by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Ice Machine, who is unbeaten in two races this season, drew the rail for Saturday’s (May 7) $160,850 Dexter Cup, which features an eight-horse field at Freehold Raceway.

The Dexter Cup, for 3-year-old trotters, is the first major prep race on the road to August’s $1.5 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands. Six of the Dexter entrants are eligible to the Hambletonian.

Joining Ice Machine in the field, in post position order, are Winuendo, Justa Jersey Boy, Marcus Bi, Whitewater Rapids, Buzz Bomb, Musclelaneous, and Gordo Hall.

David Miller is listed to drive Ice Machine for trainer Charlie Norris and owner Bob Key. Ice Machine has won twice against older horses in overnights at The Meadows, with his most recent victory coming in a lifetime best 1:58 for driver Mike Wilder. For his career, the colt has won four of 12 starts and earned $45,651.

“I really like the horse,” Norris said. “He’s had some easy races; he really hasn’t had to be stretched out. He’s in top form going into the race, so I look for him to do well.”

Last year, Ice Machine won a division of the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga Downs and the Horseman-Ralph Wilfong Trot at the Indiana State Fair, but battled growing pains and was off the board in his final five starts of the campaign.

“He had a little colt soreness here and there and needed to be shut down,” Norris said. “I trained him down in Florida this winter and gave him a good foundation and he’s come back very well. He’s pretty unproven yet, but he’s definitely a nice horse.”

Ice Machine, a son of Muscles Yankee-Icy Pleasure bred by Key, is among the Hambletonian eligibles in the Dexter.

Trainer Ray Schnittker, who won last year’s Dexter Cup with Flex The Muscle and has captured the event five times in his career, has three horses entered. All three are eligible to the Hambletonian, which Schnittker won in 2008 with Deweycheatumnhowe.

Leading the way is Whitewater Rapids, who was a neck shy of defeating Dejarmbro in last year’s New York Sire Stakes championship. He won two of 10 races and made $102,694 for the campaign. Winuendo, who was second in last year’s New Jersey Sire Stakes final at Freehold and third in the sire stakes final at the Meadowlands, and Harold Dancer Stakes runner-up Musclelaneous complete Schnittker’s trio.

Other Hambletonian eligibles are Jim Meittinis’ Buzz Bomb and Jimmy Takter’s Gordo Hall. Takter won the Dexter in 2009 with Anders Bluestone and 2008 with Holiday Credit, as well as in 1994 with Mr Lavec.

Here is the field, in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers:

$160,850 Dexter Cup
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Ice Machine-David Miller-Charlie Norris
2-Winuendo-George Brennan-Ray Schnittker
3-Justa Jersey Boy-David Miller-Paul Jessop
4-Marcus Bi-Daniel Dube-Richard Bilach
5-Whitewater Rapids-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker
6-Buzz Bomb-John Campbell-Jim Meittinis
7-Musclelaneous-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker
8-Gordo Hall-Jimmy Takter-Jimmy Takter