The first Hambletonian Future Wager pool closed on June 24 with a total of $6,991 bet in the pool of 15 interests.
Wagering in two more advance pools will be available at racetracks and online sites throughout North America. When the next future wager pool opens on July 20 at noon (EDT), it can be found in betting systems as "Race 2: Hambletonian Future Wager Pool 2, CODE MZH." Betting closes on July 22 at 10:00 p.m. (EDT).
The results of the recent Earl Beal eliminations at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono featured a bit of a surprise, as both freshman divisional champs north and south of the border – O’Brien winner Alarm Detector and Dan Patch winner Fourth Dimension — broke stride and did not make the $500,000 final this Saturday. The undefeated filly Manchego won her elimination and can be bet as part of "The Field" in the Future Wager.
A team of harness racing analysts and handicappers led by Meadowlands announcer Ken Warkentin, whose "Road to the Hambletonian" annually tracks the leading candidates to the race, has selected a group of 14 trotters out of the 235 colts, fillies and geldings that remain eligible to start in the Hambletonian after the final February 15 payment.
Though fillies have their own division in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, several have started in the $1 million event for males in recent years, most recently world champion Mission Brief, who was second to Pinkman in 2015. The connections of two fillies, Manchego and Atlanta, have not ruled out the richer division yet.
The horses in each of the pools are listed in alphabetical order. The mutuel field will consist of the remaining horses eligible to the 93rd edition of America’s trotting classic, including all fillies eligible to the Oaks. There are no supplements permitted to the Hambletonian or Oaks.
The minimum future wager is $1.00 and all future wagers are win wagering only. The winner of each pool will be determined by the official first-place finisher in the 2018 Hambletonian.
The final Hambletonian Future Wager pool #3 will open Wednesday, Aug. 1 at noon (EDT) and closes on Hambletonian Eve, Friday, Aug. 3 at 10:00 pm (EDT).
Further details are available at playmeadowlands.com and hambletonian.com.
A description of the wager may be found here.
Rules are available here.
Closing odds for Future Wager Pool #1 are as follows:
1. Alarm Detector 20-1
2. Captain Morgan 28-1
3. Evaluate 22-1
4. Fourth Dimension 7-2
5. Mets Hall 22-1
6. Moosonee 32-1
7. Patent Leather 10-1
8. Samo Different Day 55-1
9. Shoshie Deo 60-1
10. Six Pack 5-1
11. Southwind Chrome 28-1
12. Tae Kwon Deo 28-1
13. Wolfgang 5-1
14. You Know You Do 34-1
15. Field (all other horses eligible to Hambletonian and Oaks) 5-2
(Meadowlands)