by Moira Fanning, publicity director, the Hambletonian Society
East Rutherford, NJ — Nineteen 3-year-old trotters entered Tuesday for the $1 million Hambletonian, to be raced Saturday (Aug. 5) at The Meadowlands Racetrack.
Though the connections of sophomore filly Ariana G had considered racing against the colts, they eventually opted to remain in the $500,000 distaff division of the Hambletonian.
The following trotters, in alphabetical order, will draw into two $100,000 eliminations later Tuesday.
Horse-Trainer
Achille Duharas-Takter, Jimmy
Bill’s Man-Butenschoen, John
Devious Man-Miller, Julie
Dover Dan-Butenschoen, John
Enterprise-Melander, Marcus
Giveitgasandgo-Butenschoen, John
Guardian Angel As-Lorentzon, Anette
International Moni-Antonacci, Frank
Jake-Blais, Luc
Long Tom-Melander, Marcus
Perfect Spirit-Svanstedt, Ake
Seven And Seven-Durand, Thomas
Shake It Off Lindy-Antonacci, Frank
Sortie-Daley, Noel
Southwind Cobra-Burke, Ron
Southwind Woody-Burke, Ron
Stealth Hanover-Del Cid, Francisco
Victor Gio It-Takter, Jimmy
What The Hill-Burke, Ron
After the elimination heats on Saturday, the top five finishers in each elimination will advance to the final heat, with a post time of 5:11 p.m. (EDT). Elimination winners draw for inside posts 1-5 and all other finalists will then be placed in an open draw. The winner of the final is the winner.
The post positions and morning line odds will be drawn for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands during a live post position draw today (Tuesday, Aug. 1) beginning at 2 p.m.
The event will be streamed exclusively on the Meadowlands Racetrack Facebook page and YouTube channel. Fans should be sure to “Like” the Facebook page or “subscribe” to the YouTube channel in order to view the stream.
WFAN and SNY sports talk personality Marc Malusis will serve as the celebrity drawmaster.
Post positions and morning line odds will also be revealed for the John Cashman Memorial and the Cane Pace during the broadcast.
The $225,000 Sam McKee Memorial, $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and $1 million Hambletonian will be featured on a live 90-minute broadcast on CBS Sports Network from 4-5:30 p.m. (EDT) on Aug. 5.
Proof pages for the Hambletonian are available at this link and for the Hambletonian Oaks at this link.
Hambletonian Day is closing day with a post time of 12 noon, and the zenith of the Championship Meet. Fans can follow the action at www.Hambletonian.com, www.meadowlandsracetrack.com and on Twitter at #Hambo17.
For more information, visit www.playmeadowlands.com or www.hambletonian.com.
- Post positions drawn for $1.2 million Hambletonian (Tuesday, August 01, 2017)
International Moni and Devious Man on Tuesday were made morning-line favorites for their respective eliminations in Saturday’s $1.2 million Hambletonian Stakes for 3-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
- Cane Pace leads Hambletonian Day undercard (Tuesday, August 01, 2017)
The $334,325 Cane Pace, first leg of Pacing’s Triple Crown, is also raced on the Hambo Day card and drew a dozen entrants.
- Right horse, right time (Wednesday, August 02, 2017)
It was two years ago during a dinner in Lexington when trainer Frank Antonacci and driver Scott Zeron first discussed the idea of Zeron wearing the Antonacci family’s Lindy Farms colors sometime in the future. Antonacci and Zeron both thought it would be a fun idea with the right horse at the right time. International Moni proved to be the right horse. The Hambletonian Stakes trail proved to be the right time. And on Saturday, Zeron will put aside his own blue, white and red colors for the black, blue and white of Lindy Farms and sit behind International Moni in the first of two $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations as the 5-2 morning-line favorite at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey.
- Hambletonian leads big Grand Circuit card at Meadowlands (Wednesday, August 02, 2017)
Grand Circuit action takes place this Saturday (Aug. 5) at Meadowlands Racetrack with one of the biggest Grand Circuit cards of the season.
