Who have harness racing's sharpest minds selected in the 2026 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable? Trot Insider will feature 'expert picks' in advance of the deadline for this year's contest.
Returning once more to Standardbred Canada's panel of experts is Greg Blanchard, Director of Equine Programming at The Raceway at Western Fair District.
Included in Blanchard's selections is the 2025 Dan Patch Award winner Miki And Minnie, who made a successful return to the track in qualifying action on Friday, April 24 at The Meadowlands. She finished second, individually timed in 1:51.4. (The horse that defeated Miki And Minnie in that qualifier just happened to be Blanchard's Group C selection, Rodeo Drive Deo.)
“Miki And Minnie could not have looked any better the way she polished off her sophomore campaign," noted Blanchard. "The jump to the older ranks is always a tough transition but this is a very special lass whose trainer is one of the best in the business. I am expecting big things from her again this season.”
Trained by U.S. Hall of Famer Chris Ryder, Miki And Minnie had 13 wins and two second-place finishes in 15 races during her sophomore season on the way to $1.55 million in purses. She capped her campaign by beating older rivals in the FanDuel Mare Pace Championship at The Meadowlands, bringing her career summary to 19-6-1 from 26 starts — never worse than third — with more than $2.7 million in earnings. A daughter of Always B Miki-Thats The Ticket, Miki And Minnie is owned by breeders Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo and Lawrence Minowitz.
Blanchard's 2026 TROT Magazine Fantasy Stable selections are as follows:
Group A
BEAU JANGLES
Group B
MIKI AND MINNIE
Group C
RODEO DRIVE DEO
Group D
WARRAWEE MICHELLE
Group E
TWISTED DESTINY
Group F
SHES A BULLDOG
Group G
RICK WINK
Group H
STROBE LITE
Group I
AUGUSTA NATIONAL
ROCKET STAR
Group J
EPITOME HANOVER
MIDWIND LOVESTORY
Group K
VALOROUS
KING OF BLUES
Group L
R RITA
ORCHESTRA
Group M
MARCUS MELANDER
Group N
DR. IAN MOORE
Group O
DEXTER DUNN
Group P
TODD MCCARTHY
Group Q
JAMES MACDONALD
Group R
TRAVIS CULLEN
Contestants have until 5 p.m. (EDT) on May 22 to make your selections. You cannot change your stable once submitted.
The contest is based on total earnings of selected horses and five percent of the earnings of selected trainers and drivers between May 22, 2026 and Dec. 31, 2026. Follow along all year long!
For the purposes of the fantasy bankroll, the winners (horses only) of the 2026 Hambletonian AND Breeders Crown Finals will each receive a $200,000 contest bankroll bonus. Once again, in the two-year-old categories, you must select TWO horses in each.
At the end of the year, the first three finishers (based on total stable earnings) will be awarded betting vouchers in the amount of $1,000 CDN (first place), $500 CDN (second place) and $250 CDN (third place), as well as OnGait.com credit of $1,000 USD (first place), $500 USD (second place) and $250 USD (third place). (NOTE: OnGait credit IS transferrable.)
The overall winner will also receive one share of Landmark 20 Stable, valued at $2,000 CDN!
Full contest rules are available here. Enter your picks below!