Market Share is 2012 Hambletonian champ

A great deal had to happen for this year’s glamour-boy trotter to be crowned champion of the sport’s most coveted prize. 

We saw the likes of him at three, first, when this blog began, in May, as Market Share easily won his Dexter Cup elimination mile easily as the 4-5 favorite at Freehold.

We went against him in the final, a good move, giving out Not Afraid and Frost Bites K. The decision was great for bettors because Not Afraid’s win price was $17 and the exacta with Frost Bites K was worth $184.80. Market Share broke and was out of the Dexter Cup Final picture.

But on Aug. 4 at the Meadowlands, there was no sign of Not Afraid or Frost Bites K as the Hambletonian Final’s field lined up. Market Share was present, leaving from post 2 after winning his elimination mile the week before, and he won the $1.5-million event.

That elimination win was strong but it included a simple touch of fate as well. Little Brown Fox, arguably a major contender for the Hambo crown, broke and was eliminated from the 2012 Hambletonian.  

The night before the Hambletonian, Little Brown Fox won the Townsend-Ackerman, a $50,000 event that featured other colts that either did not make it to the Hambo elims or final and if you believe in speed you will agree that Little Brown Fox trotted a faster mile than Market Share’s time winning the major event. 

It is a moot point, for sure, though we wish to take nothing away from Market Share’s victory, but it shows the immeasurable number of incidents that conspire to create a winner for the coveted event.

History is strewn with bad situations for some that become ingredients for successes of others and certainly Hambletonian history is not immune from such fates. Many of us recall the year Tagliabue won the Hambletonian, a victory aided by an elim misstep that knocked out one of the greatest trotters of our time, the filly CR Kay Suzie, from contention in the final. 

As well, consider what happened to Check Me Out in the Hambletonian Oaks Final. Rarely jumping in her career, she took a bad step leading in the event and lost. That race was about the only thing that could’ve stopped her from beating foes that she dominated throughout her two- and three-year-old seasons. Murphy’s Law prevailed, as fate would have it, and the worst that could happen did happen in the “Oaks.”  

Oddly enough, it was not a breaking problem that kept her from racing with the boys in the Hambletonian final, where she would definitely have been a major factor. Her connections decision to leave her race against her own sex was based upon how strenuous it would have been in the colt division considering the thick competition this year. That decision also assisted the success of Market Share and fate took other steps, so to speak, to see to it that the “safer” decision about which division the great filly should challenge was also moot and a matter of chance.  

In 2012, the sophomore-colt trotter crop is thick with competition. Certainly Market Share did not dominate from May until August, having been beaten by a lot of the colts that either made it or did not make it into the final field.  

During the season, Market Share had been beaten by Archangel, Beer Summit, Little Brown Fox, Big Chocolate and as mentioned previously, Not Afraid. All of them, except Not Afraid, who went on hiatus for unreported reasons after a scratch from the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) on May 30, are still battling for top money in the division now.  

Aside from the aforementioned Little Brown Fox victory, Top Billing, Frost Bites K and Solvato recently won lucrative PASS splits.  

Other divisional members have been riding success while off the Hambletonian grid. Coraggioso, Delano, Nothing But Class, Fashion Astral and the strangely gaited Googoo Gaagaa (the trotter with the pacing sire) could return after a few mishaps as a main divisional contender. 

Nor will Market Share’s Hambo foes lay off fighting for big purse money. We have not heard the last from Uncle Peter, Guccio and other Jimmy Takter students. And My Mvp is coming out of the second-tier category to pose threats, while Kadabra-colts Prestidigitator and Knows Nothing have more in their tanks, as do Stormin Normand, Archangel, Money On My Mind and Gym Tan Laundry.

The remainder of the season is as unpredictable as anything that has happened already to the winners and losers of either division. With no prohibitive leader of the colts and the questionable condition of Check Me Out, plenty of great racing among the sophomore trotters will ensue as the Breeders Crown countdown begins. This can only benefit bettors as the competition stays thick through the second half of the season.  

