – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 10-1
10 – Amazing Catch – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 20-1
Elista Hanover favored in Hambletonian Oaks
Trainer Annie Stoebe is no doubt thrilled to have the one to beat in Saturday’s (Aug. 3) Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands.
Apparently, so is her horse, Elista Hanover, who drew post position one at Tuesday afternoon’s Hambletonian press conference at Hogan Equine in Cream Ridge, N.J., and was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the $525,000 event, which will be seen by a national television audience on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) at 6:06 p.m.
“I wish (my post) was a little more toward the middle,” said Stoebe. “But I think she’ll be OK there. (Driver) David (Miller) will figure it out. The beautiful thing is, all I have to do is have her ready. The rest is on David.
“There is nothing that phases her, as long as you give her a cookie, she doesn’t care. She never ceases to amaze me and is possibly the happiest horse I have ever trained.”
Stoebe has gone through many a treat this year, as the daughter of International Moni-Evermore has strung together 10 consecutive victories during 2024 after opening the season with a fast-closing, third-place finish in an overnight at The Meadowlands.
Her double-digit destruction of her foes has included a three-race sweep of the Bobby Weiss Series at Pocono, before four more scores in Pennsylvania in All-Stars and Sire Stakes action. Her last three wins came at The Big M in the Reynolds and Tompkins-Geers before last week’s powerhouse performance in the second of three Oaks eliminations, in which she set a new lifetime mark of 1:51.3 after shrugging off a stiff challenge around the far turn from Buy A Round, a standout on the New Jersey Sire Stakes circuit.
“(Buy A Round) is such a fantastic animal, so, of course, I got a little bit nervous,” said Stoebe. “In that race, she was the one to beat. We managed beating her.”
As the 3-5 favorite, Elista Hanover was put on the lead by Miller at the half and reported home a 1-1/2 length winner over Drawn Impression as Buy A Round weakened and finished fourth, which was still good enough to earn a berth in the Oaks final as the highest money-earning fourth-place finisher from the three elims.
“David, when he retook, I was like, oh,” said Stoebe. “Then when (the half) showed up as :57, David knew what was happening. He knows what to do.”
Her trainer may have thought Buy A Round was the one to beat last week, but you’d have trouble convincing the bettors. Elista Hanover has been sent to the gate as the favorite in all 11 of her starts this year.
That’s something else that sets Elista Hanover apart from her foes in the Oaks, as she will be making her 12th start of the year, more than any of the other horses in the field.
But Stoebe doesn’t seem too concerned.
“I’m OK with it,” said Stoebe. “We’ll see how it is at the end of the year, but I’m comfortable with how she is coming into this big race. David says she just keeps getting stronger. We’re just living a dream right now. She’s just amazing.”
When making the trip to the track, Stoebe is always aware of what she needs to bring in addition to all of the equipment her horse needs.
“Cookies get packed in her harness bag when I pack everything else,” said Stoebe. “They are as important as her bridle.”
Here is the field for Saturday’s $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks at The Meadowlands, with post position, horse, driver, trainer and morning-line odds:
Race 14 – Post Time 6:06 p.m.
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Odds
1 – Elista Hanover – David Miller – Annie Stoebe – 9-5
2 – Warrawee Michelle – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 8-1
3 – R Melina – Todd McCarthy – John Butenschoen – 5-2
4 – Allegiant – Scott Zeron – Vernon Beachy – 3-1
5 – Miss I La – Joe Bongiorno – Noel Daley – 20-1
6 – Buy A Round – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 6-1
7 – French Champagne – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 9-2
8 – Paulina Hanover – David Miller – Noel Daley – 20-1
9 – Date Night Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 15-1
10 – Drawn Impression – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 12-1
NOTE: Allegiant, R Melina and Elista Hanover drew for posts 1-5 for winning their respective eliminations. Buy A Round qualified as the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings.
Hambletonian Post Position Draw Information
The Hambletonian and post-position draw for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, July 30, at Hogan Equine in Cream Ridge, NJ.
The $1,050,000 Hambo and $500,000 Oaks take place on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
The press conference, which is open to anyone who would like to attend, is from 2 to 5 p.m., with the Hambo and Oaks draws taking place at 3 p.m. Big M TV’s Ken Warkentin and Jessica Otten will host the draws.
Food and refreshments will be served.
The press conference will also be live-streamed on Meadowlands, YouTube, and Facebook pages.
Siegelman Stable Announces Launch of Hambletonian Collection for the 99th Hambletonian Race
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - July 29, 2024 - Harness racing enthusiasts and fashion aficionados are in for a treat as Siegelman Stable announces the launch of an exclusive capsule collection, mixed with ready-to-wear pieces and Siegelman’s loungewear basics, dedicated to the prestigious 99th Hambletonian race. In honor of America's greatest harness race, the New York-based brand has once again crafted a collection that embodies the spirit and tradition of this renowned event. The capsule is set to drop on Friday, August 2nd at 1 pm EST on www.siegelmanstable.com, just ahead of the highly anticipated race day, which falls on Saturday, August 3rd at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey.
