The next two weeks on the sulky sport’s calendar are two of the most exciting of the year with the eliminations and finals for the $1 million Hambletonian and $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks to take place this Saturday (July 30) and next (Aug. 6), respectively, at The Meadowlands.
But there is also some sadness amid the excitement as last Saturday (July 23), harness racing lost a true friend with the passing of Assemblyman Ron Dancer. He was 73.
“Ron Dancer spent his life either in the harness game [he was a trainer for three decades] or going to bat for the harness game [as a N.J. Assemblyman],” said Jason Settlemoir, Meadowlands’ Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. “Everyone who earns their living in harness racing in the State of New Jersey can, in part, thank Ron Dancer, whose contribution in helping to keep the game strong since being appointed to the Assembly 20 years ago has gone a long way toward keeping The Meadowlands the No. 1 facility of its type in the world.”
Dancer would no doubt be looking forward to the next two Saturdays. His ties to the Hambletonian are strong. His father, Stanley Dancer, whose face would likely be etched in stone if harness racing had its own Mt. Rushmore, won four Hambletonians during his storied career.
The Hambletonian Day card has a first-race post time of noon (the Hambletonian will go at 6:35 p.m.; the Oaks at 4:48 p.m.) and features the strongest card of the year at The Big M.
The line-up of stakes races (with estimated purses) includes the $1 million Hambletonian, $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, $400,000 Peter Haughton Memorial, $400,000 Jim Doherty Memorial, $300,000 John Cashman Memorial, $275,000 Cane Pace, $275,000 Sam McKee Memorial, $175,000 Lady Liberty, $175,000 John R. Steele and $90,000 Shady Daisy.
These are the fields for the eliminations for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks on Saturday (July 30) night at The Meadowlands (the top five in the official order finish from each will race in their respective final):
$100,000 Hambletonian Elimination #1 - Race 9
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line
1. Cool Papa Bell – Brian Sears – Jim Campbell – 8-1
2. Looks Like Moni – Dave Miller – Nancy Takter – 12-1
3. Fast As The Wind – Dexter Dunn – Tony Alagna – 8-1
4. Branded By Lindy – Yannick Gingras – Domenico Cecere – 5-1
5. Justice – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1
6. Molotov Cocktail – Todd McCarthy – Linda Toscano – 10-1
7. Periculum – Mattias Melander – Marcus Melander – 4-1
8. Rebuff – Tim Tetrick – Lucas Wallin – 2-1
9. Theresnolimit S – Orjan Kihlstrom – Marcus Melander – 15-1
10. Pretender – Andy McCarthy – Nancy Takter – 12-1
$100,000 Hambletonian Elimination #2 - Race 11
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line
1. Testing Testing – Todd McCarthy – George Ducharme – 10-1
2. Chulo – Jason Bartlett – Per Engblom – 15-1
3. Temporal Hanover – Orjan Kihlstrom – Marcus Melander – 7-2
4. Slay – Joe Bongiorno – Tony Alagna – 9-2
5. Jiggy Jog S – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 8-1
6. King Of The North – Mark MacDonald – Ray Schnittker – 5-1
7. B A Superhero – Tim Tetrick – Lucas Wallin – 8-1
8. Keg Stand – Dave Miller – Nancy Takter – 10-1
9. Letsdoit S – Andy Miller – Marcus Melander – 15-1
10. Joviality S – Brian Sears – Marcus Melander – 3-1
$40,000 Hambletonian Oaks Elimination #1 - Race 8
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line
1. Yanaba – Andy McCarthy – Dan Daley – 10-1
2. Selfie Queen – Jimmy Taker – Nancy Takter – 9-2
3. Venerable – Dave Miller – Nifty Norman – 8-5
4. Lilbitalexis – Brian Sears – Nifty Norman – 15-1
5. Manon – Dexter Dunn – Lucas Wallin – 3-1
6. Misswalner Fashion – Tim Tetrick – Jim Campbell – 6-1
7. Bare My Soul – Yannick Gingras – Linda Toscano – 15-1
8. Gracelyn Hanover – Corey Callahan – John Butenschoen – 8-1
$40,000 Hambletonian Oaks Elimination #2 - Race 10
PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line
1. Fashion Schooner – Tim Tetrick – Jim Campbell – 9-5
2. Pink Coco Chanel – Dexter Dunn – Tony Alagna – 10-1
3. Mon Cheval – Andy McCarthy – Nancy Takter – 6-1
4. Raised By Lindy – Yannick Gingras – Domenico Cecere – 4-1
5. Delilah Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Nifty Norman – 8-1
6. Baptism – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 7-2
7. Peyton Hanover – Brian Sears – Marcus Melander – 15-1
8. Warrawee Xenia – Bob McClure – Shawn Steacy – 8-1
(With files from Meadowlands)