Crystal Fashion has played a big role in what has already been a memorable year for Jules Siegel and Jim Campbell. He could add to those memories in a big way Saturday. The stakes-winning colt is one of three horses for owner Siegel and trainer Campbell in Saturday’s $1.2 million Hambletonian at The Meadowlands Racetrack.
Jim Campbell trainees (clockwise from top left) Patent Leather, Fashionwoodchopper, Crystal Fashion
Siegel, the owner of Fashion Farms in New Hope, Pa., was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame on July 1. Less than 24 hours earlier, Crystal Fashion had won the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial and stamped himself a top Hambletonian contender.
“It was a very exciting weekend,” Campbell said. “We were all so happy for Jules to be in the Hall of Fame. He rightfully deserves to be in there, and to have that weekend the way it was with Crystal winning the Beal and Jules going into the Hall of Fame, it was just a great and exciting weekend.”
Siegel and Campbell teamed to win the 1995 Hambletonian, harness racing’s premier race for three-year-old trotters, with Tagliabue. Crystal Fashion and stablemates Fashionwoodchopper and Patent Leather will try to provide a second.
Crystal Fashion is in the first of the event’s two $100,000 eliminations, with 5-2 morning-line favourite Wolfgang and 3-1 second choice Atlanta, who is the lone filly in the Hambletonian. Crystal Fashion, a son of Cantab Hall out of Window Willow, has won five of eight races this year and is 7-2 with driver Tim Tetrick. Two of the colt’s losses were by a nose.
The top-five finishers from each elimination return later in the day for the $1 million final, which is set for a 5:14 p.m. post time and will air live on CBS Sports Network during a 4-5:30 p.m. broadcast.
“He’s been great,” Campbell said. “He hasn’t been any worse than second and has been a very dependable horse for us. He’s a little bit bigger (than last year) and carries his speed a little further.”
Crystal Fashion brings a three-race win streak into his elimination. He was off for three weeks following the Beal before returning to win a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division on July 20 and a Reynolds Memorial division on July 28.
“That was by design,” Campbell said. “I didn’t want to have any more than two races before the Hambo after the Beal, so we raced him the one time at (Harrah's Philadelphia) and used (the Reynolds) as his final prep.
“I was very happy with the way he raced in the Reynolds. He’s a horse that doesn’t get too excited about too much, but as soon as Timmy moved him over in the lane he just put his head down and kept on going. He’s got a real nice way of going and I was very, very happy with him.”
Fashionwoodchopper and Patent Leather are in the second elimination, starting side-by-side in posts one and two. Six Pack is the 2-1 morning-line favourite, with Fashionwoodchopper at 10-1 and Patent Leather at 15-1.
Crystal Fashion starts his elimination from post six.
“We got a really good draw,” Campbell said. “We got a good place to start. Hopefully the colts all bring their ‘A’ game. We’re in it, we’re excited, and we’re ready to go.”
Hambletonian Elimination One
PP - Driver –Trainer - Morning Line
1 - Shoshie Deo - George Brennan - Dewayne Minor - 10/1
2 - Evaluate - Orjan Kihlstrom - Marcus Melander - 15/1
3 - Mets Hall - Andy Miller - Julie Miller - 10/1
4 - Lawmaker - David Miller - Andrew Harris - 8/1
5 - Wolfgang - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter - 5/2
6 - Crystal Fashion - Tim Tetrick - Jim Campbell - 7/2
7 - Atlanta - Scott Zeron - Rick Zeron - 3/1
8 - Hat Trick Habit - Brian Sears - Scott DiDomenico - 12/1
9 - Zephyr Kronos - Jimmy Takter - Jimmy Takter - 10/1
Hambletonian Elimination Two
PP - Driver –Trainer - Morning Line
1 - Fashionwoodchopper - David Miller - Jim Campbell - 10/1
2 - Patent Leather - Tim Tetrick - Jim Campbell - 15/1
3 - Classichap - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer - 6/1
4 - Alarm Detector - Trevor Henry - Benoit Baillargeon - 10/1
5 - Fourth Dimension - Brian Sears - Marcus Melander - 10/1
6 - Southwind Chrome - Scott Zeron - Paula Wellwood - 5/1
7 - Tactical Landing - Jimmy Takter - Jimmy Takter - 4/1
8 - You Know You Do - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter - 8/1
9 - Six Pack - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt - 2/1
(USTA)