Hambletonian Final: 17 trotters bid for 10 spots

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Top contender Ken Warkentin was among 17 3-year-old trotters entered for elimination heats at the Meadowlands on Saturday, with the first five finishers in each of two races qualifying for the $1.5 million Hambletonian a week later.

Ken Warkentin, a winner in 10 of 12 career starts, heads one heat, while Classic Photo is the horse to beat in the second. Both races carry purses of $100,000.

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Ken Warkentin, the 2004 2-year-old trotting colt of the year, drew the No. 6 post in a field of eight on Tuesday, with David Miller listed to drive. Named for the Meadowlands' track announcer, Ken Warkentin won an open event for sophomore trotters in his last start.

Classic Photo has won two major preps for the Hambletonian, the Stanley Dancer Trot at the Meadowlands and the Goodtimes at Woodbine. Classic Photo drew the No. 9 post in a field of nine, with Ron Pierce listed to drive.

The Hambletonian is harness racing's top trotting event.

The field for the first heat is Mr Dream OM, Gettindownanddirty, Vivid Photo, Southfork, Ken Warkentin, Clearaway, Self Professed and Strong Yankee.

The field for the second heat is Vino Camielle, Northern Ensign, Celebrity Master, New York Yank, Racino, Muscle Bound, Worship, Muscle Memory and Classic Photo.

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2005 Hambletonian Race - Odds Update

The Road to the 2005 Hambletonian

The 2005 Hambletonian championship race for top trotters is slated on August 6 at the Meadowlands.

6-5, KEN WARKENTIN, Jimmy Takter, C Takter, Fielding, Domi, Windsor Stb., "He had a light week of jogging," said Takter. "I took it easy with him. I'm confident after his last race [1:52.3 win] that he's coming into the elims in great shape."

7-2, SOUTHFORK, Brett Pelling, Marvin Katz & Al Libfeld, "We qualified [1:54.4 last Friday] him because he showed us the week before that the speed is there," said Marvin Katz.

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4-1, CLASSIC PHOTO, Ervin Miller, Wright, Mystical Marker, Hood, Had the week off. "I couldn't be happier with him," said Miller. "So far so good."

5-1, MUSCLE MEMORY, Jimmy Takter, EC & DM Smith, E Nojaim, C Takter, "He trained very good this week," said Takter. "He's coming into the elims the way I want him to."

6-1, STRONG YANKEE, Trond Smeds-hammer, Strong Yankee Stable, Week off before the elims. "He seems like he's okay," said Smedshammer. "He has the ability. Now he's got to go out there and show it."

8-1, MUSCLE BOUND, Ron Gurfein, Brittany, J Silva, Sampson St Stb, "I'm happy with him," said Gurfein, trainer of three previous winners "With the right trip, I think he can win it."

10-1, DREAM VALLEY OM, Remi Jensen, Wm Solomon, Orsi Mangelli, Emposimato Stb, Had week off. "He was not tired after his last race [1:54.2 in 3yo open]," said Jensen. "He's peaking at a good time. Some of the others may have played themselves out."

12-1, NEW YORK YANK, Noel Daley, Adam Victor & Son Stb., Broke stride in 3yo open. "There was a lot of traffic in the first turn," said Daley. "As he was going to settle into a hole, he clipped his hoof and broke. I don't think it's a big concern."

12-1, NORTHERN ENSIGN, Mark Harder, Montgomery, Fielding, Harder, Arden Homestead, Broke stride and lost all chance in 3yo open. "I never used to think in terms of the Hambletonian -- it was always the Meadowlands Pace -- until I got this horse, that is," said Harder, "Now I am."

15-1, SELF PROFESSED, Don Swick, Royal Wire Products, "He is not doing well in this heat and humidity," said Swick. "Sometimes it happens like that. I am going to call the weather service [on Tuesday morning] and check and see what the forecast is for Saturday."

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TROTTER CLASSIC PHOTO DEVELOPS INTO A 2005 HAMBLETONIAN FAVORITE

Last year, trainer Ervin Miller entered the season with one of harness racing's more highly regarded three-year-old trotters, Photo Color, but failed to make it to the Hambletonian as the colt struggled with consistency. This year, Miller began the campaign with a relatively unknown trotter, Classic Photo, who now is one of the favorites to win the upcoming Hambletonian.
"That's one thing about trotters, they can get you a little frustrated, but it's pretty rewarding when they do well," Miller said.