Congratulations to the Hambletonian’s first woman trainer, Linda Toscano, and to driver Tim Tetrick on his first win in the event.  

The complete archives of divisional events from May through the Hambletonian are available at the Hambletonian Society’s website.

Glamour boys and girls go head to head in trot classic

After months of prepping, the world’s 10 finest glamour-boy trotters will line up behind the Meadowlands starting gate for the 87^th running of the Hambletonian on Aug. 4. Here’s the field:

PP-Name-Driver-Trainer-Odds

1-Uncle Peter-Ron Pierce-Jimmy Takter-5/2

2-Market Share-Tim Tetrick-Linda Toscano- 4-1

3-Knows Nothing-Jody Jamieson-Jeffrey Gillis-7/2

4-Archangel-Jim Morrill Jr.-Peter Arrigenna-9/2

5-My Mvp-Mike Lachance-Tony Alagna-15-1

6-Prestidigitator-Sylvain Filion-R. Dustin Jones-12-1

7-Guccio-Jimmy Takter-Jimmy Takter-8-1

8-Stormin Normand-Dave Palone-Jim Campbell-15-1

9-Money On My Mind-Andy Miller-Julie Miller-15-1

10-Gym Tan Laundry-George Brennan-Noel Daley-30-1

It will be fairly tough, but possible, to beat morning-line favorite Uncle Peter (Cantab Hall). He will likely either take the lead or sit in the pocket and do the same move that Muscle Massive made with Ron Pierce to win in 2010.

Archangel (Credit Winner) will also look to take the lead and Market Share should get a pocket spot.

But a horse that could be the best value is Prestidigitator (Kadabra). Although people will recall or be reminded of the horrible trip he received in the elim, they probably still won’t bet heavily on him—they’ll go for the three elimination winners.

Trainer Dustin Jones has stakes experience with longshots, as Martiniontherocks gunned out of the gate from post 8 in the Breeders Crown two years back and recorded a stunning upset. So chances are that Prestidigitator will get away fourth or fifth and get a second over trip to win. Might he surprise his foes and leave to take command and keep it? Either way, he is a major player in this event.

Another horse to watch that will be afforded some great odds  is Stormin Normand (Broadway Hall). Although he barely qualified for the final, he trotted a brutal first-over journey against the speedy Archangel. Stormin Normand will likely get off the gate and settle mid-pack and close to get a minor placing; else he will be as powerful as he was against likely choice Uncle Peter during the pair’s last few contests together.

What you should know about the others:

My Mvp has trotted hot and cold these few months and though he has been competitive with the main group he has only had mild success among Pennsylvania state breds. He got into the final on the heels of the fading Riccolo and Stormin Normand’s tough trip so circumstances would have to set up for him to get the opportunity to win.

Guccio was unable to topple Little Brown Fox when that one fooled most bettors and went off over 20-1 and win in the “Dancer.” He was second to Little Brown Fox when that one won at 4-1 and even with “Fox” not in this hunt, Guccio does not appear as good as the few best mentioned; he would need a few other colts to misstep literally or figuratively to win.

Money On My Mind also gets into the final through the courtesy of some others’ faults. In the Uncle Peter win he was assisted by Banker Volo’s burnout session and Possess The Will’s inability to rebound from a terrific frosh season (though many still had faith enough to make him 5-1).

Gym Tan Laundry got into the final when once again he was our choice to win and could not satisfy our support. We have liked him from the start of the season and he collects his share of checks, racing like a professional should, he just doesn’t win. It is tough to imagine any reasonable scenario that would allow him to win this event, especially coming from the 10 hole, where a Chocolatier, a terrific horse compared to “Gym,” could not succeed a few years back.

