ROAD TO THE WINNING KEY FARM HAMBLETONIAN (G1)
2026 Top Ten – Week 7 – June 17
The 2026 Winning Key Farm Hambletonian (G1) will take place Saturday, August 8
East Rutherford, NJ – Apex wins again and remains #1 this week but big shakes in #2-10. Diabolic Hill moves up to #2 after his second place finish in the NJSS Final and Big Ranger moves into third off another track record. Neighver Punt moves up to #5 off his Goodtimes upset while a 1:50 world record performance moves Nix Nacken back onto the list at #8.
| Rank | Horse | Driver, Trainer, Owner | Ken Warkentin’s Comments | |
| 1 | Apex (Walner) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander. Jeffrey Snyder, S R F Stable, Steve Stewart | Dan Patch Award winner rallied from post 11 to finish second by a neck to stablemate American Power in 3YO debut June 5, final quarter in :25.2, held off Diabolic Hill for a new mark of 1:50.3 in NJSS Final, not in to go | |
| 2 | Diabolic Hill (Muscle Hill) | Todd McCarthy, Annie Stoebe, Mario Mazza, AC Crawford Racing Stable | Won Big M qualifier in 1:53.3 on May 8, wire-to-wire in 1:53.2 Big M qualifier May 29, first over third 3YO NJSS debut June 5, hard-charging second in NJSS Final June 12, not in to go | |
| 3 | Big Ranger (In Range) | Tim Tetrick, Anette Lorentzon, Madison Global | 2025 Ohio Horse of the Year broke in 3YO debut, fourth in Oak Grove Derby elim, wire-to-wire in Silver consolation in 1:52.3, set Scioto Downs track record 1:51.2 in OHSS May 25, underwent a barn change before another track record of 1:50.3 in OHSS division @ Scioto Downs with Tim Tetrick, not in to go | |
| 4 | Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven) | Jason Bartlett, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Synder, Arthur Pronti | Breeders Crown champion won Oak Grove Derby elim in 1:53.4 in 3YO debut, equaled 1:51.3 track record in final, then a 1:53.3 romp (track good) in NYSS @ Vernon Downs May 25, made it four-for-four in 2026 dominating EBC in 1:54.4 June 12, not in to go, second leading money winner this season pointing for Yonkers Trot | |
| 5 | Neighver Punt (Bar Hopping) | Mattias Melander, Marcus Melander, M Biasuzzi Stable Inc | One of five Marcus Melander trainees in Top Ten, suddenly blossomed @ three upsetting a Goodtimes elimination in career best 1:51.4, stormed to upset final in 1:52, not in to go | |
| 6 | Magic Punk (Wishing Stone) | Yannick Gingras, Ake Svanstedt, Magic Punk Inc. | 1:53.1 stakes record Dexter Cup in 3YO debut, fourth (1:54.1), romped to a new mark of 1:51.1 in first Goodtimes elim, second (1:52.2) as beaten favorite in final, not in to go | |
| 7 | Endurance (Captain Corey) | Andrew McCarthy, Christopher Beaver, Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, Mark Moger | Unleashed track record equaling 1:51.3 in Oak Grove Derby elim in 3YO debut, then a gallant second in final, dominated PASS division in 1:51.4 June 6, did not race last week & not in to go | |
| 8 | Nix Nacken (Muscle Hill) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc. | 1:52.2 Grand Circuit winner at two, just missed in a NJSS Silver Division June 5, then romped to an astounding 1:50 world record for 3YO geldings in that final, not in to go | |
| 9 | American Power (Walner) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc | Rallied in :26.3 to win Garden State division May 16, won NJSS Platinum Division in 1:54.3 (sloppy track) May 23, took new mark of 1:52 in NJSS June 5, third (1:51.1) in NJSS Final, not in to go | |
| 10 | Highland Destiny (Greenshoe) | Scott Zeron, Nancy Takter, Highland Thoroughbred Farm | Unraced at two, now four-for-four as a sophomore, winning PA Allstars division in 1:52 May 18, then a PASS division @ Pocono in 1:54.1 June 6, did not race last week & not in to go | |
KEY PREP RACES
Hambletonian Eligibles in Caps
| Date | Stakes | Site | Winner | Driver | Trainer | 2nd Horse | 3rd Horse | Time |
| May 2 | Dexter Cup | M | MAGIC PUNK | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | Southwind Alamo | WHO’S EYES BLUES | 1:53.1 |
| May 4 | Oak Grove Elim | OG | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | Geologic | IMPOSSIBLE BI | 1:53.4 |