The Hambletonian, a cornerstone in the world of harness racing, has captivated racing enthusiasts and spectators from around the globe. With a storied history nearing its centennial, this event highlights the top horses and drivers in the country. Siegelman Stable's 2024 Hambletonian collection offers a curated range of products that pay homage to the sport's rich history while embracing contemporary fashion.
"We are thrilled to present the Hambletonian 2024 capsule collection," said Max Siegelman, founder of Siegelman Stable. "This collection celebrates the enduring legacy of the Hambletonian race and our commitment to the sport and its community. We’re taking it a bit further this year, and hosting a select group of VIP’s in a “Siegelman Stable style” skybox for a day at the races. We want to continue to bring harness racing to the forefront of our storytelling and brand, this experience will help continue to push our story forward.” The invitation was delivered with a hand-written stitched hat announcing time and place, for the few selected invites. (see attached)
For those eager to acquire a piece from this exclusive collection, the capsule will be available for purchase on the official Siegelman Stable website starting August 2nd at 1 pm EST. Fans are encouraged to mark their calendars and set their alarms, as this captivating collection is expected to sell out quickly. Prices for the collection range from $76 to $352. The Hambletonian at Meadowlands Racetrack in Rutherford, NJ is open to the public, first post time Saturday, August 3rd is 12pm ET and the $1.5 million dollar Hamblemtonian race hits the track just after 4pm ET.
Stay tuned to Siegelman Stable's website and social media channels for further updates and details regarding this collection and more.
KARL AND T C I SCORE EASY IN HAMBO ELIMS
Jul 28 By Frank Cotolo, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Karl and T C I won the first and second $100,000 Hambletonian elimination splits, respectively, and under relative ease at The Meadowlands on Saturday night (July 27).
Karl's personal-best time of 1:50.3 for the mile was a strong rebound from his only loss of the season in the Stanley Dancer Memorial two weeks ago.
Yannick Gingras, in the bike again, rested Karl into third while Situationship flew from post 10 to take the early lead over Security Protected in a fiery first quarter of :26.3. By the :55.2 half, Karl took to the outside and cruised by Situationship after three-quarters in 1:23.3. Gingras nursed Karl through the lane and crossed the line under wraps and 1-1/4 lengths in front. A late-charging Bella's Musclehill angled from second over to finish second with Sig Sauer finishing third.
"He bounced back [from a loss] and was the best he ever looked or left from the gate," Nancy Takter said. "I don't mind the pressure but I don't like to lose. He's versatile and has a strong kick. He's going to be peaking at the right time for next week's race," Takter also said as she tries for her second-straight Hambletonian win, having taken the 2023 edition with Tactical Approach.
Christina & Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing and Crawford Farms Racing owns Karl, now a 14-time winner and an earner of $1,274,816 lifetime. Trained by Nancy Takter, Karl (Tactical Landing-Avalicious, by RC Royalty) was the huge favorite in the first-elim field of 10. He paid $2.80 to win.
Also making the final from the first elimination were Highland Kismet, the crowd’s second choice in the betting who finished fourth, and another longshot in Security Protected, who finished fifth.
A wire-to-wire victory and a lifetime mark appeared business as usual for the rebounding T C I and driver David Miller. The son of Cantab Hall-Nicole's Promise posted a 1:50.4 win in the second Hambletonian elimination.
T C I motored from post 1 for the lead with a :27.3 first panel while Private Access and Amazing Catch followed into a :56.1 half. Secret Agent Man went first over to the final turn but only moved evenly through three-quarters in 1:24. Not even a strong challenge near the wire by Private Access, the only remaining rival in contention, could faze the Ron Burke trainee. T C I finished a neck better than Private Access with longshot Amazing Catch another six lengths behind in third. Also making the final were Secret Agent Man, finishing fourth, and Mars Hill, finishing fifth.
David Miller confirmed T C I overcame some stomach problems and trainer Burke added some shoe changes to help in the win. "I was planning on getting him out [in front] early," Miller said, "and we went as easy as I could."
T C I is now the winner of 14 races from 18 starts and $1,418,507 as he readies to meet Karl in the Hambletonian final. He competes for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables & Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi. He paid $4.80 to win.
The winterbook dream of Karl versus T C I, and eight other trotting glamour boys, happens at The Meadowlands next Saturday (Aug. 3) in the $1-million Hambletonian final. Karl and T C I, having won their eliminations, will draw from posts 1 through 5 for the final.
ALLEGIANT, ‘ELISTA’ AND ‘MELINA’ VICTORIOUS IN HAMBLETONIAN OAKS ELIMINATIONS
Jul 28 By Ray Cotolo, for Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks now has its 10 finalists following three $50,000 eliminations on Saturday night (July 27) at The Meadowlands, from which Allegiant, Elista Hanover and R Melina clinched gold and post protection.
Vernon Beachy pupil Allegiant uncorked a slight surprise winning the first Hambletonian Oaks elimination as the third choice with an authoritative 1:51.4 mile.
Scott Zeron hustled the daughter of Tactical Landing out of post 6 and to the top, where her peers left her to her own devices. Movement launched after Allegiant clocked a pedantic :56.4 half, but the footsteps followed with fury and futility. Allegiant scooted away from the field to post a four-length victory over 3-5 favorite French Champagne, who marched first over to grab second. Paulina Hanover rallied from last to snag the last berth, finishing third.
