Four trainers will send out horses in both the Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian on Saturday, Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands, and three of them saw at least one of their horses come out of this past weekend’s eliminations with a win.

Noel Daley, Marcus Melander and Åke Svanstedt each trained a winner in the three eliminations for the $500,000 USD Winning Key Farm Hambletonian Oaks (Grade 1) for three-year-old female trotters.

Melander also conditioned one of the two elimination winners for the $1 million Winning Key Farm Hambletonian (Grade 1), open to all three-year-old trotters, while Daley and Svanstedt had horses advance to the final with top five finishes.

Three trainers in history have captured the Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian in the same year: Jim Campbell, Jan Johnson and Jimmy Takter (twice). Per Engblom will join Daley, Melander and Svanstedt in pursuit of joining that group this weekend by pulling off that double.

Marcus Melander

Melander will send out three horses in both the Oaks and Hambletonian. In the Oaks, he has 2-1 morning line favourite Nezuko Kamado S along with elimination winner Setyoursightshigh (6-1) and Lainey W (12-1).

Nezuko Kamado S finished second to Svanstedt’s Busy Miss Lissy S in their 1:51.4 elimination, missing by a neck despite a race-best :26 last quarter. It was her first loss in five races this season. She has won 10 of 16 career starts and earned $1,119,619.

“She’s had a super year, and it’s still super after [the elimination],” said Melander, who trains the homebred daughter of Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos IT for Courant Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida. “It was slow fractions and she couldn’t go faster than she did [to finish]. I couldn’t be happier with her.”

Setyoursightshigh, last year’s divisional Dan Patch Award winner, won her elimination by a neck over Leading Lady in 1:53.1. It was her third consecutive victory after beginning her season with two second-place finishes in three starts. The daughter of In Range-Special Interest has been worse than second only once in 17 career races, with 10 wins and $1,138,773 in earnings for owners Heights Stable of Lexington, Kentucky, Mantorp of Greenwich, Connecticute, AMG Stable of Delray Beach, Florida and K Kjellgren Livs AB of Bordentown, New Jersey.

“It was some slow fractions there and it didn’t say much maybe, but she looked good, she looked strong,” said Melander. “She’s in good form. Her year has been a little mixed, but lately it’s going in the right direction.”

Nezuko Kamado S will start the Oaks final from post two with driver Scott Zeron listed while Setyoursightshigh will leave from post four with Dexter Dunn and Lainey W from post five with James MacDonald. Lainey W, a daughter of Bar Hopping-The Black Beauty, has hit the board in all five of her races this year.

Melander won the 2023 Hambletonian Oaks with Heaven Hanover.

In the Hambletonian, Melander will have elimination winner Apex, the 5-2 second choice on the morning line, as well as Spencer Hanover (20-1, post nine, Jason Bartlett) and American Power (10-1, post 10, James MacDonald).

Apex, the 2025 Dan Patch Award winner for best two-year-old male trotter, won his Hambletonian elimination by a nose over Endurance in 1:50.4. The son of Walner-Mission Brief has hit the board in 12 of 13 career races, winning nine and earning$ 1,535,753 for owners Jeff Snyder of New York City, New York, S R F Stable of Delray Beach, Florida and Steve Stewart of Paris, Kentucky.

Noel Daley

Daley-trained Carve won her Oaks elimination by 1-1/2 lengths over Lainey W in a career-best 1:51.1. She drew post six for the final and is 7-2 on the morning line with Andrew McCarthy in the sulky.

For her career, Carve has hit the board in 15 of 17 races, winning five and earning $410,677. The daughter of Captain Corey-Alpine has been no worse than second in her past five starts. She was a graded stakes winner last season when her mark of 1:52 in a division of the International Stallion Stakes made her the second-fastest freshman filly of the year.

“I didn’t think she was the best filly going in there, but I absolutely think she’s good enough to win it because she’s quick; she’s always going to put herself in the race,” said Daley, who trains the filly for lessees Patricia Stables of Massapequa, New York, L A Express Stable of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania and Sjoblom Racing of Delray Beach, Florida. “She needs a trip, she’s not going to whack it out or get parked, but she can win it.

“She’s not a superstar, but she is very handy. She can do everything. That handiness, that’s the factor.”

Daley’s finalist in the Hambletonian is longshot Minoan, who finished fifth in his elimination. He will start from post one in the final and is 25-1 on the morning line with driver Todd McCarthy. The son of Bar Hopping-Regal Woman won a division of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes a week prior to the Hambletonian elims, which afforded the chance to go for a spot in the big show.

“It was a last-moment decision,” said Daley, who trains the gelding for the same connections as Carve plus himself. “We made $16,000 [USD] in the Tompkins-Geers, we put $15,000 [USD] back out, that’s what it comes down to. We took a shot. I put him in hoping to make the final [and get a good paycheque].

“He’s handy and he’s flawlessly gaited. I knew we had to have everything go our way for him to make the final, and he actually had a ton of trot. He can leave the gate and put himself in play. No matter where he draws, he’ll go forward and take a shot.”

Daley won the 2011 Hambletonian with Broad Bahn.

Åke Svanstedt 

Newly elected to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York, Svanstedt has Busy Miss Lissy S in the Oaks final and Magic Punk in the Hambletonian final.

Busy Miss Lissy S won her Oaks elimination by a neck over Nezuko Kamado S in a career-best 1:51.4. She will start from post one in the final and is 4-1 on the morning line with Svanstedt handling the driving duties. The daughter of Calgary Games-Hills Angel S was last year’s Kindergarten Classic Series champ and has won two of her past three races.