The absence of copy relating to the filly “Oaks” should be obvious to all followers of this blog and bettors of TwinSpires. Check Me Out is easily a strong candidate for Horse of the Year, topping all editorial polls for trotters and pacers and a loss in the Oaks might not even suspend belief she would win the coveted award. However, no one feels that she will lose the Oaks, no matter the weather and no matter the improvements of any of her foes. Yes, she has been beaten before, but on this day, when she may have beaten the colts, you will have to go a long way to make a case for any of the others in the Oaks field.

Live reports from the Meadowlands on all of the stakes, in cooperation with the Hambletonian Society, will be added to this blog on Saturday, Aug. 4. Check in often for updates, insider information and late changes that affect wagering from your TwinSpires account.

Near the end of the ‘Trail’

HAMBLETONIAN DRAWS
http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/video.aspx?id=252

The destination is the Meadowlands, Aug. 3, and the colts and fillies that are left standing since the journey began in May are the only hoofs beating on the Hambletonian Trail. 

The fields are set for the Hambletonian Final and the Hambletonian Oaks Final, two events in a stakes-laden program at the Meadowlands that will be reported exclusively live through the facilities of TwinSpires and the cooperation of the Hambletonian Society. 

The eliminations, held July 28, presented berths in the coveted event and those results were not all so predictable, though the highest price winner was a hard 3-1.  

Uncle Peter won a spirited first $70,000 elimination; Knows Nothing took the second elim and Market Share won the third on a racetrack listed as “good” after rainy day on the east coast.  

Our choices, Prestidigitator (14-1), My Mvp (20-1) and Gym Tan Laundry (18-1) finished third in their respective elims, as above.

Some of the expected competitors disappointed bettors. Riccolo, recently purchased for an undisclosed amount from Illinois connections as an undefeated colt, won his first Meadowlands escapade for trainer Trond Smedshammer. But in the elim, at 7-2, he led and faded badly to finish sixth.

Possess The Will, trainer Jim Campbell’s frosh champion who was the early choice to be the Hambo winner, was 5-1 and had little excuse for a seventh-place finish against Uncle Peter, who defeated him in last year’s Breeders Crown Final.

Banker Volo gathered support late, getting a buzz loud enough to make him 3-1 against Uncle Peter and Possess The Will. He could not sustain one wide move and faded to fifth.

Stormin Normand finished fourth in the Knows Nothing victory mile, where he was the soft second choice at 3-1 to Knows Nothing, who wound up the favorite at 2-1. Stormin Normand gets into the final as the fourth-place finisher of the three elims with the most earnings.

Little Brown Fox was making a bold move when he broke and galloped out of the history books.

The “Oaks” elims went mostly at planned. The first was easily won by Check Me Out ($2.10) and the second went to Maven ($3.00).

We will analyze the races thoroughly when the post positions are official.

Trotting to glory: Hambletonian eliminations

After a year of prepping from the Breeders Crown, to the Dexter Cup and then to the Dancer Memorial, 25 of the world’s best sophomore trotters dropped into the box for the 87^th Hambletonian. Three eliminations will be held and two for the Hambletonian Oaks.  

Here are all three Hambletonian eliminations fields:

1st elimination - Race 5
HN - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1 - Banker Volo - David Miller - Erv Miller
2 - Possess The Will - Tim Tetrick - Jim Campbell
3 - Money On My Mind - Andy Miller - Julie Miller
4 - Uncle Peter - Ron Pierce - Jimmy Takter
5 - Magic Tonight - Ron Pierce - Noel Daley
6 - Lindys Jersey Boy - Brian Sears - Frank Antonacci
7 - From Above - Corey Callahan - Greg Peck
8 - Prestidigitator - Sylvain Filion - R. Dustin Jones

2nd elimination - Race 6
HN - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1 - Lightning Storm - John Campbell - Jonas Czernyson
2 - Stormin Normand - Dave Palone - Jim Campbell
3 - Guccio - Jimmy Takter - Jimmy Takter
4 - Beer Summit - George Brennan - Noel Daley
5 - My Mvp - Mike Lachance - Tony Alagna
6 - Knows Nothing - Jody Jamieson - Jeffrey Gillis
7 - Riccolo - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer
8 - One In A Million - Brian Sears - Chuck Sylvester