“We had luck a couple years ago with one and we wanted to try a New Jersey bred again and we ended up with this one, which has been a blessing,” Vernon Beachy said. “She’s been a really nice filly from day one. We were unlucky [in previous starts], but were prepping her for some of the bigger stuff. That’s what we’re shooting for.”
Winning her eighth race from 17 starts, Allegiant – out of the Yankee Glide mare Too Good For You – upped her bankroll to $427,997 for owner Ryan Smith of Dennison, Ohio. She returned $11.60 to win.
Elista Hanover will now risk a 10-race win streak in the Hambletonian Oaks final after she swept away her rivals to a 1:51.3 win in the second elimination.
In her class test, Elista Hanover left the gate with David Miller and abandoned a pocket trip to grab command to a :57 dawdle to the half. The 3-5 favorite then faced a far-turn blitz from Buy A Round, who rushed up the rim out of fifth and even put a head in front of Elista Hanover by three-quarters in 1:25. Elista Hanover remained resilient through the challenge and held her ground into the stretch. She rebuffed a flattening Buy A Round and edged away to win by 1-1/2 lengths at the beam. Drawn Impression fanned off a pocket ride to the center of the track to take second while Warrawee Michelle slid up the pylons to grab third. Buy A Round, the richest of the fourth-place finishers from the three eliminations, earned the last spot into the final.
“It feels like I’m living a dream right now,” trainer Annie Stoebe said after winning the elimination. “She’s just amazing. I’m comfortable with how she is coming into this big race.”
Elista Hanover entered Saturday’s eliminations with nine wins in a row, including a 1:53.1 romp in a Tompkins-Geers division on July 20 at The Meadowlands. The daughter of International Moni-Evermore has now won 11 times from 20 starts and amassed $216,358 for owners R. Lynn & Philomena Curry and Annie Stoebe. She paid $3.20 to win.
R Melina stayed flat and overcame the outermost post of the octet to win in the third Hambletonian Oaks elimination in 1:51.4.
Todd McCarthy floated R Melina forward through a tepid :28 first quarter and strolled at a methodical, but consistent speed all while few challengers loomed. By three-quarters in 1:24.1, R Melina had yet to see any other horse and finished the mile without seeing another, crossing the line first and one length better than pocket-chaser Miss I La in second. Date Night Hanover, the 4-5 favorite, got rolling just past the half but only managed to finish third in her closing surge.
“This is as good as we’ve seen her be,” winning trainer John Butenschoen said. “She tries. It doesn’t matter where we’re at, what happened, what she does… she’s tried every start we’ve ever put her in. Hopefully we come away with a decent journey next week and see what happens.”
A daughter of Chapter Seven from the Explosive Matter mare Goodtogo Hanover, R Melina notched her 12th win from 20 starts and has now earned $606,889 for owners M&L Of Delaware LLC and Alabama Harness Associates LLC. She paid $5.80 to win.
By winning their eliminations, Allegiant, Elista Hanover and R Melina have earned the privilege to draw from posts 1 through 5 for the Hambletonian Oaks final, which serves as the companion feature to the $1-million Hambletonian next Saturday (Aug. 3) at The Meadowlands.
Karl, T C I lead the way for Hambletonian elims
by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Cranbury, NJ — Karl and T C I, the top-ranked horses in the most recent edition of the Road to the Hambletonian Top 10, have been made the morning-line favorites for Saturday’s two eliminations of the $1.25 million Hambletonian Stakes for 3-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands.
A total of 20 sophomore male trotters were entered in the 99th edition of the Hambletonian, requiring two $100,000 eliminations. The top-five finishers from each group will advance to the $1.05 million Hambletonian final Aug. 3. Elim winners draw for post positions one through five followed by the remaining finalists receiving their posts in an open draw on July 30 at Hogan Equine Clinic in Cream Ridge, N.J.
Karl, rated No. 1 in the Road to the Hambletonian, is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the first of the two elims and will start from post six with driver Yannick Gingras. Joining Karl in the field are Goodtimes Stakes champion Highland Kismet and Stanley Dancer Memorial division winners Sig Sauer and Situationship.
Sig Sauer, Situationship, and Highland Kismet occupy spots three through five, respectively, in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings, which are compiled by Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin. Highland Kismet is the 3-1 second choice, leaving from post three with Bob McClure driving for trainer Mark Etsell. Situationship (9-2) drew post 10 for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt and Sig Sauer (8-1) will start from post eight with Andy McCarthy in the sulky for Noel Daley.
T C I, the 2-1 favorite in the second elim, will leave from post one with driver David Miller. The field also includes Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial champ Dame Good Time, 3-1 from post seven with Scott Zeron driving for Travis Alexander, and last week’s Tompkins-Geers Stakes winner Secret Agent Man, 4-1 with Andy Miller driving for Julie Miller.
Karl and T C I both head to the Hambletonian eliminations off third-place finishes in divisions of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 13 at The Big M.