“She’s been getting better and better every race this year,” said Svanstedt, who trains the homebred filly for Panamera Racing of Delray Beach, Florida. “She’s had some bad posts, but she’s raced good every time. But [the elimination] was the best this year.

“I like everything about her, except her size; she is so small,” he added with a laugh. “But all the other things are good with her. She has a good attitude and a nice stride.”

Svanstedt won the 2024 Oaks as the trainer/driver of Warrawee Michelle.

Magic Punk reached the Hambletonian final with a third-place finish behind Big Ranger and It Could Be Worse in his elimination. The son of Wishing Stone-I D Entity NO will start the final from post eight and is 15-1 with driver Yannick Gingras, who has been behind the colt in his past five races.

Earlier this year, Magic Punk won the Dexter Cup (Grade 3) at The Meadowlands. Last year, he finished second in the William Wellwood Memorial (Grade 1) at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He is owned by Magic Punk Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida.

Svanstedt is a three-time winner of the Hambletonian, as trainer/driver in all three. He won last year’s final with Nordic Catcher S.

Per Engblom

Engblom will have Custom in the Oaks and Captain Naughty in the Hambletonian.

Custom finished third in her elimination, just three-quarters of a length behind winner Setyoursightshigh. She is 8-1 on the morning line and will start the final from post three with Jason Bartlett in the sulky.

The daughter of Walner-Goldy Mary FR has two wins and two seconds in her past four races, including a victory in a division of the Reynolds Memorial on July 4 at The Meadowlands in a career-best 1:52.1.

“She raced good [in the elimination]; she came home in :25.4,” said Engblom, who trains Custom for TLH Racing of Delray Beach, Florida. “She's one of those horses that is going to be much better if they go :55 to the half instead of :58 because she’s got stamina and won’t get tired. Hopefully, the final sets up a little differently.”

Captain Naughty finished fourth in his Hambletonian elimination, two lengths in back of winner Apex. The homebred son of Captain Corey-Msnaughtyashill will start the final from post five and is 15-1 on the morning line with driver Brett Beckwith.

“He’s got a flawless, beautiful gait, like most of the Captain Coreys,” said Engblom, who began training Captain Naughty for owner Denise Dennis of Indianapolis, Indiana less than a month ago. “He was full speed across the wire, it just took him a little bit to get in gear. He’s a very nice horse. I’m happy to have him.”

Racing begins at noon on Saturday at The Meadowlands. The Hambletonian will be race 11, with a scheduled post time of 4:51 p.m. The Hambletonian Oaks is race nine and will go at 3:36 p.m. The races will be shown live on FOX Sport 2 (FS2).

$1 million USD Hambletonian Stakes (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Minoan - Todd McCarthy - Noel Daley - 25-1
2. It Could Be Worse - Scott Zeron - Linda Toscano - 8-1
3. Apex - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander - 5-2
4. Big Ranger - Tim Tetrick - Anette Lorentzon - 2-1
5. Captain Naughty - Brett Beckwith - Per Engblom - 15-1
6. AI - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke - 12-1
7. Endurance - Andrew McCarthy - Chris Beaver - 5-1
8. Magic Punk - Yannick Gingras - Åke Svanstedt - 15-1
9. Spencer Hanover - Jason Bartlett - Marcus Melander - 20-1
10. American Power - James MacDonald - Marcus Melander - 10-1

$500,000 USD Hambletonian Oaks (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Busy Miss Lissy S - Åke Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt - 4-1
2. Nezuko Kamado S - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander - 2-1
3. Custom - Jason Bartlett - Per Engblom - 8-1
4. Setyoursightshigh - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander - 6-1
5. Lainey W - James MacDonald - Marcus Melander - 12-1
6. Carve - Andrew McCarthy - Noel Daley - 7-2
7. Leading Lady - Matt Kakaley - Nancy Takter - 10-1
8. Storybook Love - Todd Ratchford - Matt Bax - 25-1
9. Frattina Diablo S - Todd McCarthy - Tony Alagna - 25-1
10. Madam Cheval - Tim Tetrick - Nancy Takter - 25-1

Click here for free program pages from The Meadowlands.

The Grandstand doors open at 10 a.m. on Hambletonian day with a $5 USD admission fee. The giveaways begin immediately, including a Hambletonian 101 baseball cap for adults and children with paid admission.  

The famous Hawthorne Caballeros will kick off the historic day with an on-the-track march and the playing of the Canadian and U.S. National Anthems.

The Backyard will be filled with inflatables, a mechanical bull, carnival games, music by DJ ALX and face painters. Racing fans can grab a Hambo flag, snag driver selfies, giveaways and trainer autographs at the HarnessRacing.com tent from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Guests can grab some food from some delicious food trucks onsite while Ghost Hawk Brewing’s Trotter’s Gold has returned for 2026 as the official Hambletonian 101 beer.

There will be a Hambletonian Hat Contest with the winner receiving $500 USD. Second place will receive $250 USD, third place $100 USD and fourth place $50 USD. The most elegant hat wins $100 USD. TV personality Carson Kressley will once again be judging this year’s contest.

Kressley will present the trophies for both the Oaks and the Hambletonian.

Fashion influencer Caitlyn Warakomski will be onsite to judge the best festive summer fits. There is more than $2,500 USD in cash prizes, so fans are encouraged to dress their best to impress.

(USTA & Meadowlands Racetrack; photo of Carve winning the fastest Hambletonian Oaks eliminations)