by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — Unfortunately he does not have a horse contesting Saturday’s $1.5 million Hambletonian, but conditioner Jim Campbell does have Tango Dancer prepared for the $437,000 Merrie Annabelle Final and Neal all set for the $500,000 Peter Haughton.

“We are just excited that both horses made it to their respective finals and that we have a chance to compete,” said the 48-year-old Jackson, New Jersey, resident, who captured the 1995 Hambletonian with Tagliabue and last year’s Hambletonian Oaks with Broadway Schooner.

Tango Dancer is a Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Broadway Hall-Giant Step, who was bred and is owned by Jules and Arlene Siegel of New Hope, Pa. The filly was placed in last year’s Harrisburg Sale, but was bought back after going through the ring for only $1,500. In four lifetime starts, she has earned $26,111 with one victory and one third place finish.

Her lone triumph came in a $47,422 division of the Meadow Gladys, a Pennsylvania Sire Stake event at The Meadows on July 2. In Tango Dancer’s next two starts, a $26,700 division of the Reynolds Stake at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on July 10 and a $12,500 conditioned race at the Meadowlands on July 21, she broke stride behind the gate on both occasions and finished seventh and then eighth.

The breaks propelled Campbell to equip the filly with trotting hopples for the Merrie Annabelle eliminations on July 29 and she went on to finish third in her $20,000 elimination behind Hey Mister and Grace Marie. She will leave from post eight with David Miller in the bike in Saturday’s final, which is carded as the third race.

USTA photo

Trainer Jim Campbell has starters in both the Merrie Annabelle and Peter Haughton Memorial finals on Saturday.

“She is nicely gaited, but maybe a little bit immature,” he explained. “She trained down nicely all winter and never really did anything wrong, but it’s the time of year where we are going for larger purses and while hopples don’t prevent breaking, they decrease the chances of it, so we decided to put them on her and she made the final.”

Tango Dancer’s stablemate, Neal, who is also owned by the Siegels, was purchased as a yearling at last year’s Lexington Selected Sale for $150,000. The New York-bred son of Credit Winner-Lavern Lavec has faced the starter on two occasions with a win in a $33,591 division of the Milt Taylor Trot on July 8, which is a New York Sire Stakes event held at Yonkers Raceway, and a second in his $20,000 Haughton elimination on July 30 to the undefeated Leader Of The Gang. To date, he has earned a little more than $20,000.

The colt will leave from post three in rein to Jim’s brother and Hall of Fame driver, John, in Saturday’s $500,000 final, which is race six.

“Just like the filly, he trained down very well all winter and never did a single thing wrong,” Campbell said. “He’s a very nice-mannered colt and we will see how everything goes for him in the final.”

If both horses come out of their races well, they are eligible for most of the big stakes for their age, gender and gait throughout the fall.

“They are staked to everything,” Campbell said. “Lexington and then the Breeders Crown. As I said earlier, neither one of them has really done anything wrong and all we can do is see what happens. We are definitely thrilled we have the opportunity to compete in the finals with other talented horses.”

$437,000 Merrie Annabelle Final
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Hey Mister-Brian Sears-Jeffrey Webster-4-1
2. Thatsnotmyname-John Campbell-Jimmy Takter-9-5
3. Creme De Cocoa-D.R. Ackerman-D.R. Ackerman-12-1
4. Refuse To Lose-Yannick Gingras-George Teague, Jr.-15-1
5. Redwhitenbluestone-Ron Pierce-Greg Peck-8-1
6. Grace Marie-George Brennan-Greg Peck-8-1
7. Fitness Girl-Tim Tetrick-Steve Elliott-5-1
8. Tango Dancer-David Miller-Jim Campbell-15-1
9. Medusa Blue Chip-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Robert Horowitz-15-1
10. Angelette Hanover-Daniel Dube-Trond Smedshammer-15-1

$500,000 Peter Haughton Memorial Final
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Pastor Stephen-Yannick Gingras-Jimmy Takter 7-2
2. Leader Of The Gang-Ron Pierce-Jimmy Takter-2-1
3. Neal-John Campbell-Jim Campbell-8-1
4. Charlie De Vie-Mike Lachance-Oyvind Hegdal-10-1
5. Magnum Kosmos-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Tabitha Teresczuk-15-1
6. Orlando-George Brennan-Don Swick-12-1
7. Evil Urges-David Miller-Homer Hochstetler-8-1
8. Broad Bahn-Brian Sears-Noel Daley-5-1
9. The Lindy Reserve-Tim Tetrick-Frank Antonacci-15-1
10. Whit-Andy Miller-Homer Hochstetler-20-1