For Karl, the setback snapped an eight-race win streak dating back to October. Karl, the 2023 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male trotter, has won 13 of 15 career races and $1.22 million for trainer Nancy Takter, who won last year’s Hambletonian with Tactical Approach. The colt’s victories last year included the Breeders Crown and this season the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship.
T C I, the 2023 O’Brien Award winner for best 2-year-old male trotter to compete in Canada, has won 13 of 17 career starts and $1.36 million for trainer Ron Burke. Last year, the colt’s victories included the Mohawk Million, William Wellwood Memorial and Peter Haughton Memorial.
Situationship is one of three Hambletonian hopefuls from the stable of trainer Ake Svanstedt, who is a two-time winner of the sport’s top prize for 3-year-old trotters. His other horses in this year’s Hambletonian are Amazing Catch and Daiquiri Hanover, both in the second elim.
The Hambletonian is the second jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown, following the MGM Yonkers Trot and ahead of October’s Kentucky Futurity. Sir Pinocchio, who won the Yonkers Trot, was not staked to the Hambletonian.
Twenty-three 3-year-old filly trotters were entered in the $675,000 Hambletonian Oaks, requiring three $50,000 eliminations. The top-three finishers from each elim plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings will advance to the $525,000 final, also Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.
French Champagne, who won a division of the Delvin Miller Memorial on July 13, is the 2-1 favorite in the first elimination. She will leave from post one with Dunn driving for Svanstedt. Soiree Hanover, last year’s Dan Patch Award-winning filly, is 3-1. She will start from post five with Tim Tetrick driving for Lucas Wallin.
Elista Hanover, who has won nine consecutive races since opening her season with a third-place finish, is the 6-5 favorite in the second elim. She will start from post four with David Miller driving for Annie Stoebe. She counts divisions of the W.N. Reynolds Memorial and Tompkins-Geers Stakes among her victories this year.
Date Night Hanover, who won this year’s Zweig Memorial for fillies, is the 5-2 favorite in the third elimination. She will start from post five with Dexter Dunn in the sulky for Marcus Melander, who won last year’s Hambletonian Oaks with Heaven Hanover. Delvin Miller Memorial division winner R Melina, leaving from post eight with Todd McCarthy driving for John Butenschoen, is the 3-1 second choice.
Following are the fields for the $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations, with horse, driver, trainer, and morning-line odds:
Elimination One, Race 9
1 – Bella’s Musclehill – David Miller – Nifty Norman – 6-1
2 – Waterfall – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 20-1
3 – Highland Kismet – Bob McClure – Mark Etsell – 3-1
4 – Benny J – James MacDonald – Tony Alagna – 10-1
5 – Supernova Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Per Engblom – 15-1
6 – Karl – Yannick Gingras – Nancy Takter – 4-5
7 – Security Protected – Tim Tetrick – Marcus Melander – 12-1
8 – Sig Sauer – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 8-1
9 – Caballero – Scott Zeron – Trond Smedshammer – 20-1
10 – Situationship – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt 9-2
Elimination Two, Race 11
1 – T C I – David Miller – Ron Burke – 2-1
2 – Amazing Catch – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1
3 – Secret Agent Man – Andy Miller – Julie Miller – 4-1
4 – Mars Hill – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 15-1
5 – Private Access – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 5-1
6 – Life on the Bluf – James MacDonald – Lucas Wallin – 20-1
7 – Dame Good Time – Scott Zeron – Travis Alexander – 3-1
8 – Bright Star – Scott Zeron – Tony Alagna – 8-1
9 – Wild Ticket – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 15-1
10 – Daiquiri Hanover – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1
Following are the fields for the $50,000 Hambletonian Oaks eliminations, with horse, driver, trainer, and morning-line odds:
Elimination One, Race 6
1 – French Champagne – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 2-1
2 – Chaparmbro – Scott Zeron – Trond Smedshammer – 10-1
3 – Sadbirdstillsing – Jason Bartlett – Tony Alagna – 15-1
4 – Paulina Hanover – David Miller – Noel Daley – 6-1
5 – Soiree Hanover – Tim Tetrick – Lucas Wallin – 3-1
6 – Allegiant – Scott Zeron – Vernon Beachy – 8-1
7 – Spy Coast – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 4-1
Elimination Two, Race 8
1 – Warrawee Michelle – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1
2 – Tandem Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Andrew Harris – 15-1
3 – Buy A Round – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 5-2
4 – Elista Hanover – David Miller – Annie Stoebe – 6-5
5 – Draw The Line – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 15-1
6 – Cool Ma Belle – Bob McClure – Mark Steacy – 10-1
7 – Drawn Impression – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 4-1
8 – Honey’s Sweet – Yannick Gingras – Tony Alagna – 8-1
Elimination Three, Race 10
1 – Emoji Hanover – Bob McClure – Luc Blais – 7-2
2 – Kinesiology – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 12-1
3 – Chapalonia – David Miller – Annie Stoebe – 8-1
4 – Sambuca Hanover – David Miller – Nifty Norman – 6-1
5 – Date Night Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 5-2
6 – Senorita Palema – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 12-1
7 – Miss I La – Joe Bongiorno – Noel Daley – 10-1
8 – R Melina – Todd McCarthy – John Butenschoen – 3-1
‘Elista’ looks to keep rolling in Oaks elim
July 26, 2024 by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Elista Hanover is roaring into Saturday’s second of three eliminations of the $675,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at The Meadowlands as the 6-5 morning-line favorite with nine straight wins. This comes after an injury-hampered campaign at 2 in which she won just once in nine starts.