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Classic Photo won once in eight starts last year and was 90-1 in the season-ending Valley Victory Trot at the Meadowlands in December, where he finished second to Diesel Don. This year, Classic Photo has won five of eight races, including the $350,000 Stanley Dancer Trot on July 15, which is the final prep for the $1.7 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands Racetrack (eliminations on July 30, final on August 6). He has won four straight races and earned $431,976 lifetime.
"As a two-year-old, he was a little immature and kind of a petite horse," said Miller, who has never had a Hambletonian entry. "He just wasn't filling out the way you like to see them. That's what took me so long to get him going; I was trying to let him grow up a little more."
Classic Photo failed to crack the Top 25 in Stan Bergstein's Experimental Championship Ratings for trotters, which attempt to predict the fastest three-year-old trotters of the year and ranks them according to projected times. Ken Warkentin led the list, followed by Diesel Don and Strong Yankee. In 2004, Miller's Photo Color ranked third.
In the Stanley Dancer Trot last Friday, favorite Classic Photo won by a length over Strong Yankee while longshot Vino Camielle was third, another length back. Diesel Don went off stride at the start of the race and finished 10th.
"Strong Yankee raced well the other day," Miller said, referring to the Trond Smedshammer-trainee who won last year's Matron Stakes for two-year-old male trotters. "He's kind of a bigger horse and might take a little longer to get ready. He might be rounding into shape at the right time, too."
Classic Photo, owned by Bill Wright, Jack and Peggy Hood and Mystical Marker Farms, also won the $277,101 Goodtimes at Woodbine in Ontario. Ron Pierce has driven Classic Photo in all five of his wins this season. Classic Photo won't race again until the Hambletonian elimination races on July 30.
"Let's knock on some wood and hope he stays good for another three weeks," Miller said. "I think he's got a shot to do some good if he stays healthy. It's hard to hold them [in form] for a long time, but we haven't had to do a whole lot with him so far. Hopefully, in the next couple weeks, he'll sharpen a little more. Some of the others can go the other way, too. But I think he'll stay as good as he is. He's raced on a sloppy track, raced up in Canada, had a couple different things happen to him, and been OK. He's as sound as any horse I've had. It doesn't take much work to keep him going."
Classic Photo was purchased as a yearling for $87,000 at the Kentucky Standardbred Sale in 2002. He is a half brother to Classic Response, who won the 2002 American-National for two-year-old male trotters. He is considered undersized compared to most of the other trotters that are eyeing the Hambletonian. One exception would be Ken Warkentin, the 2004 Dan Patch winner as best two-year-old male trotter, who also is considered small.
"He's actually a little taller than that other little horse that's probably going to be the favorite," Miller said, alluding to Ken Warkentin. "He might not be as thick. I'd say he's medium, maybe a little under medium, in height. He's not a broad horse, though, but maybe that works to our advantage. He is so flawlessly gaited. He's kind of got a spring to his trot, which might be because of his size. He's got an attitude that's unbelievable. He loves his work and he loves to race."
Ken Warkentin, who was scratched sick from the Dancer eliminations, returned to action in the three-year-old open trot on Friday night at the Meadowlands and won in 1:52.3 from post 10. The time was the second fastest of the year for a three-year-old, trailing only Great George Two's 1:52.1. Great George Two is not eligible to the Hambletonian.
As for being considered one of the horses to beat in the Hambletonian, Miller is comfortable with the role. "I've won a lot more races that way than any other way," he said with a laugh.

