Big Bikkies has the speed to be a tough cookie in Saturday’s Hambletonian eliminations. The question is whether the lightly raced three-year-old can step up – and step true – against stakes competition
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Bred and owned by the Adam Victor & Son Stable, the son of Windsongs Legacy-Sheza Hot Cookie has one win in four races this season, earning $6,750. He went off stride in three races, but his victory was an 11-3/4 length triumph in 1:53.4 at the Meadowlands on June 25. Last week, he qualified in 1:53.1 at the Meadowlands; only Muscle Hill and Southern Rocketop have posted faster winning miles among three-year-old trotters this season.
Muscle Hill, Southern Rocketop and Big Bikkies are the only three-year-olds with multiple sub-1:54 win times this year.
Big Bikkies, whose name comes from the Australian slang for biscuit or cookie, was unraced as a two-year-old. He is among three horses entered by the Adam Victor & Son Stable, along with homebred Explosive Matter and Cesar A Blue Chip (owned with Lindy Racing and Blue Chip Bloodstock).
“He’s still very immature; clearly not as ready as we’d like to be,” Adam Victor Jr. said. “But as you can see, he is über-talented. The experience may not be there, but considering we have two other ones that we’re pretty happy with, we were willing to throw this guy in there and see if he could sneak into the final.
“In terms of speed and ability to go a mile, he’s probably right up there. And we’ve never seen the bottom yet. But it’s going to be tough to jump up and face this type of competition.”
Big Bikkies is the first foal out of Sheza Hot Cookie, who is a half-sister to three-time divisional champion Mr Muscleman. The Victors also owned Mr Muscleman, who was the 2005 Trotter of the Year and earned $3.5 million in his career.
Explosive Matter has won seven of 10 career races and earned $434,910. He finished second to Hambletonian favourite Muscle Hill in his Stanley Dancer Memorial division on July 17 at the Meadowlands despite going off stride just after the start of the race.
Cesar A Blue Chip has won four of 14 lifetime starts and earned $108,058. He is coming off a third-place finish, behind Federal Flex and Mr Cantab, in his Dancer division.
“We made some shoeing changes on 'Cesar' to try to get a little more grip on the track. But we’re very pleased with all three of our horses, knock on wood,” Victor said.
“It’s unreal for us. There are a lot of good connections and family friends (with these three horses). All we can hope for is three clean, safe races and go from there. On paper, they all have a very good shot, but you just never know. We’re just excited we’re in three decent spots and we’ll hope for the best.”
Here is a look at the elimination fields for the Hambletonian. The top three finishers from each elim, plus the fourth-place finisher with the most career earnings, will advance to the $1.5 million final on August 8. The final will be televised live on NBC, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
$70,000 Hambletonian Elimination - Race 7
1. Explosive Matter, R. Pierce, N. Daley
2. Citation Lindy, R. Schnittker, R. Schnittker
3. Select Yankee, B. Miller, J. Czernyson
4. Reinsman Hanover, T. Tetrick, T. Smedshammer
5. NF Quotable, D. Miller, S. Beegle
6. Truth In Action, T. Tetrick, B. Burgess
7. Hot Shot Blue Chip, M. Lachance, J. Czernyson
$70,000 Hambletonian Elimination - Race 8
1. Symphonic Hanover, D. Miller, J. Czernyson
2. Judge Joe, D.R. Ackerman, D. Ackerman
3. Mr Cantab, A. Miller, E. Miller
4. My Back Pages, G. Brennan, G. Peck
5. Calchips Brute, D. Miller, T. Smedshammer
6. Cesar A Blue Chip, T. Tetrick, N. Daley
7. Federal Flex, J. Jamieson, J. Gillis
$70,000 Hambletonian Elimination - Race 9
1. Triumphant Caviar, L. Ouellette, C. Beaver
2. Muscle Hill, B. Sears, G. Peck
3. The Chancellor, A. Miller, J. Miller
4. Tom Cango, Jo. Campbell, Ji. Campbell
5. Braggart, T. Tetrick, J. Arledge Jr.
6. Big Bikkies, A. McCarthy, N. Daley
7. Airzoom Lindy, T. Tetrick, F. Antonacci
8. Wuthering Hanover, D. Palone, J. Czernyson
For Saturday's harness racing entries, click here.
(Harness Racing Communications)