After rising to the top of the Standardbred world this past weekend with a performance for the ages, what is next for 2026 Hambletonian champion Apex?
According to trainer Marcus Melander, harness racing's top-ranked horse will get a bit of rest before ramping up his schedule in September.
With his thrilling stakes-record 1:49.2 Hambletonian score, Apex has now won 10 of 14 career races and went over the million-dollar mark in seasonal earnings and $2 million lifetime, with a total of $2,230,197 in the bank.
The 2025 Dan Patch Award winner for best two-year-old male trotter is owned by Jeffrey Snyder of New York City, New York, S R F Stable of Delray Beach, Florida and Steve Stewart of Paris, Kentucky.
Melander told Trot Insider that Apex came out of Saturday's scorcher in good shape and his next start is likely taking place back at The Big M on Friday, Sept. 4 in an elimination for the New Jersey Classic. The final for that race comes one week later.
Canadian harness racing gets the Hambo winner after that, as Melander indicated that the next mountain for Apex to climb would be eliminations for the 2026 Canadian Trotting Classic at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, Sept. 19. The final for the Canadian Trotting Classic is slated for Saturday, Sept. 26 as part of a stakes-packed card that includes the Elegantimage, Shes A Great Lady, Metro Pace and Mohawk Million — which Apex won in 2025.
(Standardbred Canada)