OT: 100th Hambletonian

[bac2therac]

It has definitely diminished in stature as a New Jersey event in the past decade since the days of the 80s and 90s where throngs of 35K-40K packed the apron at the Meadowlands but it is still the biggest race and biggest day in harness racing and now celebrating 100. Remember when Scarlet Knight won in 2001with Stefan Melander, well now his nephew Marcus Melander sends out 4 including the favorite Super Chapter who is 5 for 5 this year. But his best horse may be Maryland. The 2 YO champ from last year and winter book favorite has not won in 4 tries this year but 4 seconds and each one has been better than the last. Top driver Dexter Dunn has been driving both had the choice between the 2 and opted with Maryland which says alot. Yannik Gingras picks up the drive on Super Chapter. The Hambo Oaks figures to be a wide open affair. As usual the undercard is packed with all the big stakes. This will be my 38th Hambo in 40 years, only missing the 2000 edition for a wedding and the covid year edition in 2020.

I like Maryland with Maximum Mearas and Super Chapter in the Hambo and Conversano with Delaney Hanover in the Oaks

$1 million USD Hambletonian Stakes (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Meshuggah - Bjorn Goop - Marcus Melander - 20-1
2. Super Chapter* - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander - 5-2
3. Emoticon Legacy* - Louis-Philippe Roy - Luc Blais - 4-1
4. Maryland - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander - 3-1
5. Maximus Mearas S - Scott Zeron - Lucas Wallin - 6-1
6. Nordic Catcher S* - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt - 9-2
7. Gap Kronos S - Tim Tetrick - Ake Svanstedt - 20-1
8. Blank - Andy McCarthy - Marcus Melander 25-1
9. Greenma - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer - 25-1
10. Go Dog Go - Todd McCarthy - Carter Pinske - 10-1

$500,000 USD Hambletonian Oaks (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Miss Belmar* - Andy McCarthy - Noel Daley - 5-2
2. Deja Blu - Yannick Gingras - Nancy Takter - 5-1
3. Sound Judgement - Kevin Oscarsson - Jim Oscarsson - 20-1
4. R Charm - David Miller - Linda Toscano - 10-1
5. Delaney Hanover* - Scott Zeron - Lucas Wallin - 3-1
6. Conversano* - James MacDonald - Juan Cano - 9-2
7. Aperfect Annie - Todd McCarthy - Carter Pinske - 20-1
8. Walspea - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer - 12-1
9. Champagne Problems - Dexter Dunn - Nancy Takter - 6-1
10. Torrisi - Tim Tetrick - Nancy Takter - 20-1

 

[tru2ru1]

The Hambo was better, in my mind, when they ran heats & then faced off in the final heat.

 

[bac2therac]

The Hambo was better, in my mind, when they ran heats & then faced off in the final heat.

Definitely but the breed has changed somewhat where speed especially at 2 is emphasized leaving them less durable.

The 2 or 3 horse runoff from the early to mid 80s were always an interesting watch

 

[tru2ru1]

Definitely but the breed has changed somewhat where speed especially at 2 is emphasized leaving them less durable.

The 2 or 3 horse runoff from the early to mid 80s were always an interesting watch

It is not the breed changing it is the training, if they still ran heats then the training would be towards endurance more than speed

 

[bac2therac]

It is not the breed changing it is the training, if they still ran heats then the training would be towards endurance more than speed

The Little Brown Jug is the only race remaining with heats and that's on the pacing side

 

[PiscatawayMike]

It has definitely diminished in stature as a New Jersey event in the past decade since the days of the 80s and 90s where throngs of 35K-40K packed the apron at the Meadowlands...

Boy, do I miss those days...

Everything changed with casinos popping up everywhere, then online gaming.

 

[bac2therac]

Boy, do I miss those days...

Everything changed with casinos popping up everywhere, then online gaming.

Those were the days

NJ blew it in the early to mid 2000s when casinos started to pop up in ny and pa which really damaged the horse industry in NJ. There looks to be one final push to allow casinos outside of AC in 2026 or 27 and that would fortify the Big M and resuscitate the NJ breeding industry

 

[bac2therac]

the real question is will NJ voters approve it, last time they struck it down 3-1..but this time NJ pols likely will be behind it not against it...nyc is getting casinos in Manhattan...that is the kind of stuff that will cripple AC. A casino at the Meadowlands next to American Dream and then perhaps some real top notch ameneties would be able to keep some of that money in the state

A game changer for New Jersey racing – The Meadowlands could get a casino

As reported by John Brennan for The Jersey Vindicator, Nine years after Jersey voters nixed casino gaming anywhere outside Atlantic

harnesslink.com

 

[JC_in128]

Just a little off topic, but the clip does show it is possible for a Scarlet Knight to win it all. Just sayin. Now back to your previous discussions…..sorry for the interruption.