Entries closed at The Meadowlands Tuesday morning (July 27) with 16 trotting males dropped into the box for the 96th edition of the Hambletonian.
The 16 will be split into two eliminations, which will be contested on Saturday (July 31). Alongside, two eliminations will be held for the 20 fillies that entered the Hambletonian Oaks.
Trainer Ake Svanstedt leads the charge with four entered as he tries for his second victory in the Hambletonian – his first coming in 2018 with Perfect Spirit. Nancy Takter and Marcus Melander are each in pursuit of their first Hambletonian and have three entrants a piece. Luc Blais, who won the 2019 Hambletonian with Forbidden Trade, has last year’s O’Brien Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and Breeders Crown winner On A Streak entered.
The fields for the Hambletonian Eliminations appear below:
Hambletonian Elimination #1
PP-Horse Name (Driver, Trainer, Morning Line)
1-Locatelli (David Miller, Nancy Takter, 10-1)
2-Rattle My Cage (Andrew McCarthy, Anette Lorentzon, 12-1)
3-Johan Palema (Yannick Gingras, Ake Svanstedt, 5/2)
4-In Range (Tim Tetrick, Marcus Melander, 8-1)
5-Really Fast (Dexter Dunn, Nancy Takter, 3-1)
6-Venerate (Andy Miller, Julie Miller, 4-1)
7-Captain Corey (Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt, 5-1)
8-Take All Comers (David Miller, Jim Campbell, 10-1)
Hambletonian Elimination #2
PP-Horse Name (Driver, Trainer, Morning Line)
1-Cuatro De Julio (Lucas Wallin, Marie Ortolan-Bar, 8-1)
2-Zenith Stride (Andrew McCarthy, Mark Harder, 15-1)
3-Delayed Hanover (Dexter Dunn, Ake Svanstedt, 5-1)
4-On A Streak (Dan Dube, Luc Blais, 8-1)
5-Ambassador Hanover (Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt, 9/2)
6-Sonofamistery (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander, 3-1)
7-Dancinginthedark M (Tim Tetrick, Marcus Melander, 2-1)
8-Spy Booth (Dexter Dunn, Nancy Takter, 15-1)
Of the Oaks entrants, Luc Blais sends last year's O'Brien Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year Donna Soprano in a grouping that also includes Breeders Crown winner Lady Chaos and Jim Doherty Memorial winner Darlene Hanover among others. Svanstedt again leads trainers competing with three entrants while Tony Alagna, Luc Blais, Jonas Czernyson and Lucas Wallin each have two.
The fields for the two Hambletonian Oaks eliminations appear below:
Hambletonian Oaks Elimination #1
PP-Horse Name (Driver, Trainer, Morning Line)
1-Donna Soprano (Dan Dube, Luc Blais, 7/2)
2-Hot As Hill (David Miller, Ron Burke, 8-1)
3-Swift Swanda (Tim Tetrick, Erv Miller, 9/2)
4-Dutiful (Corey Callahan, Jonas Czernyson, 8-1)
5-Flawless Country (Ake Svanstedt, Ake Svanstedt, 15-1)
6-Iteration (Brian Sears, Marcus Melander, 10-1)
7-Piper Hanover (Andrew McCarthy, Tony Alagna, 3-1)
8-Mazzarati (Tim Tetrick, Lucas Wallin, 12-1)
9-Awesome Trix (Brian Sears, Christopher Beaver, 8-1)
10-Big City Pearl (Verlin Yoder, Verlin Yoder, 20-1)
Hambletonian Oaks Elimination #2
PP-Horse Name (Driver, Trainer, Morning Line)
1-Contested Hanover (Scott Zeron, George Ducharme, 15-1)
2-Bella Bellini (Dexter Dunn, Richard "Nifty" Norman, 5/2)
3-My Abigail (Dan Dube, Luc Blais, 15-1)
4-Lady Chaos (David Miller, Linda Toscano, 5-1)
5-Wet My Whistle (Yannick Gingras, Ake Svanstedt, 12-1)
6-Material Girl (Tim Tetrick, Lucas Wallin, 5-1)
7-You Ato Dream (Jeff Gregory, Jeff Gregory, 9/2)
8-Beltassima (Andrew McCarthy, Tony Alagna, 3-1)
9-Chablis (Todd McCarthy, Jonas Czernyson, 20-1)
10-Darlene Hanover (Scott Zeron, Brett Bittle, 10-1)
Harness racing will never
Harness racing will never increase in popularity in The USA as long as its signature race is one in which horses routinely jump off stride. Disagree with me if you want, but that's a stone-cold fact.