After trotting a :25.2 final quarter in his season's debut, Dan Patch Award winner Apex remains the top ranked Hambletonian contender in the sixth week of the "Road to the Hambletonian."
Apex rallied from post 11 to finish second by a neck to his Marcus Melander stablemate American Power in his three-year-old debut on June 5 in a leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Platinum division at The Meadowlands. He has drawn post three in NJSS final on June 12.
The top four ranked contenders remained the same -- Apex, Spencer Hanover, Endurance and Diabolic Hill -- but it was a different story for the rest of the top 10. American Power advanced up to No. 5 after taking a new mark of 1:52 in the aforementioned NJSS leg while the Ake Svanstedt-trained Magic Punk moved up to No. 6 after his 1:52.1 career-best victory in a Goodtimes Trot elimination on June 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Another Melander trainee, Neighver Punt, returned to the top 10 at No. 8 after his Goodtimes elim win in a new mark of 1:51.4. The Ron Burke-trained AI, who finished second in a New York Sire Stakes, dropped to ninth while the undefeated Nancy Takter trainee Highland Destiny debuted in the top 10 off a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes win on June 6 at Pocono Downs.
The rankings are compiled by Meadowlands Racetrack's Ken Warkentin each week leading up to the 101st Hambletonian (Grade 1), which will take place on Saturday, Aug. 8 at The Meadowlands.
To view the full list, click here. (All earnings reported are in USD.)
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)