Ever since Jalopy nipped the favorite Blur to win the 2005 Hambletonian Oaks, trainer Jonas Czernyson has heightened his profile as one of the sport’s top trotting trainers
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On Friday night, Czernyson will send out a pair of Hambletonian hopefuls as Historic Week continues at the Meadowlands. The $1.5-million Hambletonian for three-year-old trotting colts and the $750,000 Oaks for fillies will be contested Saturday, August 8.
Symphonic Hanover, the strongest of Czernyson’s contenders, is rated at 4-1 from post six in the second of two divisions of the $101,482 Dickerson Cup.
As freshman, the son of Cantab Hall was the runner-up to Muscle Hill in the $500,000 Peter Haughton Memorial, but broke stride in his next two starts. Czernyson turned him out for the season with a record of one win and two seconds in five starts. Symphonic Hanover enters the Dickerson Cup with two wins against conditioned company. The $65,000 yearling purchase will be driven by David Miller.
“Symphonic Hanover so far has been right on track,” Czernyson said. “[After the Peter Haughton] he made a break in Lexington, but trotted home in :26.4. I took him to Mohawk, and he was still green. He didn’t know what to do and broke again. The owners decided he had earned and shown enough, and they felt it was best to put him away to mature.
“In his last start [rallied for second on June 26], Dave Miller was very careful with him, and that was my fault,” he continued. “I told Dave not to use him too hard. I’d have to say he’s my best shot at the Hambletonian right now.”
Czernyson will send out the lightly raced Hot Shot Blue Chip in the first of the Dickerson Cup divisions. The colt lit up the tote board at 75-1 with a stunning 1:53.3 upset in his last race on June 26. The son of Revenue S will start from post seven in the Dickerson Cup and is rated at 8-1 on the morning line, also with Miller listed to drive.
“I’ve known all along that Hot Shot Blue Chip is fast, but he’s just a young, goofy colt,” Czernyson said. “I really can’t tell you what he’s going to do after that huge upset. We haven’t changed a thing on him. He’s a hit or miss type, and just has to get his act together. That’s why he only started once last year.”
In addition to his Dickerson Cup duo, Czernyson will send out Seaside in the $90,632 Coaching Club Oaks for fillies, Autumn Escapade in the $27,500 mares preferred trot and three-year-old pacing filly Life Of Delight in the eleventh race.
Czernyson’s other Hambletonian hopeful, Select Yankee, will make his next start in the Reynolds Stake on Wednesday, July 8 at Pocono Downs.
“Select Yankee has come along nicely,” he said. “He was a lot better and straighter when he won in 1:54.4 [on June 18]. We put blinkers on him; I closed my eyes and hoped for the best. We had tried them on him as a two-year-old and he got too aggressive. It seems like he handled it a lot better this time. He’s not a very big colt, but when he was in the stall next to our office, he was ready to kill anybody who walked by.”
A 38-year-old native of Ystad, Sweden, Czernyson initially worked for Don Swick and then partnered with countryman Per Eriksson, working with standouts Credit Winner, Bullville Victory and Dream Of Joy, before striking out on his own. Czernyson’s Team JC Stable is based at Sunshine Meadows in Delray Beach, FL during the winter. He currently has 36 horses stabled at Winners International Farm in Columbus, NJ.
“I had two in last year’s Hambletonian [Pine After Pine and Velocity Hall], and I learned that you simply have to be ready to race in it,” he noted. “I think I have a better shot at it this time. Velocity Hall tried hard every time, but he was maybe a step below and needed a trip. Pine After Pine was green and got pushed a little too hard early.
“Muscle Hill is definitely the horse to beat, and after that the rest of us are chasing what’s left underneath him,” he noted of the 2008 divisional champion and early Hambletonian favorite. “We’re going to the Stanley Dancer next [July 17].”
(The Meadowlands)