Trainer/co-owner Annie Stoebe says the horse is the happiest she has ever worked with, but is the filly happier with this year’s success than last year’s disappointments?
“Honestly, not necessarily,” Stoebe said. “She’s always been freakishly happy. You’re like ‘Why are you so happy?’ She’s just in her own little world and she’s happy to live like that. Some horses are difficult to keep happy. With her, she just needs a ridiculous amount of treats and she’ll do anything.”
When the trainer was asked if she was happier, it emitted a chuckle.
“She was the first baby I ever got a piece of,” said Stoebe, who began training in 2017. “Last year when she injured herself, I was like ‘Oh my gosh, look what I got myself into.’ This year I feel completely different, obviously. This industry is a rollercoaster of ups and downs and she’s on an up right now and we’re just enjoying the ride.”
A ride that has been made even more enjoyable after the pitfalls of last year. Stoebe was excited to go in on the chestnut daughter of International Moni-Evermore with Lynn and Philomena Curry after watching her at the farm.
“We went out to look at her and honestly it wasn’t even the color, it was how she moved in the paddock,” Stoebe said. “She just floated across the paddock. I loved everything about her conformation and that’s the one we were set on.”
First there was a year of stumbling and now, a resurrection.
“We got her to the races late in the year,” Stoebe said. “She was a big growthy baby. We knew she had talent, but she was very fumbly gaited, she couldn’t accelerate or decelerate very easily. We knew the talent was there, she just needed to mature.”
The filly had one win, two places, and a show in earning $17,588 last year. With the jury still out on just how good she could be, Stoebe felt encouraged by how the horse trained down this year. After a third-place finish in a conditioned race to start her campaign, Elista Hanover headed to the Bobby Weiss Series at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs.
“We put her in the Weiss and we thought, well, that’s gonna tell us what we have this year,” Stoebe said. “That was when she went on her escapades.”
Indeed, by winning the Weiss Series, Elista Hanover showed Stoebe exactly what she had, embarking on a winning streak the likes of which her trainer never imagined.
“She’s absolutely surpassed every expectation I’ve had, but training back as she turned 3, I knew there was something that had changed in her,” Stoebe said. “But until you line them up with a group of horses, they can train great at the farm, but you have to see them do it on the track. She just wants to do it.”
Elista Hanover enters her Oaks elimination off a 1:53.1 win in a division of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes for 3-year-old trotting fillies on July 20 at The Meadowlands. The horse did not race in the Del Miller Memorial on July 13 at The Big M, which is often used as a final prep for the Oaks. Instead, she raced in the W.N. Reynolds Memorial on June 29, which she won in 1:52.3 to equal her career-best time, and the Tompkins-Geers.
“Because of how many starts she had, I wanted to give her a week where she didn’t see a harness, so I skipped the Del Miller,” Stoebe said. “She already has enough starts. At that point, giving her a break was more important than racing her. Our goal is the Oaks, so that’s what we were looking to have her primed for.”
Stoebe said that at this point of the season she would prefer to go into the eliminations with six or seven starts. Winning the Weiss upped that total a bit, but driver David Miller feels it has not hurt the horse.
“When he got off the bike on Saturday, he said ‘Annie I don’t know how, but this is the strongest this horse has ever been,’” Stoebe said. “He was just like ‘Holy Moses!’ And after training her (Wednesday) morning, I couldn’t be happier with how she is coming into this weekend.”
Stoebe, who also has Chapalonia in the third Hambletonian Oaks elim, will be seeking her second straight trip to the Oaks final after finishing sixth with Instagram Model last year. Chapalonia is 8-1 on the morning line and will leave from post three with driver Andy McCarthy. Elista Hanover will start from post four Saturday in a field that includes Buy A Round, the 5-2 second choice, and Drawn Impression, who is 4-1.
The top-three finishers from each $50,000 elimination plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings will advance to the $525,000 Oaks final Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.
“Honestly I think I’m in the toughest division,” Stoebe said. “When I saw that, I thought well if we could beat them this week, I’ll be way more confident going into next week.
“David is gonna drive her like he needs to. I don’t have to tell that man one thing. He’s in charge of her when she’s on the racetrack. We want to see how she compares to these other ones she hasn’t seen yet.”
And however the race takes shape, Elista Hanover should be able to adapt.
“She’s probably the most versatile horse I’ve ever trained because she doesn’t get worked up about anything,” Stoebe said. “Just in the last couple starts he’s left with her, he’s put her in a hole, first-up, on the front. He’s really put a lot of quality tricks in her bag so even if the race doesn’t play out like he expects, he knows he has other options.”
In addition to the Oaks elims, The Meadowlands will host two $100,000 eliminations for the Hambletonian Stakes. The top-five finishers from each elim will advance to the $1.05 million Hambletonian final, the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters, Aug. 3 at The Big M.