3rd elimination - Race 8
HN - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1 - Big Chocolate - Homer Hochstetler - Homer Hochstetler
2 - Top Billing - Andy Miller - Julie Miller
3 - Delano - Ray Schnittker - Ray Schnittker
4 - Gym Tan Laundry - George Brennan - Noel Daley
5 - Solvato - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer
6 - Market Share - Tim Tetrick - Linda Toscano
7 - Archangel - Jim Morrill, Jr. - Peter Arrigenna
8 - Appomattox - Tim Tetrick - Frank Antonacci
9 - Little Brown Fox - Yannick Gingras - Jimmy Takter

Uncle Peter (H-Cantab Hall) headlines the first elimination after a 1:53.1 training mile in the Stanley Dancer. This race is wide open but Prestidigitator (H-Kadabra) pops out as a likely price for a great horse. We dismiss his performance in the Canadian Breeders Final as he made a costly break as the 7-5 second choice. Before that, he prevailed as the favorite in four out of five starts. He should be competitive and may race even better than he did in Canada.

Also in with a shot is Possess The Will (H-Donato Hanover). After his third-place effort in the Stanley Dancer he has been getting better at three with few races getting him here; he has the right to improve. Although he has not won a race in 2012 he is still a talented trotter and should be primed to win.

Stormin Normand (H-Broadway Hall) is the best in the second elimination. But the only way he can win is if he trots soft fractions or a hard closer from far out, Guccio (H-Yankee Glide), could shoot down the center of the track to take it all. Of course, we favor that situation while predicting odds.

The best value in this race will likely be Beer Summit (H-Cantab Hall). The Goodtimes champion can always get in a good spot and pick up cover. As long as he doesn’t go first over, he could prevail.

A horse that has been under the radar is My Mvp (H-Cantab Hall). The only time he raced against the big guys was in the “Beal,” where he was an impressive fourth to Googoo Gaagaa, Stormin Normand and Little Brown Fox (H-Muscles Yankee). Other than that, he has been dominating the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes circuit. We would be very surprised if he doesn’t finish in the top three.

The third elimination is a three-horse race, between Little Brown Fox, Market Share (H-Revenue S) and Archangel (H-Credit Winner).

Capturing the number one spot on our top 20 list, Little Brown Fox is the best in the division. Chances are that he will be bet well but not the choice as Archangel also drew in to this elimination.

We will aim at an exacta with Little Brown Fox on top. Gym Tan Laundry has not done so well this year but should be primed to get a shot in the final. He made a strong first-over move after Riccolo last week in a three-year-old Open, faltering to fourth. This horse is a fighter and he’ll have to take the lead or sit second early to finish in the top three. Market Share should finish in the trifecta.

Here are the Hambletonian Oaks eliminations:

 1st Elimination - Race 3
HN - Horse - Trainer - Driver
1. Sassy Syrinx – D.M. Smith-George Brennan
2. Holier Than Thou - Jonas Czernyson- Yannick Gingras
3. Check Me Out – Ray Schnittker – Tim Tetrick
4. Superstar Hanover- Jimmy Takter-Jimmy Takter
5. Uncommon Night – Dewayne Minor-George Brennan
6. Valdonna - Jimmy Takter-Ron Pierce
7. For A Dancer – Joe Holloway-Jeff Gregory

2nd Elimination - Race 4
HN - Horse - Trainer - Driver
1. Personal Style – Richard Norman-David Miller
2. D’orsay – Jonas Czernyson-Marcus Johansson
3. Maven – Jonas Czernyson- Yannick Gingras
4. Win Missy B – Charlie Norris-Brian Sears
5. Cant Have My Moni – Frank Antonacci, Jr – Tim Tetrick
6. Dream On Hanover – Staffan Lind- George Brennan
7. Real Babe - Ray Schnittker - Ray Schnittker

Check Me Out (H-Donato Hanover) is the best in the division. If she lost for any reason, chances are For A Dancer (H-Conway Hall) would take it. If you want an exacta, Check Me Out over For A Dancer is perfect and could be a short-priced overlay. 