JATE DANIELS LOOKS TO BE TOAST OF THE TOWN IN AMERICAN-NATIONAL FINAL

No matter what happens with two-year-old colt pacer Jate Daniels in Saturday's $88,000 American-National at Balmoral Park, co-owner Judith Lunsford will consider it a gift. Jate Daniels, who was bred by Lunsford and her husband, Henry, is the last registered foal out of dam Midori, who died while giving birth in April. Her foal also died.
"It was just an unfortunate event for everything," Lunsford said. "There are a lot of things that happen in the horse business that are just like what happen in life. It would be a great story if Jate could capture something like this. But no matter what happens, [Midori] left us something pretty nice."
The Lunsfords bought Midori in 2002 on the recommendation of friend Dan Shetler. The couple has a 114-acre farm in Burgin, Kentucky, where they concentrate on breaking and training down young horses for clients. One of the colts with which they worked was Jate Lobell, Jate Daniels' sire, which is how they got connected with trainer-driver Mark O'Mara, who guided Jate Lobell to division honors in 1986 and 1987. Jate Daniels, driven by O'Mara and trained by Henry Lunsford, finished second to Nifty Fellow in 1:53.3 in the American-National elims on July 16. Intendto's Majesty was third followed by Roll Bar Hanover and Winbak Bini. Favorite Joe To Go failed to advance to the final, finishing seventh. In the second elim, Winslow Gambler won in 1:53.4, followed by Ab's Beach Boy, Keystone Resident, Life Guard On Duty and Jandj Art.
"It's real exciting," said Judith Lunsford, who owns Jate Daniels with Shirley LeVin of Schaumburg, Illinois. "If he keeps improving, we'll be OK. We've been taking him along slow because he's a little bit of a late foal. I don't want to think we can go in there and win, but if the breaks go right, if we draw a nice position, that's what will be most important."
Jate Daniels has raced four times this year, with his second-place finish in his American-National elim being his best finish. Henry Lunsford won a division of the 1973 American-National for two-year-old male pacers with Timely Objection. "He was a longshot," Judith Lunsford recalled. "Everyone battled up front and he just slipped through to win it."
Perhaps Jate Daniels will follow in those hoof prints. "He's the most nice-mannered colt to be around," Lunsford said. "He's very relaxed in everything he's done. He's not studdy at all. We thought he was too good to be true. As good mannered as he is, we thought if he had speed that he would be the whole package. We're kind of getting that."

QUICK BRUSHES: The Artsplace two-year-old pacing colts Artstanding was the winner of the $175,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes final last week at The Meadowlands and his co-owner Bob Gorney was in the winner's circle with a dozen or so friends. Gorney, of Jackson, NJ, is a graduate of a USTA-sponsored seminar for prospective new horse owners in 2002. This is the richest race ever won by a seminar graduate, with about 150 of them now in the sport as owners. Gorney attended a seminar on yearling pedigree and conformation analysis and later brought in a friend, Jim Switlyk, and together the two bought their first yearling at the Standardbred Horse sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, last fall. ... The next seminars will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana (July 30), Monticello, New York (July 31) and Columbus, Ohio (August 20). Yearling seminars will be held September 10 in New Jersey and November 5 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. For information on attending them, contact Ellen Harvey at 732-780-3700 or HRCNews@ustrotting.com.
RIBBONS IN THE PINK: The three-year-old trotting filly Pink Ribbons, whose owners, breast cancer survivors June White and Nancy Greenfield donate 10% of her earnings to a cancer support center in Toledo, Ohio, put another $8,750 in that group's account on July 15. Her second place (by a nose) finish to Margarita Nights, in the Del Miller Memorial, will also mean a shot at the $750,000 the Hambletonian Oaks (eliminations on July 30, final on August 6 at The Meadowlands). So far, she has won $13,921 for the small center, which relies on a handful of fundraisers to keep going.
The Center's staff and clients keep track of Pink Ribbons through a bulletin board, which bears her photos and clippings of her exploits and watching her races on streaming video. "I thought she had it won," said Victory Center staffer Lora Johnson of her July 15 race. "I was yelling 'Come on, go!' at the computer." Johnson says there is no specific designated use for the funds yet. "Everybody here knows about the nice check we'll be getting, but I don't think it's really sunk in yet. It is so hard to get grants nowadays and if we didn't have our fundraisers and now Pink Ribbons, it would be really hard to keep going. The board really wants us out of this building. We are attached to a gas station. We have had the air quality tested four times, there is nothing that will harm anybody, but on certain days, the fumes in here aren't the greatest. The people that we rent from have been wonderful, though. We did start an endowment campaign, so... we'll have to think about putting that [Pink Ribbons] money in an endowment fund which will someday get us a building."
UPCOMING RACES:
July 22 - Tarport Hap - 3yo filly pace - $150,000 - The Meadowlands

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Rocknroll Hanover win 2005 Meadowlands Pace with new stakes record

July 16, 2005

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Rocknroll Hanover took charge down the backstretch and set a stakes record in winning the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on Saturday night.

Village Jolt was three lengths back in second, while Stonebridge Regal -- the only horse who had a chance to overtake Rocknroll Hanover -- finished third after being hampered by an equipment problem.

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Rocknroll Hanover paced the mile in 1:48 3/5, erasing the mark of 1:49 set by Mach Three in 2002 and equaled by Holborn Hanover last year in the race for 3-year-olds. He paid $3.40, $2.60 and $2.40, while Village Jolt paid $6.80 and $4.40.