Elimination winners draw for post positions one through five followed by the remaining finalists receiving their posts in an open draw. The Hambletonian and Oaks draws will be conducted Tuesday (July 30) at Hogan Equine Clinic in Cream Ridge, N.J.
Burke looks for a better T C I in Hambo elim
July 25, 2024 by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hightstown, NJ — After watching T C I lose back-to-back starts for the first time in his career, trainer Ron Burke hopes to have his 3-year-old trotter heading back in the right direction.
T C I, who last season earned $1.23 million to become the richest 2-year-old male trotter in history, was third in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 13 at The Meadowlands, the colt’s final prep ahead of his Hambletonian Stakes elimination Saturday at The Big M. T C I finished three-quarters of a length behind winner Situationship, who stopped the timer in a career-best 1:51.1.
In his previous race, the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial on July 4 at Vernon Downs, T C I made an early break and finished fourth. His two setbacks occurred after beginning 2024 with three straight wins.
“The year started out good and then the last couple I was like, ‘eh,’ ‘eh,’ and I couldn’t really put a finger on it,” Burke said. “So, we kind of did a complete physical on him last week and found a couple things that we didn’t know were going on with him that are very correctable.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that he will be significantly better. The time off was good for him. He trained really good (Wednesday); I was really happy with him.”
Prior to the Dancer, Burke got the sense T C I might not be on top of his game.
“When I warmed him up, he was just as blah as blah could be,” Burke said. “He was just not himself. Now, I would say he was 90 percent back to himself training. I have two more days (to prepare for the Hambletonian elim) and hopefully we’ll make the final. I think in the two weeks, I’ll have this horse perfectly ironed out.
“Losing, in a way, was a help because it was a wake-up call that we needed to start being a little more diligent on making sure he was all right.”
T C I, who received the 2023 O’Brien Award for best 2-year-old male trotter to race in Canada, has won 13 of 17 career starts. Last year, his victories included the Mohawk Million, William Wellwood Memorial and Peter Haughton Memorial.
A son of Cantab Hall-Nicole’s Promise, T C I was named for vacation destination Turks and Caicos Islands. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi.
The colt, ranked No. 2 in Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian Top 10, will head to Saturday’s second of two $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in a field of 10. The top-five finishers from each elim will advance to the $1.05 million Hambletonian final, the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters, Aug. 3 at The Big M.
T C I’s elim also includes Zweig Memorial champ Dame Good Time, who is 3-1 on the morning line and will leave from post seven with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Travis Alexander, and last week’s Tompkins-Geers Stakes winner Secret Agent Man, who is 4-1 and will start from post three with Andy Miller driving for Julie Miller.
“I don’t really worry about who I’m in with; I worry about mine and having them ready,” Burke said. “I do think, looking at it at a glance, I’d rather be in my elimination than the other elimination. Mine is pretty solid all the way throughout, but I don’t think it’s got the stars in it that the other one does.”
In the first elimination, Karl, trained by Nancy Takter and No. 1 in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings, is the 4-5 morning-line favorite. He will start from post six with driver Yannick Gingras. Joining Karl in the field are Goodtimes Stakes champion Highland Kismet and Stanley Dancer Memorial division winners Sig Sauer and Situationship.
Sig Sauer, Situationship, and Highland Kismet occupy spots three through five, respectively, in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings.
Elimination winners draw for post positions one through five followed by the remaining finalists receiving their posts in an open draw. The draw will be conducted July 30 at Hogan Equine Clinic in Cream Ridge, N.J.
In addition to sending out T C I in a Hambletonian elim, Burke has one horse in each of Saturday’s three $50,000 eliminations of the $675,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at The Meadowlands. Spy Coast is 4-1 on the morning line in the first, Draw The Line is 15-1 in the second, and Kinesiology is 12-1 in the third.
The top-three finishers from each elim plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings will advance to the $525,000 Oaks final, also Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.
Spy Coast won two preliminary legs of the New Jersey Sire Stakes and finished fourth in the final. The daughter of Walner-Zeppole heads to her Oaks elim off second-place finishes in divisions of the W.N. Reynolds Memorial and Tompkins-Geers Stakes, both at The Big M.
Draw The Line was a Grand Circuit winner last year at Lexington’s Red Mile and has a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division victory to her credit this season. The daughter of Cantab Hall-Ridge Speed goes to her Oaks elimination off a fourth-place finish in a division of the Del Miller Memorial.
Kinesiology, a daughter of Walner-Muscle Test, was third last week in a division of the Tompkins-Geers and won the consolation division of the Zweig Memorial for fillies on July 4 at Vernon Downs.
“Spy Coast is my best chance,” Burke said. “On her best day, she’s right there with the best fillies. Draw The Line is getting better. She wasn’t good her last start, but we found something with her and worked on her. Kinesiology is getting better every start. She was locked and loaded last week and just got out late.
“I think have a good chance of making the final, and then being competitive in the final.”