Maven (H-Glidemaster) headlines the second elimination. She almost beat Check Me Out in the Elegant Image. A good value in this race might be Personal Style (H-Yankee Glide). She was third to Check Me Out in the Del Miller and has won the New Jersey Sires Stakes from post 10 at the Big M. She will either win or make the final.

Who's rumblin' and ready?

Now the Hambletonian question is twofold: Which eligibles will drop into the box for the eliminations?  

We have put together a top-20 list for the colts and a top-12 list for the fillies, all based upon our surveying the divisions through this blog and the archives at Hambletonian Society’s web site. 

We will be reporting on the elim fields shortly after the draws and through TwinSpires and this blog before next weekend. 

Hambletonian Top 20

1 Little Brown Fox (Muscles Yankee) --pictured

2 Archangel (Credit Winner)

3 Stormin Normand (Broadway Hall)

4 Uncle Peter (Cantab Hall)

5 Guccio (Yankee Glide)

6 Riccolo (Northern Kid)

7 Knows Nothing (Kadabra)

8 Beer Summit (Cantab Hall)

9 Delano (Credit Winner)

10 Possess The Will (Donato Hanover)

11 Money On My Mind (Cantab Hall)

12 Top Billing (Andover Hall)

13 Market Share (Revenue S)

14 My Mvp (Cantab Hall)

15 Weingartner (Donato Hanover)

16 Banker Volo (Yankee Glide)

17 Corraggioso (Conway Hall)

18 Magic Tonight (Andover Hall)

19 Prestidigitator (Kadabra)

20 Lightning Storm (Donato Hanover)

Hambletonian Oaks Top 12

1 Check Me Out (Donato Hanover)

2 Maven (Glidemaster)

3 Win Missy B (Conway Hall)

4 On The Bright Side (Cantab Hall)

5 For A Dancer (Conway Hall)

6 Cowgirl Hall (Cash Hall)

7 Can't Have My Moni (Cantab Hall)

8 Lima Playmate (Credit Winner)

9 Superstar Hanover (Cantab Hall)

10 Personal Style (Yankee Glide)

11 Anandamide (Credit Winner)

12 Sassy Syrinx (Yankee Glide)

Decisive battles for both sexes north and south

H = Hambletonian eligible.  

With the elims for the Hambo and Hambo Oaks nearing, some hopefuls are all out for big checks from Canada and U.S. action on July 21. 

The Canadian Breeders Championships (CBC) offer two divisions, one for each sex, with the fields best still looking to get in the classic action at the Meadowlands. 

Leading the colt mile, worth $159,058, is Prestidigitator (H-Kadabra), the star of the three hopeful sons by Kadabra in this field. Aiming directly at the Hambo elims, this colt has been primed to cash as many bucks as possible before going to New Jersey. There might not be much of a price but he may dominate this group with ease before departing the Great White North. 

The other two are Il Mago (H-Kadabra) and Knows Nothing (H-Kadabra).  

Three filly hopefuls go in the $1,66,373 CBC final, with our choice, Miss Paris (H-Kadabra) on her mission to get back to the Meadowlands. She will have to deal with Frisky Strike (H-Striking Sahbra) and I’m On Cloud Nine (H-Angus Hall) but that may not be enough to stop her.  

Two divisions for colts and two for fillies make up the Tompkins-Geers stakes that same day in New York as Tioga Downs hosts the soph events.  

The top colt in the first $33,497 mile is the only hopeful and the best in the field, Coraggioso (H-Conway Hall). He should be out for a jog.  

