A field of 10 Hambletonian-eligible trotters will go behind the starting gate on Friday, June 13 in the $225,000 USD New Jersey Sire Stakes (NJSS) championship for three-year-old male trotters at The Meadowlands. The lineup includes three of this season’s four fastest sophomore boys: Mr Walner Fashion, Mountcastle and Onajetplane.
The morning-line favourite, Mr Walner Fashion at 3-1, heads to the race two-for-two this year and is coming off a 1:51.2 score in a $34,247 second-round NJSS division June 6 at The Big M. The mark is tied for the season’s best; Mountcastle also trotted 1:51.2 in his NJSS prelim later that same night. Both horses won by a head.
Mr Walner Fashion showed ability last year – he came a last quarter in :26 to finish a head behind eventual O'Brien and Dan Patch Award winner Maryland in his career debut – but went off stride in three of five starts for the season. After making a break in a qualifier on May 2 this year, trainer Jim Campbell put trotting hopples on the gelding.
“Since we’ve added them, they just seem to steady him a little bit,” said Campbell. “For some horses, they feel them there and it keeps them paying attention to what they’re supposed to be doing. The speed has always been there, it’s just been a question of getting him to mind his manners and put everything together.”
Campbell recognized assistant Manny Quevedo for his work with Mr Walner Fashion in the offseason, teaching the son of Walner-Cooler Schooner to relax and follow horses.
“When we started training him back, our main focus was to work on his manners and keep him a little bit calmer,” said Campbell. “Manny worked with him all winter long. He did a tremendous job with him to get him to where his manners are under control. There has been a big difference this year. Manny deserves the credit for that.”
Mr Walner Fashion was bred by owner Jules Siegel’s Fashion Farms. He is a half-brother to Real Cool Sam, a Dan Patch Award winner in 2019. His mom, Cooler Schooner, was a world record-setter and full sister to Dan Patch Award winner Broadway Schooner, who herself produced two-time Dan Patch honouree Broadway Donna and 2022 Hambletonian Oaks winner Fashion Schooner.
On Friday, Mr Walner Fashion will leave from post seven with Todd McCarthy in the sulky.
“He’s got a good attitude,” Campbell said about Mr Walner Fashion.“When Todd shows him racetrack, he wants to pass horses. Obviously, he’s got the speed; it does come naturally to him. But, this year, he’s made himself pretty handy. Todd can pretty much do whatever he wants with him right now.
“He’s still got a long way to go. It’s going to be a good test for him this weekend. As the year goes on, everyone’s horses have got to start bringing their ‘A’ game and he’s no exception. He’s got to bring an ‘A’ game to it.”
Onajetplane, who won his seasonal debut June 6 with a 1:52.1 score in the NJSS prelims, is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line. He will leave from post two with Andy McCarthy driving for trainer Noel Daley. His mark puts him behind Mr Walner Fashion and Mountcastle (and tied with Canada’s Emoticon Legacy) on the sophomore boys’ speed list.
Mountcastle, starting from post three with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Marcus Melander, is 4-1 on the morning line. Hidalgo (post four, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke) and Top Gun Hanover (post eight, David Miller, Nancy Takter) are both 9-2. Hidalgo was second behind Mr Walner Fashion last week and Top Gun Hanover was runner-up to Mountcastle.
Onajetplane, Mr Walner Fashion and Hidalgo occupy spots 8-9-10, respectively, on Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian Top 10. The 100th edition of the Hambletonian Stakes is Aug. 2 at The Meadowlands.
Hidalgo, a multiple stakes winner who banked $271,783 last year, is another horse to recently add trotting hopples. He made breaks in his first two races this season but has a 1:53.1 triumph and his near-miss setback to Mr Walner Fashion since then.
“He hasn’t been sure of what he’s doing, but now it seems like he’s getting it,” said trainer Ron Burke. “I don’t think he’s a horse that will have to wear them his whole career, I just think he had lost a little faith in himself. Now, it seems like he knows he can stay at it even when he’s going the high, high speed.
“It seems like every week he’s getting more confident, and if Yannick can turn him loose in the final, I think that will be a big difference.”
On Friday, The Meadowlands also hosts Graduate Series events for four-year-old pacers and trotters (including the seasonal debut of two-time Dan Patch Award-winning pacer Captain Albano) and the $225,000 USD final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old female trotters. What A Bid Hanover, who captured last year’s Goldsmith Maid Stakes, is the 7-2 morning line favourite in the NJSS championship. She will leave from post two with trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt.
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. at The Meadowlands. For free TrackMaster past performances for The Big M's Friday card, click here.
(USTA)