WINDSONG’S LEGACY CAPTURES $1 MILLION HAMBLETONIAN; OAKS TO SILVER SPRINGS
Windsong’s Legacy tipped off cover at the top of the stretch and took the lead at the eighth pole, drawing off to a one-length victory in the $1 million Hambletonian before a crowd of 30,117 on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands.
Owned by Ted Gewertz of New York City, Patricia Spinelli of Oyster Bay Cove, New York and Ann Jeanette Brannvoll of Suedsmo, Norway, Windsong’s Legacy was driven to victory by his trainer, 37-year-old Norwegian-born Trond Smedshammer.
Windsong’s Legacy [$11.00, $5.60, $4.00] trotted the eighth-race mile in 1:54.1.
After one of the favorites, Eilean Donon, driven by David Miller, made a break at the start. Tom Ridge, with Ron Pierce in the sulky, took the lead at the quarter pole, cutting fractions of 28.2, 57.2, and 1:26.3. Cash Hall and driver John Campbell came first-over on the backstretch to pressure Tom Ridge, with Windsong’s Legacy sitting comfortably in the second-over position until he tipped clear in the lane for a brush to the front..
Cantab Hall [$4.60, $3.40], with Mike Lachance driving, raced sat second for much of the mile, covered by Tom Ridge, and was able to finish second. Cash Hall [$3.00], who tired in his battle with the early leader, faded and finished third, just ahead of Coventry, driven by Doug R. Ackerman.
Favorite Tom Ridge finished eighth and Eilean Donon completed the course and finished 10th and last.
While catch-drivers have dominated the sport, Trond Smedshammer became the first driver-trainer to win the Hambletonian since Stefan Melander won with Scarlet Knight in 2001.
“It means everything to me,” Norwegian-born Smedshammer said. “It hasn’t sunk in as of yet. I was actually considering getting around Cash Hall to avoid excess cover, but when one horse [Lantern’s Law] made a break I decided to stay inside.”
Smedshammer got a measure of satisfaction since he failed with last year’s post time favorite, Power To Charm.
Earlier this week, Smedshammer and the owners had pledged to donate five percent of whatever the trotter won in the Hambletonian to the American Cancer Society. That would come to $25,000 of the winner’s share of $500,000. Both Smedshammer’s father, Lars, and Spinelli’s husband, Ronald, lost their lives to lung cancer.
Windsong’s Legacy, who was an orphan foal at birth, was bred in Pennsylvania by Windsong Stable. His win was his fifth in seven starts this year, and he has now earned $876,324, lifetime.
The exacta paid $58.60 and the trifecta returned $172.80.
“This is the biggest win of my career,” said Smedshammer. “You can’t beat this. I was actually considering going into the race getting around Cash Hall. When the one horse made a break on the inside and just one horse left from the outside, I decided just to stay behind John [Campbell, with Cash Hall]. The only time I was worried was when John put the pedal down just before the half before I knew exactly what Ronnie [Pierce with Tom Ridge] was going to do.
“I was never tempted to pull before he came off the three-quarters, so I knew this horse in the stretch was going to give me a good run so I was just waiting until it straightened out,” Smedshammer said. “I did pop the earplugs. It was easy but you don’t want to take a chance in a race like this. But it turned out to be pretty easy. This is even bigger than last year. Both trainer and driver, you can’t top that.”
A race earlier, Jorgen Jahre’s Silver Springs [$37.00, $12.40, $6.00] and driver George Brennan made a move to the lead on the final turn and sprinted to victory in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks Final for three-year-old trotting fillies.
After a knot of horses raced three-wide to the quarter pole in 27.4, driver John Campbell brought Peaceful Way to the lead on the backstretch, and they set the next two fractions of 56 and 1:25.1, before Silver Springs worked her way to the front, drawing off in a mile in 1:53.3.
Housethatruthbuilt [Brian Sears], who had found cover behind the winner, finished strongly and was second at the wire, edging out Self Indulgent [David Miller], who passed tired horses and finished third.
Silver Springs [Yankee Glide--Simply Hanover, by Prakas] won her second race of the year, and gave trainer Jan Johnson his sixth victory in the Hambletonian Oaks, more than any other trainer. Her $250,000 first place check pushed her lifetime earnings to $431,420.
“She has always been there from her first stakes race to the last,” Johnson said. “I though she was going to get into the flow, and when you keep after her she keeps digging. She’s going to go in the [filly division of the] World Trotting Derby.”
Brennan drove the filly for the first time on Saturday.
“I didn’t know much about her, but knew she went a good mile last week,” he said. “I was following John [Campbell with favorite Peaceful Way], and he looked like he would clear, and it was pointless to race him [just after the quarter pole.]
“I appreciate getting the mount,” Brennan said. “She was strong all the way.”
Peaceful Way, the early leader, finished seventh, but broke stride at the wire, and was placed 10th and last by the judges for a lapped-on break at the wire.
The exacta paid $167.20 and the trifecta returned $1,502.40.
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