from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Per Henriksen longs to win a second Hambletonian trophy, a wish that could come true this year with Clerk Magistrate.

The Hambletonian hopeful makes his next start in the eliminations for the $350,000 (est.) Stanley Dancer Memorial on Friday night, July 4, at the Meadowlands. The top five finishers in each of the two eliminations advance to the Stanley Dancer Memorial Final on July 11, the last major prep race heading into the $1.5 million Hambletonian on August 2. Clerk Magistrate drew post four in the first of the two elims, race five. Trevor Ritchie, who won the 2000 Hambletonian with Yankee Paco, has the driving assignment. Among the competitors they will face is undefeated, early Hambletonian favorite Deweycheatumnhowe.

“It’s been 22 years since Nuclear Kosmos,” said Henriksen of his first Hambletonian win in 1986. “That’s too long. I’m due and I’ve got Trevor Ritchie driving. Schittker’s horse (Deweycheatumnhowe) seems to be the best one right now, and we’ll certainly get some indication on Friday being in against him.”

Henriksen’s name is synonymous with top trotters. The 62-year-old Norwegian native won the 1986 Hambletonian with Nuclear Kosmos, the 1999 Hambletonian Oaks with Oolong, and last fall, pulled off a shocking 50-1 upset in the Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Filly Trot with Southwind Serena. He finished fourth in the 2007 Hambletonian with Please Poppy during a career season in which he trained 103 winners and earned $1.4 million.

This year he is in search of Hambletonian glory with Clerk Magistrate.

The Andover Hall colt originally sold for $40,000 as a yearling at Harrisburg and raced for Steve Elliott as a 2-year-old. Henriksen and Ann Karin Larsen, who race as Asa Farm, purchased him privately for an undisclosed sum.

“We bought Clerk Magistrate privately last November,” he said. “Ole Bock came to me, and he said he had a horse he wanted to sell and he thought he was worth the money. I looked at his race replays at the Red Mile and I liked what I saw. He was a big, clumsy colt and came home in :28 seconds there with trotting hopples. So, I went to look at the horse, I liked him and bought him. He had no issues. The only thing was he carried a little bit too much weight in his front shoes and the trotting hopples. Going from 2- to 3-years-old, I figured I could take off some of that.

“I thought I had a good horse, so I went ahead and staked him to basically everything,” he continued. “I mean, we won’t know for sure until we get there obviously. Hopefully, he’ll turn out to be really good.”

Clerk Magistrate has won four of eight starts this season, including an impressive 1:54 romp in the $274,190 Goodtimes on June 14 at Mohawk.

“I’ve been able to bring along Clerk Magistrate gradually,” Henriksen noted. “He won his first start this season in 1:59.3 at Mohawk. Then, he got a little sick on me and tailed off, but I wasn’t worried about it. I just let it take its course. He came around and now he’s a player.

“By no means was I as surprised as the betting public was of his Goodtimes elimination win (paid $34.20),” he added. “Trevor Ritchie had never sat behind him before, and I told him don’t look at his lines. He’s better than that and we haven’t seen the best of him. He went ahead and trotted his last quarter in :26 and change in his elimination. In the final, he dropped in, pulled first-over, kept the pressure on and just drew off. He came out of that race fine, and if I’m right, he’s even better now.”

Henriksen was a Meadowlands regular for decades before moving to a farm in Norwood, Ontario, four years ago.

“I don’t have a track,” he said. “I have a straightaway and a hill that I train on. I always held my own when I was down in New Jersey. I never tried to get the customers that could buy the $100,000 and $200,000 yearlings. I competed with those guys, even though I bought $25,000 and $30,000 horses.

“I knew what the slots money did up here, and since I only train trotters it’s great because they write a lot more trotting races,” he continued. “I was looking for something new. I came up here and stayed with Nat Varty for a while. I liked the area and bought a farm.”

Road to the Hambletonian – July 3, 2008

Each week, Ken Warkentin ranks the top contenders for the $1.5 million Hambletonian on Saturday, August 2, at the Meadowlands.

Rank, Horse, Driver, Trainer, Owner, Ken Warkentin’s comments
1, Deweycheatumnhowe, Ray Schnittker, T. Gewertz, C. Iannazzo, F. Baldassare and Deweycheatumnhowe Stable. Extended his unbeaten string to 11 by winning his sophomore debut in 1:53.3 — his first race in seven months. Schnittker said he was just coasting along. Post three in the first Stanley Dancer elimination.

2, Muscle Mass, Brian Sears, Erv Miller, Perretti and Blake Horse Racing. Rebounded off a break in his 2008 debut with a methodic, wrapped up rally to beat older foes on June 27 in 1:54.3. Drew post 10 in the first Dancer elimination.

3, Snow White, John Campbell, Kevin Lare, North State Street Stable, Harness The Power and Jerry Silva. Rolled into a break in her 2008 debut. John Campbell said she was unsure of herself at the gate and never trotted comfortably. Landed post nine in the second Del Miller elimination.

4, Celebrity Secret, Tim Tetrick, Staffan Lind, Celebrity Farms and Celebrity Secret Stable. Did not race last week after making it three in a row with another brave finish to take the NJSS Final in a career best of 1:54. Tackles post eight in the second Dancer elimination.

5, Make It Happen, Ray Schnittker, Eat My Dust St., Daisy Acres, H. Taylor and J. Adkins. Stablemate to Deweycheatumnhowe and Empire Breeders Classic winner finished a tight second in the Yonkers Trot final. Schnittker said he’ll be a lot better on the mile track.

6, Fuel My Muscles, Dave Miller, Randy Beeckman, Ron, Doug and Jason Allen. Did not race last week after he just missed to Celebrity Secret in the NJSS final with game grind. Leaves from post three in the second Dancer elimination.

7, Kajan Kooker, Mike Lachance, Ron Gurfein, Meinzinger, Silva and Sampson Street St. Improving son of Self Possessed finished a close third in the NJSS Final and a fast-closing second to Deweycheatumnhowe in the Dickerson Cup. Post eight in the second Dancer elimination.

8, Napoleon, Stephane Bouchard, Noel Daley, Tucci, Korn, Thomases and Guarniere. Capitalized on a late break by favored Holiday Credit to win the Yonkers Trot, a dream come true for five-time Yonkers driving champ Stephane Bouchard.

9, Big Apple Deli, John Campbell, John Simpson, Jr., Lon Frocione. Consistent colt finished second in the Empire Breeders Classic and the Yonkers Trot elimination, then third in the Yonkers Trot final.

10, Clerk Magistrate, Trevor Ritchie, Per Henriksen, Asa Farm. Did not race the past two weeks after winning his elimination and the final of the Goodtimes with miles of 1:54.1 and 1:54. Makes his Big M debut from post four in the first Dancer elimination.