``This is the best he's ever raced. He was super sharp tonight,'' said winning driver Brian Sears, who got his first Pace win. The top two finishers are both trained by Brett Pelling -- who won a record fourth Pace -- but they were not coupled in the wagering.

Stonebridge Regal, who returned $2.60, broke a hobble during the race and driver Jack Moiseyev said the equipment failure prevented the colt from mounting a better challenge.

``The left hobble was down around his knees,'' Moiseyev said. ``I knew I was in trouble.''
American Ideal, trained by Casie Coleman, finished fourth. Coleman was trying to become the first woman to train a Pace winner.

The win was the sixth in seven starts this year for Rocknroll Hanover and earned his owners $500,000. It also was his second million-dollar victory -- he captured the $1.2 million North America Cup at Woodbine outside Toronto on June 18.

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Sears looks for win in the Meadowlands Pace 2005

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Brian Sears has enjoyed instant success since his arrival at the Meadowlands two years ago, and now he's eyeing what would be his first victory in the Meadowlands Pace.

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Sears leads North American drivers this year with purse earnings over $6 million, but what's missing from his resume is a win in the $1 million Pace.

The 40-yeaar-old driver could clear that barrier Saturday with Rocknroll Hanover, the 5-2 morning line favorite from post five in the race for 3-year-olds.

Sears has not fared well in two previous Pace drives. He finished seventh with Whatanartist, part of the heavily favored entry with runner-up Armbro Animate in 2003, and was fifth last year with the well-regarded Georgia Pacific.

Sears has already won the $1.2 million North America Cup with Rocknroll Hanover and looks well positioned to take his second million-dollar prize of the season.

Rocknroll Hanover has won five of six starts this year, including the $500,000 New Jersey Classic at the Meadowlands on May 28.

``It's where you want to be, especially in my position,'' Sears said. ``Hopefully this year I can get it done. I wouldn't change horses with anyone. I'm real happy with what I got.''

The Meadowlands Pace field, in post position order with morning line odds: Village Jolt, 8-1; Leading X Ample, 5-1; Stonebridge Regal, 3-1; George At Bigs, 15-1; Rocknroll Hanover, 5-2; Cam's Fool, 6-1; Load The Dice, 15-1; Team Hutch, 10-1; Allamerican Inca, 15-1; American Ideal, 12-1.

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Morrill tries for another Meadowlands Pace upset

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Jim Morrill Jr. will relocate from New Jersey to western New York when the Meadowlands Racetrack harness season ends on Aug. 6.

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Before he leaves, however, Morrill will try to pull off another upset in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on Saturday night.

Morrill drove Holborn Hanover to an improbable victory last year in the race for 3-year-olds. Holborn Hanover returned a record $119 to win.

Morrill reunites with the same team, trainer Mark Harder and owner John Fielding, that pulled off the 2004 shocker. This time they go with George At Bigs, 15-1 from post 4.

This also would be an upset. Rocknroll Hanover, winner of five of six starts this year including the $1.2 million North America Cup at Woodbine in June, is the morning-line favorite at 5-2.
George At Bigs has only two wins in 16 starts this year but he did rally willingly to get third in last week's Pace eliminations.

``He raced good,'' Morrill said. ``He didn't get the best of trips.''
Harder concedes that ``this horse is a fringe player, but I guess Holborn was too. He deserves a chance. So much can happen.''

Morrill knows he needs another lucky trip.

``I would say it's basically going to be the same scenario,'' Morrill said. ``He's going to be long odds and he's the kind of horse that will need a ground-saving trip.''
As for the move, Morrill and his family considered it for some time. They will give up the Meadowlands, the premier track in harness racing, for the smaller tracks in Buffalo and Batavia, N.Y.

``My wife Molly and I had been talking about if for a couple of years,'' Morrill said. ``We always wanted to be up there near her family. We just felt like it was the time.''
The Meadowlands Pace field, in post position order with morning-line odds: Village Jolt, 8-1; Leading X Ample, 5-1; Stonebridge Regal, 3-1; George At Bigs, 15-1; Rocknroll Hanover, 5-2; Cams Fool, 6-1; Load The Dice, 15-1; Team Hutch, 10-1; Allamerican Inca, 15-1; and American Ideal, 12-1.

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Trainer bids for record fourth Meadowlands Pace

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Brett Pelling has three chances to win a record fourth Meadowlands Pace on Saturday night.

