Hightstown, NJ – Annie Stoebe came into this year enthusiastically looking forward to racing an established star among older trotters, the 5-year-old mare Elista Hanover, and a highly regarded Hambletonian Stakes contender, 3-year-old colt trotter Diabolic Hill.
Both of those horses will be in action on Saturday (May 23) at the Meadowlands, but since last week the trainer has found another reason for excitement this season.
Three-year-old colt trotter Mega Shark, who like stablemate Diabolic Hill is Hambletonian eligible, got his first career win on May 15 at the Big M, stopping the timer in 1:51.3. The clocking is tied for the fastest of the season by a 3-year-old male trotter.
The other sophomore male trotters to win in 1:51.3 this year? Spencer Hanover and Endurance, who finished 1-2 in last week’s $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby and are ranked second and third, respectively, on Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian.
“Last week made it a little more exciting now knowing we have two Hambo horses in the barn,” Stoebe said. “(Mega Shark) definitely got the gold star of the week.”
Mega Shark was winless in seven races last year before being turned out in September to be given time to mature. Purchased for $185,000 at the 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, the son of Tactical Landing-Megadolce comes from a family of late developers. His mother and half-brother Grande Via both were winless as 2-year-olds but were stakes winners at 3 and earned more than $100,000 lifetime. His family also includes Bella Bellini, who was winless at 2 but won the Hambletonian Oaks the following year and received the Dan Patch Award for best sophomore female trotter.
“With his pedigree, we didn’t expect a lot of him at 2, but he went a mile in (1):54-and-a-piece and showed us some talent,” Stoebe said. “He was big – long and gangly at 2 – but he showed us he could do it, so we gave him time to grow into himself. He came back big and beautiful; he really grew into his Mega Shark name. And then he went that insane mile last week. I didn’t expect to see (1):51 yet, maybe in a week or two, not his second start. But we knew that horse was in there.
“He’s a gorgeous horse, and so easy to do everything with. He’s a happy horse to be around. He’s just a dude.”
Mega Shark, who was second in his seasonal debut at Harrah’s Philadelphia on April 24 when a breaking horse caused interference exiting the final turn, returns to the Meadowlands on Saturday to compete in the first of two $25,000 opening-round divisions of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Platinum series for 3-year-old male trotters. Tim Tetrick will be in the sulky behind Mega Shark, leaving from post 1 in a field of six for owner Mazza Racing Stables.
Four other horses in the race are Hambletonian eligible: Practical Man (trained by Tom Fanning), Nix Nacken (Marcus Melander), Gabes Luck (Nancy Takter) and Nordic Dancer S (Ake Svanstedt). Nix Nacken is No. 7 in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings. The Grade 1 Hambletonian, America’s Trotting Classic, is Aug. 8 at the Big M.
Diabolic Hill, who is No. 4 in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings, will make his seasonal debut in the second Platinum division. He will leave from post 1 with driver Todd McCarthy. Last year, the son of Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream battled immaturity issues but won five of 10 races, including the Valley Victory Stakes (G1) at the Big M, and was second in the Breeders Crown (G1) for freshman male trotters on his way to $505,636 in earnings.
“This year, his whole attitude is different,” said Stoebe, who owns Diabolic Hill with Mario Mazza and AC Crawford Racing Stable. “He matured so much mentally over the (winter) and grew up into a gentleman. All the naughty stuff is gone and he’s just 100 percent business. He’s very focused. He didn’t have that attribute last year. That’s what has me so excited about him.”
Diabolic Hill will face four other Hambletonian-eligible foes in his six-horse field: American Power (Melander), Gustav (Takter), Kingmen (Per Engblom) and Ardonne (Megan Scran). American Power is No. 9 and Ardonne, last year’s William Wellwood Memorial (G1) winner, is No. 10 in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings.
Stoebe also will send out Classic Pickle in a $10,000 division of the NJSS Silver series for sophomore male trotters. Stoebe owns the son of Tactical Landing-Classic Martine, who won in 1:55.1 on May 8 at the Meadowlands, giving Stoebe’s partner, Jeremy Morrison, his first-ever driving victory at the Big M.
“He’s the happiest horse I’ve ever met in my life,” Stoebe said. “He’s our baby. When Jeremy got his first Meadowlands win on Pickle, it made it 10 million times more special.”
Earlier in the card, Elista Hanover will compete in the first of two $30,000 opening-round divisions of the Miss Versatility Series for older female trotters. Last year, the daughter of International Moni-Evermore counted the Hambletonian Maturity (G1) among her three wins and finished second in the Breeders Crown Mare Trot (G1) and Graduate Series (G2) final. She earned $532,951 for owners Lynn Curry, Philomena Curry and Stoebe, pushing her career total to $1.01 million.
In the sulky will be Andy McCarthy, who took over the driving of Elista Hanover following David Miller’s return to Ohio this past winter. McCarthy and Elista Hanover finished fourth in their seasonal debut on May 15 at the Meadowlands. They will leave from post 5 on Saturday in a six-horse field that includes returning Dan Patch Award-winner Warrawee Michelle.
“Every horse has their quirks, and I wouldn’t say (Elista Hanover) is a super-easy horse to drive in a race,” Stoebe said. “So, Andy is getting to know her. That’s the biggest transition, in my mind, this year. I can tell that he already loves her. David loved her too. It’s so nice to have someone else behind her that appreciates and loves her just as much as everyone else. He’s so excited about driving her this year and I think it will show in these next couple starts.”
Stoebe, who went on her own in 2021 with a stable of three horses, now has 22 in training. Ten are 2-year-olds.
“It’s surreal for me,” the 38-year-old Montana native said. “Being someone that wasn’t born and raised in this business, I’ve had to find my way to where I am on my own. Now, I have some amazing horses and amazing people surrounding me. I wouldn’t have ever imagined that I would have the caliber of horses that I have in my barn. I take so much pride showing them off on social media. Yeah, I love to race, but we put so much work into them, I love showing them off because they’re so special.”
Saturday’s stakes-laden 15-race card at the Meadowlands also features NJSS Platinum and Silver divisions for 3-year-old female trotters plus NJSS Platinum and Silver finals for 3-year-old male and female pacers.
Racing begins at 6:35 p.m. (EDT) at the Meadowlands. For free TrackMaster past performances, visit the Meadowlands website.