French Champagne, who won a division of the Del Miller Memorial, is the 2-1 favorite in the first Oaks elimination. Elista Hanover, who has won nine consecutive races since opening her season with a third-place finish, is the 6-5 favorite in the second. Date Night Hanover, who won this year’s Zweig Memorial for fillies, is the 5-2 favorite in the third.
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EDT) at The Meadowlands. For free TrackMaster programs for the Big M, click here.
Daley eyes Adios, Hambo successes Saturday
July 25, 2024 by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Hightstown, NJ — Noel Daley saw Captain Albano be something of a victim of circumstances in prior races, and the trainer much preferred the way things looked last week in the colt’s Delvin Miller Adios elimination. He wouldn’t mind a repeat viewing in Saturday’s $350,000 final.
Captain Albano captured his Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids elim by 3-1/4 lengths over Timeisonmyside in 1:49.2 on July 20 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. He is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the final, starting from post four with driver Todd McCarthy in the 58th edition of the event for 3-year-old pacers.
Wish You Well, who won the other Adios elim by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:49.1, is the 3-1 second choice. He will leave from post two with David Miller driving for Nifty Norman. His 1:49.1 mile, which included a blistering :25.2 last quarter, is the season’s second fastest by a 3-year-old pacer on a five-eighths-mile track. Captain Albano’s 1:49.2 score is tied for third.
In his Adios elim, Captain Albano got away third, but moved to the front after leader Noblesville reached the opening quarter in :26.3. Captain Albano and McCarthy controlled the action from there, reaching the half in :55 and three-quarters in 1:22.4 on their way to the win.
It was Captain Albano’s third victory in seven races this season. Last year, Captain Albano was no worse than second in nine starts, winning seven and being named the Dan Patch Award recipient for best 2-year-old male pacer.
“We’ve been trying to get to the front for a month, and if we got there, we haven’t been able to keep it,” Daley said. “The horse has been fine every start. He really has. He just hasn’t had any luck. I’m still happy with him. He seems good, he still seems bright.”
Captain Albano encountered traffic or trip trouble in his prior three races — the North America Cup final, Meadowlands Pace elimination, and Meadowlands Pace final on July 13, when he got parked three-wide near the rear of the field from post seven in the opening quarter-mile.
“That race was over at the quarter pole for us; he got three deep and that was the end of it,” Daley said, adding about Pace champ Legendary Hanover and his stakes-record 1:46.3 victory, “I don’t know if anyone was beating him anyway, he was awesome.
“In the North America Cup, he got shut off halfway down the lane. You can’t stop and get started up again. In the elimination of the Meadowlands Pace, he was doubled up with too much pace. That’s when he threw in all those bad steps. It wasn’t for any other reason than he had too much horse. He had to grab him and settle him just to get into the final.”
For his career, Captain Albano has won 10 of 16 races and earned $577,915. The son of Captaintreacherous-Angelou is owned by Patricia Stable, L.A. Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing, and Michael Dolan.
Daley and McCarthy are both seeking their first Adios trophy. They finished third together with Pebble Beach in 2022.
“Hopefully, (Captain Albano) can make it to the top again once things settle down,” Daley said. “We’ll just see.”
Racing begins at 11:45 a.m. (EDT) Saturday at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. For free race programs, click here.
Captain Albano will be among eight stakes starters for Daley on Saturday. Four of the others will be among a group competing at The Meadowlands and include Sig Sauer in the first of the night’s two $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations for 3-year-old trotters as well as Buy A Round, Miss I La, and Paulina Hanover in the Hambletonian Oaks eliminations for 3-year-old female trotters.
Sig Sauer and driver Andy McCarthy will leave from post eight in their Hambletonian elim and are 8-1 on the morning line. Sig Sauer, a son of Muscle Hill-Sigilwig who will be making only his third start of the year, is coming off a 1:50 win in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 13 at The Meadowlands. It is the fastest mile of the season by a 3-year-old trotter.
“He seems real good,” Daley said. “He was even a little more forward than I thought he would be (in the Dancer) but Andy gave him a great trip, and everything worked out. But you have to remember, that was his second start for the year and his seventh start lifetime, so you’d like to think he’s still on the upward trend. I think that’s our biggest advantage.”
The first elimination field includes 4-5 favorite Karl, trained by Nancy Takter and No. 1 in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings, as well as Goodtimes Stakes champion Highland Kismet and the other Stanley Dancer Memorial division winner Situationship.
“We got a bad post and the tougher of the two divisions, it’s just up to (Sig Sauer) to have a good day,” Daley said. “As long as he has a good day, he’s going to make it in there.
“He’s a handful to deal with on a daily basis, but he’s been very professional every time we’ve taken him to the races. I told people early in the piece that if he’s half as good as he thinks he is, I’m in good shape. It just turned out that he is.”
The top-five finishers from each elim will advance to the $1.05 million Hambletonian final, the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters, Aug. 3 at The Big M. Elimination winners draw for post positions one through five followed by the remaining finalists receiving their posts in an open draw. The draw will be conducted July 30 at Hogan Equine Clinic in Cream Ridge, N.J.
In the Hambletonian Oaks, Paulina Hanover is 6-1 in the first of three $50,000 eliminations. Buy A Round is 5-2 in the second elim and Miss I La is 10-1 in the third. The top-three finishers from each elim plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings will advance to the $525,000 Oaks final, also Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.