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Pelling, who has started a record 16 horses in the Pace, will send out three more for this running of the $1 million race for 3-year-olds. He shares the stakes record for trainers with Bill Robinson.

Pelling's trio are solid contenders, starting with Rocknroll Hanover, the 5-2 morning line favorite from post five. Brian Sears will drive.

Rocknroll Hanover has already won the $1.2 million North America Cup at Woodbine outside Toronto on June 18. He has won five of six starts this year, with the lone loss coming last week in the Meadowlands Pace eliminations where he finished second in the colt's first race since the North America Cup.

``The three weeks off might have taken away a little bit of his sharpness,'' Pelling said. ``If the season wasn't so lopsided with all these big races at the beginning of the year, I might have qualified him so he'd be a little tighter. Out of my three, he's in the best position at this point in the year.''

Pelling also sends out Village Jolt, 8-1 from the rail with Ron Pierce in the sulky, and Cam's Fool, 6-1 from post six.

John Campbell, the all-time Pace leader with seven wins, will drive Cam's Fool.

All three Pelling horses are owned in part by Jeffrey Snyder, a New York-based manufacturer and importer, but will race uncoupled in the wagering. The New Jersey Racing Commission permits splitting of entries in races worth at least $500,000.

The owners of the two Pace elimination winners, Stonebridge Regal and Leading X Ample, earned the right to make the first two post position selections. Stonebridge Regal got post three; Leading X Ample has the two.

The other eight posts were selected by a random draw.

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The Final Road to the 2005 Meadowlands Pace

The 2005 Meadowlands Pace Race is set for Saturday, July 16 at the Meadowlands racetrack in New Jersey. The Road to the Meadowlands Pace is compiled by Ken Warkentin.

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2-1, ROCKNROLL HANOVER, Brett Pelling, Jeff Snyder and Lothlorien Equest., "He's had three weeks off and had to put in a half of 53.2," said Brett Pelling after colt's 2nd in elims. "He rolled out good, and he'll be fine for next week." "He wasn't real snug tonight, but he'll be better next week," said Brian Sears.

5-2, STONEBRIDGE REGAL, Bob McIntosh, R Kaufman, Angie Stiller, R McIntosh, W Springtime, "I didn't want to be coming from last and had to take a shot leaving out of there," said Jack Moiseyev after winning his elim. "When I yelled at him he swelled up and dug right in; he never throws in a bad race."

4-1, LEADING X AMPLE, Bill Elliott, Leading X Ample Stable, "I never thought I was a winner in the last eighth of a mile, but being the good horse he is, he overcame the breaker in front of him and chased him [Cam's Fool] down," said Eric Ledford, after winning his elim.

6-1, VILLAGE JOLT, Brett Pelling, Jeff Snyder, Arlene & Jules Siegel, I think he raced terrific," said Pelling of the 4th in his elim, his first start for his new trainer. " He had to do a bit of work, but hung in there good."

8-1, CAM'S FOOL, Brett Pelling, Jeff Snyder and Lothlorien Equest., 2nd in his Pace elim. "He got a little tired in the last sixteenth, but he hasn't raced in a couple of weeks and this race will help him going into the final, " said John Campbell.

10-1, AMERICAN IDEAL, Casie Coleman, Mac Nichol, St Albert AB, Brittany, 5th in his Pace elim. "There was a little traffic from the half on, but he was able to overcome it," said John Campbell. "He needs a better draw."

10-1, TEAM HUTCH, Homer Hochstetler, Joy & Bonnie Neal Hutchison, 3rd in elim. "I guess he showed that he fits," said Hochstetler. "He's getting there, but I don't know if he can rough it with them. We took a chance; maybe it will pay off."

12-1, LOAD THE DICE, Chris Ryder, Brittany Farms & Daisy Acres, Placed 5th in his elim. "He was very good, he just got parked and had a terrible post position," said Mike Lachance. "I took a shot to get him close to the front."

15-1, GEORGE AT BIGS, Mark Harder, John D. Fielding, 3rd in his elim. "He raced good," said Jim Morrill Jr. "He didn't get the best of trips and the outside flow wasn't great."

15-1, ALLAMERICAN INCA, Noel Daley, Adam Victor & Son Stable, 4th in his Pace elim. "I tipped him out three-deep a little early," said David Miller. "This horse is starting to come around." "He had minor throat surgery after the Hoosier Cup," said Daley. "He's going to have to trip out in the final."

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