Dexter Cup starts the sulkies rolling for August

The Hambletonian Trail is now opened for business and it is filled with road bumps and rabbit holes and a herd of horses, colts and fillies, hungering for crowns in the August classic. 

As we have for some years now, in cooperation with TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society, we bring you top betting analysis for the eligible colts and fillies of the Hambletonian and the Hambletonian Oaks. Each race along the "Trail" involving the possible contenders will be handicapped and offer contenders from our wagering experiences over the past few decades.

May is here and thus, we begin with the colts.

Saturday, May 3 brings on the boys and a single mile into the $115,370 Dexter Cup. 

The event this year presents eight soph colts, with five raring to start on the Trail. Certainly there will be a strong focus on the first soph product of Hambo-champ Muscle Hill—King City (also-eligible Well Built did not make the final). 

King City has only been out twice, with one second, but the Jonas Czernyson trainee is obviously aimed at making a lot of noise down the Trail. Well Built may be out of this one but the Chris Ryder barn looks to build a strong contender in him for the classic in future events.

Tom Fanning’s Sumatra is one of two Muscles Yankee kids—Dave Briggs the other—that is just getting started at three. “Briggs” has already won two and hails from the productive Jimmy Takter barn. Sarcastic Man, by Tom Ridge, has to deal with post 8 at Freehold for trainer Gail Wrubel. He won the prep elim last week at 12-1 from post 7 with 13-1 King City on his tail, getting second. Well Built was the favorite but he broke at the gate and was eliminated. Sumatra, the crowd’s second choice, was third. Well Built’s bust knocked out “Briggs,” “Wish” and non-eligible“Derby.”

Schnittker’s Sheer Action, from post 5 in the final and a non-eligible, had the toughest trip of the prep, being forced outside while avoiding runners and reaching the top by a nose at three-quarters. He travels uncoupled from a 9-1 three-prong entry last week and will be much higher than that in what could be a terrific upset. 

We have to go with Sheer Action, though he won't be a participant in the August classic. He may have the goods on this group on this day and will be a price worth backing.