“My best chance is Buy A Round,” Daley said about the daughter of Walner-On Your Tab, who has hit the board in all 13 career races, winning eight. “She came up with a little bit of a high white count again (last start when she finished second in a division of the Del Miller Memorial). I know she was second, but she was disappointing there. Everything seems good again. Hopefully, she will be back to herself. As long as she’s up close, she can sprint.”
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EDT) at The Meadowlands. For free TrackMaster programs for the Big M, click here.
HarnessRacing.com to present inaugural Hambletonian preview show
July 24, 2024 from the USTA Communications Department
Columbus, OH —-On Saturday (Aug. 3) from 11 a.m. to noon (EDT), HarnessRacing.com will present the inaugural USTrotting Hambletonian Pre-Show, live on location from the Meadowlands.
The one-hour broadcast that will be produced by the U.S. Trotting Association and hosted by USTA Content Manager and Racing Analyst Wendy Ross and harness and Thoroughbred racing analyst Ashley Mailloux.
The show will feature a preview of the 99th Hambletonian and other major stakes and will include interviews with the connections of Hambletonian contenders, Meadowlands on-air host Jessica Otten and Derick Giwner, Daily Racing Form’s harness racing editor and handicapper.
“The new USTrotting Hambletonian Pre-Show will expand the USTA’s extensive coverage of one of harness racing’s most important days and provide fans with exciting behind-the-scenes entertainment and information,” said USTA Executive Vice President and CEO Mike Tanner. “We hope that everyone will watch on our social media channels from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 3.”
The USTrotting Hambletonian Pre-Show will stream live via the USTA’s Vimeo, YouTube and Facebook channels.
Sig Sauer stuns in Dancer; Karl, T C I both defeated
July 13 by Jay Bergman, for the Hambletonian Society
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Prospective Hambletonian favorite Karl encountered a major bump in the road when Sig Sauer soared past him and posted a 65-1 upset in the first $135,000 division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial, for 3-year-old male trotters, at the Meadowlands on Saturday night (July 13). Driver Andy McCarthy guided the Noel Daley trainee past another long shot — Tony Adams S — in the shade of the wire to win for the first time in 2024 while handing Karl, the 1-9 favorite, his first defeat of the year.
With Karl starting from post eight, most of the field left the gate with purpose. Tony Adams S and Åke Svanstedt looked to protect their rail position, forcing Sig Sauer to take a seat along with Dame Good Time. Tim Tetrick moved four-wide with Security Protected and reached the front by the :27.1 opening quarter, but his lead would be short-lived.
Yannick Gingras had taken a brief tuck with Karl going to the quarter as Scott Zeron energized Dame Good Time for a second time to gain the front on the backstretch. Gingras gave Karl his marching orders, and the Tactical Landing-sired colt, wearing aluminum shoes in front for the first time this year, took off. Dame Good Time had the lead at the :55.2 half but relinquished it to Karl soon after.
Svanstedt didn’t wait very long with Tony Adams S, moving with solid speed five-eighths of a mile into the contest while tracked by Sig Sauer. Karl had command at three-quarters in 1:23 and appeared ready to sprint off, but by mid-stretch, it was clear that Tony Adams S was going to pass him. The 22-1 shot briefly looked the winner in the race, but McCarthy went to work on Sig Sauer, and the Muscle Hill colt form the Donato Hanover-sired Sigilwig shifted gears and sprinted by in the final yards, winning by a head in a career-best 1:50.
Tony Adams S was a solid second while Karl finished third for the first time in his 15-race career.
Sig Sauer is owned by Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, Allister Stables and Caviart Farms. He returned $138 to win and $335.80 for place with Karl off the ticket.
“I knew how much ability he has,” said McCarthy following the race. “Noel found the right shoe for him up front where he was interfering.”
Åke Svanstedt was more assertive in the second division, guiding Situationship to victory in a 1:51.1 mile in the $135,000 contest after taking control of the race at the half-mile pole.
Situationship and Wild Ticket left sharply from the outside as co-favored Highland Kismet lagged the gate by three lengths and favorite T C I took early position along the pylons. Wild Ticket had control at the :26.3 opening fraction for Dexter Dunn and slowed the pace dramatically in the second quarter. That led T C I and David Miller to edge out, but before they were able to make a move, Svanstedt quickly regained with Situationship for control at the :55.4 halfway point.
T C I eventually moved for Miller on the turn, but not before Svanstedt had Situationship settled and on the lead in a pedestrian 1:24 three-quarter clocking.
For most of the stretch, Situationship appeared vulnerable, but Svanstedt kept him to his task. The gelded son of Chapter Seven held firmly with a :27.1 final quarter completing the mile. Caballero and Tim Tetrick angled out late for the place spot with T C I holding third.
Owned by Knutsson Trotting, Little E LLC and Tomas Andersson, Situationship returned $5.60 to win.
“I saw David (Miller with T C I) moving and I wanted to get ahead of him,” said Svanstedt of his decisive move at the half.
Situationship is out of the Cantab Hall-sired Meegan Hall.