In split two, worth the same amount, four of six eligibles appear for battle. We like Duluth (H-Chocolatier) of the quartet. From the inside he appears to be in a spot that can overtake the big choice, Archangel (H-Credit Winner) at a price.  

Astarisborn Hanover (H-Donato Hanover) and No Frosting (H-Credit Winner) will also ride along.  

Both filly splits are worth $33,747. The first invites Cowgirl Hall (H-Cash Hall) to win another with an easy inside trip. The other two eligibles are not of her ilk: American Lassie (H-American Mike) and Latte Hall (Conway Hall) are probably not going to show up for the big dance, in our opinion.  

Split two for the femmes has a pair of eligibles. We once again support Fancy (H-Conway Hall), although she draws outside of Lady Andi (H-Andover Hall).  

Get to TwinSpires for wagering all of the great races leading to the Hambletonian and “Oaks” and read all the result stories at Hambletonian Society’s exclusive “trail” section.

Trotters to tango in ‘Dancer’ and ‘Miller’

H = Hambletonian eligible.

To complement the Meadowlands Pace program, the $303,500 Stanley Dancer Memorial and the $245,500 Del Miller Memorial attract the country’s top trotters to the Meadowlands on July 14.

In the first “Dancer,” Uncle Peter (H-Cantab Hall) comes off an easy winning effort in the PA All-Stars. Making his return off a layoff is Vic Smith (H-Yankee Glide). He comes off a good qualifier, finishing second to free-for-all trotter Hot Shot Blue Chip in 1:54.3. He was a little green at the beginning of the year and looks to come back sharp.  

Also with a shot is Appomattox (H-Yankee Glide). He finished fourth against older horses in a conditioned event at the Meadowlands and before that finished second to Corraggioso (H-Conway Hall) in the Dickerson Cup. This field is fairly weak and the Antonacci trainee may get his time to shine tonight.  

Also eligible are From Above (H-Donato Hanover), Dandover (H-Donato Hanover), Big Chocolate (H-Chocolatier) and Banker Volo (H-Yankee Glide).  

Possess The Will (H-Donato Hanover) and Googoo Gaagaa are stamped as likely favorites in division two. Gym Tan Laundry (H-Yankee Glide) comes off a surprising effort in the Goodtimes. He took the lead and was able to hold on to third at 161-1. As long as he gets the top or sits second, we could likely see a upset.  

Also in with a shot is Guccio (H-Yankee Glide). Although he broke against conditioned trotters last week, he has a resume of talent before that. As long as he stays flat, he will likely get a good trip and close hard.  

Also eligible are Money On My Mind (H-Cantab Hall), Epic Tale (H-Donato Hanover), Little Brown Fox (H-Muscles Yankee) and One In A Million (H-Donato Hanover).  

Check Me Out (H-Donato Hanover) headlines the Del Miller after strolling around the half-mile oval at Yonkers to smoothly win the $185,194 Hudson Filly Trot. She is listed as the one to beat and in our books (and in all books); she is the one that can’t be beat.  

But if you want to go against her or find a good horse for second, look at On The Bright Side (H-Cantab Hall). She jogged in the Pennsylvania All-Stars, winning in 1:54.3. On The Bright Side has hit her peak and should continue to provide success.  

Also watch Lady Andi (H-Andover Hall). Although she was disappointing in the Casual Breeze, she has gotten her act together. She won her Pennsylvania All-Stars for fun in 1:55.1 as the 6-5 favorite. She should be sharp and ready to trot this week.  

Also eligible are Personal Style (H-Yankee Glide), Sterling Volo (H-Donato Hanover), Win Missy B (H-Conway Hall), Superstar Hanover (H-Cantab Hall) and Quarentine S (H-Varenne).   

Get to TwinSpires for wagering all of the great races leading to the Hambletonian and “Oaks” and read all the result stories at Hambletonian Society’s exclusive “trail” section.