- Millers hope to be on winning side in this year’s Hambletonian (Wednesday, August 02, 2017)
Andy Miller knows how it feels to come within a neck of winning the Hambletonian Stakes. This year, he hopes to experience victory. Miller drives Devious Man in Saturday’s $1.2 million Hambletonian for 3-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands. The colt, trained by Miller’s wife, Julie, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the second of two $100,000 eliminations. The top-five finishers from each elimination return later in the day for the $1 million final.
- Melander pair are ready for Hambletonian (Thursday, August 03, 2017)
Marcus Melander has never won a Hambletonian but the 25-year-old trainer has the essence of Hambo greatness surrounding his entire being. And while the Swede does not have a favorite in Saturday’s $1.2 million Hambletonian Stakes for 3-year-olds at the Meadowlands, he does have a Tim Tetrick-driven horse in each elimination getting pretty good odds. In the 10-horse division (race nine), Enterprise is 9/2, while in the nine-horse division (race eight), Long Tom is at 3/1 odds.
- ‘A dream come true’ for Doug Paul (Thursday, August 03, 2017)
After four decades in the harness racing business, Doug Paul and his family will see a dream come true Saturday when Bill’s Man races in the $1.2 million Hambletonian Stakes at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Bill’s Man will be the Pauls’ first starter in the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters, the Hambletonian. If that were not enough, the Pauls also will make their first appearance in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, for 3-year-old female trotters, with Fine Tuned Lady.
- Seven And Seven, Jake could carry drivers to first Hambo crowns (Thursday, August 03, 2017)
Saturday’s (Aug. 5) two Hambletonian elimination races include two horses with identical morning-line odds and a driver on each looking for their first Hambo crown ever. The 8-1 shot Seven And Seven, driven by Mark MacDonald and trained by Tom Durand, will leave from post two in a field of 10 in the Hambletonian’s second elimination heat (race nine). While Jake also at 8-1, could bear Dan Dube to the winner’s circle from post nine in the first heat (race eight).
- $1 million Hambletonian broadcast live on CBS Sports Network Saturday Aug. 5 (Thursday, August 03, 2017)
CBS Sports Network will present a 90-minute telecast of the $1 million Hambletonian, live from the Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J., on Saturday (Aug. 5), from 4-5:30 p.m. (EDT). The Hambletonian is the first and most prestigious leg of the Trotting Triple Crown.CBS Sports Network, which has been the broadcast home of the Hambletonian since 2012, also will air the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, and provide coverage of the $224,000 Sam McKee Memorial Pace.
- Butenschoen looks for big day on Saturday at Meadowlands (Friday, August 04, 2017)
Coming off a career year, trainer John Butenschoen might be on his way to a career day. Butenschoen’s stable will start three horses in Saturday’s $1.2 million Hambletonian Stakes at the Meadowlands Racetrack, plus one horse in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks. This year, Butenschoen has contenders Bill’s Man and Giveitgasandgo in the first of two $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations. Dover Dan is his stable’s hopeful in the second division. Soon after the eliminations, Butenschoen will send Fine Tuned Lady into the Hambletonian Oaks.
- Lorentzon hopes to spring upsets with Guardian Angel AS and Southwind Avanti (Friday, August 04, 2017)
Despite not possessing sterling resumes or bulging bank accounts, Anette Lorentzon has faith that Guardian Angel AS, her first $1.2 million Hambletonian contestant, and Southwind Avanti, the second filly she has entered in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, will be a great source of pride after their appearances on Saturday (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands.
- Taking a look at possible challengers in Oaks (Friday, August 04, 2017)
While eyes at Saturday’s $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at the Meadowlands will likely be trained on morning-line favorite Ariana G and second choice Magic Presto, fans might want to use their peripheral vision to check out a few other possible challengers with upsets on their mind.
- Hambletonian alumni join festivities (Friday, August 04, 2017)
In addition to the race on the track, Hambletonian Day is a chance to salute champions of days gone by.