Ken Warkentin's ROAD TO THE HAMBLETONIAN - Week 9
East Rutherford, NJ - Ready For Moni takes the top spot in Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian Week 9 going into Saturday’s eliminations. The two filly contenders, Ramona Hill and Sister Sledge also make the list at #3 and #5 respectively.
1 - Ready For Moni
(Ready Cash) Yannick Gingras, Nancy Takter, John Fielding, Lindy Farms of Conn, Herb Liverman, Bud Hatfield
KYSS champion now with Team Takter rallied to win his 3YO debut in a Dancer division in career best of 1:51.4, post eight in the second elimination, “On paper, it looks like we are in the easier of the two eliminations,” said Takter. “I think the eight is a good spot. I would have preferred one or two more starts, but all of our horses have a good foundation.”
2 - Back Of The Neck
(Ready Cash) Scott Zeron, Ake Svanstedt, Howard Taylor, Order By Stable, Judith Taylor
Won a Reynolds division @ Big M on July 11 in 1:52 with a thunderous :26.4 rally, romped in a Dancer division in a career best equaling 1:52, post one in the first elimination, “His best effort was on the front end in his first start,” said Zeron. To have come home in :26.1 and get picked off at the last second, that was a great effort. I avoided the front end going forward because I wanted to teach him to do other things. Post one gives me options.”
3 -
Ramona Hill
(Muscle Hill) Andrew McCarthy, Tony Alagna, Brad Grant, Crawford Farms Racing, Robert Leblanc, In The Gym Partners
Filly Dan Patch Award & Breeders Crown winner finished third [1:51] from post nine in her 3YO debut, unleashed a 1:50.3 career best from post ten in the Del Miller, post seven in the first elimination
4 - Third Shift
(Chapter Seven) Ake Svanstedt, Mellby Gard, Inc., Ake Svanstedt
Won a NYSS division @ Vernon Downs in 1:54.2, took an EBC division @ Vernon Downs in 1:52.4, aggressive runner up [1:52.2] from post seven in a Dancer division, post two in the first elimination
5 - Sister Sledge
(Father Patrick) Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, Burke Racing Stable, Jason Melillo, J & T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi
Won her first two stakes as a 3YO @ The Meadows, second [1:52.4] in PASS @ Harrah’s Philadelphia, took a mark of 1:51.2 in a Tompkins Geers division, post two in the second elimination & goes off Lasix
6 - Amigo Volo
(Father Patrick) Dexter Dunn, Nifty Norman, Pinske Stables, David J. Miller
Breeders Crown champion romped in a PA Allstars division @ Pocono Downs in 1:54 on July 11, took the lead past a :54.4 half & faded to fourth [1:52.3] in a Dancer division, post five in a PASS division @ Pocono Downs on July 26
7 - Rome Pays Off
(Muscle Hill) Mattias Melander, Marcus Melander,S R F Stable
2019 Breeders Crown runner up made it two-for-two this season with a solid score in the Tompkins Geers with a career best of 1:52.3 on July 25, post four in the second elimination
8 - Beads
(Archangel) Jimmy Takter, Per Engblom, Renee Spahr
Broke in his first two 3YO starts, then Jimmy Takter took the lines for a 1:52.2 qualifier win, just missed in his 3YO debut in 1:51.2, third [1:52] in a Dancer division, post eight in the first elimination
9 -
Big Oil
(Father Patrick) Andy & Julie Miller, Jason, Doug & Ron Allen
Wire-to-wire in 1:55 in his 3YO debut @ Harrah’s Philadelphia on June 28, won a PA Allstars division @ Pocono Downs in 1:53.2 on July 11, third [1:52.3] in a Dancer division
10 - Jula Trix Treasure
(Trixton) Ake Svanstedt, Jula Racing Inc.
Won a NJSS division in 1:54, a close second [1:53.4] in that final, rallied for a new mark of 1:51.2 in the Reynolds, post three in the second elimination
All major stakes replays leading up to #hambo20
KEY PREP RACES Hambletonian Eligibles in Caps Date Stakes Site Winner Driver Trainer 2nd Horse 3rd Horse Time
June 19 NJSS M JULA TRIX TREASURE Ake Svanstedt Ake Svanstedt Play Trix On Me Barley 1:54
June 21 NYSS TD HYPNOTIC AM Brian Sears Marcus Melander REBA BLUE CHIP Munster 1:54.2
June 24 NYSS V THIRD SHIFT Ake Svanstedt Ake Svanstedt Take The Credit Ballcapsnbluejeans 1:54.2
June 24 NYSS V BERKERY J Scott Zeron George Ducharme Chaptiana Barn Holden 1:54.2
June 26 NJSS M Play Trix On Me Scott Zeron Linda Toscano Barley JULA TRIX TREASURE 1:53.2
June 27 $25,000 M SORELLA Yannick Gingras Nancy Takter BACK OF THE NECK SYNERGY 1:51.2
July 3 NJSS Final M Play Trix On Me Scott Zeron Linda Toscano JULA TRIX TREASURE AP Hall Of Trix 1:53.3
July 4 E. Breeders Classic V HYPNOTIC AM Brian Sears Marcus Melander LOVE A GOOD STORY NO MAS DRAMA 1:53.4
July 4 E. Breeders Classic V THIRD SHIFT Ake Svanstedt Ake Svanstedt Ballcapsnbluejeans Sir Cromwell 1:52.4
July 4 E. Breeders Classic V HOBBS Jason Bartlett Jim Campbell Take The Credit Barn Holden 1:53.3
July 11 Reynolds M JULA TRIX TREASURE Yannick Gingras Ake Svanstedt BEADS EL Ideal 1:51.2
July 11 Reynolds M SORELLA Yannick Gingras Nancy Takter PANEM RAMONA HILL 1:50.2
July 11 Reynolds M BACK OF THE NECK Scott Zeron Ake Svanstedt Play Trix On Me MAESTERAEMON 1:52
July 11 PA Allstars PD AMIGO VOLO George Napolitano, Jr. Nifty Norman SWISS HOUSE ON FIRE Hell Patrol 1:54
July 11 PA Allstars PD BIG OIL Andrew McCarthy Julie Miller CHESTNUT HILL STEEL SCHOONER 1:53.2
July 18 Stanley Dancer M BACK OF THE NECK Scott Zeron Ake Svanstedt THIRD SHIFT BIG OIL 1:52
July 18 Stanley Dancer M READY FOR MONI Yannick Gingras Nancy Takter HOLLYWOOD STORY BEADS 1:51.4
July 18 Del Miller M RAMONA HILL Andrew McCarthy Tony Alagna PANEM HYPNOTIC AM 1:50.3
July 25 Tompkins Geers M ROME PAYS OFF Mattias Melander Marcus Melander Play Trix On Me JULA TRIX TREASURE 1:52.3
July 25 Tompkins Geers M SISTER SLEDGE Yannick Gingras Ron Burke MS SAVANNAH BELLE Dubai Princess 1:51.2
Aug. 1 Hambo Elim M
Aug. 1 Hambo Elim M