| May 4 | Oak Grove Elim | OG | Silverstein | Dave Miller | Matthew Burkholder | REQIUEM | KINGMEN | 1:52.3 |
| May 4 | Oak Grove Elim | OG | ENDURANCE | Andrew McCarthy | Christopher Beaver | AI | NIX NAKEN | 1:51.3 |
| May 8 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | Captain Vodka | Ridge Warren | Robert Baggitt, Jr. | GREENARROW HANOVER | HAMLET HALL | 1:54.3 |
| May 8 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | Fineline Hanover | Ridge Warren | Ron Coyne, Jr. | Dilly Hanover | R TOMMY COLLINS | 1:53.2 |
| May 16 | Battle of Bunker Hill | PR | NEBBIOLO | Sarah Svanstedt | Ake Svantedt | MIDWIND CHIMP | Water Slide | 1:54.2 |
| May 16 | Oak Grove Derby | OG | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | ENDURANCE | REQUIEM | 1:51.3 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | MR PENNER | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | MINOAN | Captain Vodka | 1:52 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | HIGHLAND DESTINY | Scott Zeron | Nancy Takter | JIM BEAM | DOLLAR DRAFT | 1:52.2 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | Fineline Hanover | Todd McCarthy | Ron Coyne, Jr. | NEIGHVER PUNT | Confident Volo | 1:52.2 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | GABES LUCK | Scott Zeron | Nancy Takter | MEGA SHARK | PRACTICAL MAN | 1:55.3 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | King Of The Wind | Joe Bongiorno | Joe Bongiorno | MAGA HILL | NEVER SAY DIE | 1:55.2 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | AMERICAN POWER | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | KINGMEN | ARDONNE | 1:54.3 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | TRILLION TIMES | Jason Bartlett | Per Engblom | Ice Fall | Be Positive | 1:57.3 |
| May 25 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | SEVENATO | Trond Smedshammer | Trond Smedshammer | WHO’S EYES BLUES | Highway Six | 1:54 |
| May 25 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | Titan’s Mischief | SECURED | 1:53.4 |
| June 5 | NYSS 2nd Leg | TD | READ THE ROOM | Sarah Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | Highway Six | TWIN B SEVEN SINS | 1:53.2 |
| June 5 | NYSS 2nd Leg | TD | Silverstein | Matt Kakaley | Matthew Burkholder | AI | SEVEN GRAND | 1:53.3 |
| June 5 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | AMERICAN POWER | Mattias Melander | Marcus Melander | APEX | DIABOLIC HILL | 1:52 |
| June 5 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | MAGIC PUNK | Yannick Gingras | Ake Svanstedt | Strobe Light | WOLFPACK CROWN | 1:52.1 |
| June 5 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | NEIGHVER PUNT | Yannick Gingras | Marcus Melander | Touchedbyanangel | Royal Captain | 1:51.4 |
| June 6 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | ENDURANCE | Andrew McCarthy | Christopher Beaver | Geologic | HAMLET HALL | 1:51.4 |
| June 6 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | HIGHLAND DESTINY | Scott Zeron | Nancy Takter | MINOAN | Captain Vodka | 1:54.1 |
| June 12 | NJSS Final Platinum | M | APEX | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | DIABOLIC HILL | AMERICAN POWER | 1:50.3 |
| June 12 | NJSS Final Silver | M | NIX NACKEN | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | King Of The Wind | MAGA HILL | 1:50 |
| June 12 | EBC Division | Ver | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | TWIN B SEVEN SINS | SEVEN GRAND | 1:54.3 |
| June 13 | Goodtimes Final | MO | NEIGHVER PUNT | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | MAGIC PUNK | Strobe Light | 1:52 |
| June 24 | NYSS 3rd leg | Buf | ||||||
| June 26 | Yonkers Trot Final | Y | ||||||
| June 26 | Currier & Ives | Mea | ||||||
| July 4 | Reynolds | M | ||||||
| July 4 | Reynolds | M | ||||||
| July 11 | Stanley Dancer | M | ||||||
| July 11 | Stanley Dancer | M | ||||||
| July 19 | Zweig Memorial | V | ||||||
| July 23 | NYSS 4th Leg | Y | ||||||
| July 25 | Tompkins-Geers | M | ||||||
| July 25 | Tompkins-Geers | M | ||||||
| Aug. 1 | Hambo Elim | M | ||||||
| Aug. 1 | Hambo Elim | M |