by Jonathan Marsh, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Columbus, OH — Friday’s (July 3) Historic-Dickerson Cup at the Meadowlands begins a series of races that aim the strongest 3-year-old trotting colts toward the coveted $1.5 million purse at the Hambletonian. Early Hambletonian favorite Muscle Hill might be absent, but Friday’s two divisions still will provide Hambletonian watchers with plenty of hopefuls on which to focus as all 17 horses are eligible to the big race on August 8 at the Big M.

Driver/trainer Ray Schnittker, who won the 2008 Hambletonian with Deweycheatumnhowe, isn’t too optimistic with his colts Tad The Stud and Citation Lindy.

“We don’t have as much talent as everyone else does,” Schnittker said.

Chris Gooden photo

Citation Lindy, a $90,000 yearling purchase, has won six times in 18 lifetime starts, while banking $212,246.

But he did say that Citation Lindy, a son of Cantab Hall-Benedicta Jet, would be the one to bring success if good fortune should choose to trot in his direction. He’s won three of six starts this year. Tad The Stud, a son of Windsong’s Legacy-Chocolate Layered, has yet to win a race this year in his eight starts.

“(Citation Lindy’s) got the tools,” he said.

Schnittker is hoping that his colts can stay competitive. That seems to be especially ironic considering those same thoughts are what people had towards his horse, Deweycheatumnhowe, before he won last year’s Hambletonian.

“There’s no comparison,” he said referring to “Dewey’s” superior performance. “I need a lot of luck that day.”

A trainer who might have more reason for optimism is Jonas Czernyson. His colts Hot Shot Blue Chip and Symphonic Hanover have the fastest 2009 winning times in the field heading into this weekend’s race. Hot Shot Blue Chip (Revenue S-Hustle N Muscle) holds a time of 1:53.3 while Symphonic Hanover (Cantab Hall-Sounds Swell) is only a fifth of a second behind with a 1:53.4.

Symphonic Hanover would seem to have the best shot at victory with three starts yielding two wins, while Hot Shot Blue Chip has only grabbed one of five races.

In the end, maybe it just helps to have a little money. Russell Hill, trained by Jimmy Takter, is by far the richest horse coming into the race with $179,512 in 2009 earnings. Whether or not having a fat wallet will alter this colt’s destiny has yet to be seen, but past races could be a good indication. This son of Conway Hall-Southwind Maywood has taken five victories from his seven starts.

However, his past challengers have primarily been New York Sire Stakes horses on smaller tracks. Having a more open field of competition combined with a larger track could be a potential drawback.

Last year’s William Wellwood Memorial winner Tom Cango and Matron Stakes winner Explosive Matter also are part of the Dickerson fields, as well as this season’s New Jersey Sire Stakes runner-up The Chancellor.

The field for Friday’s races at The Meadowlands are as follows:

First Division – Race 2 – Purse $51,116: 1-Russell Hill (John Campbell); 2-Tad The Stud (Ray Schnittker); 3-My Back Pages (George Brennan); 4-Cesar A Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick); 5-Windshear (John Campbell); 6-The Chancellor (Andy Miller); 7-Hot Shot Blue Chip (David Miller); 8-Broadway Bistro (John Campbell); 9-Neighsay Hanover (Tim Tetrick).

Second Division – Race 5 – Purse $50,366: 1-Road Rash (Marcus Johansson); 2-Explosive Matter (Ron Pierce); 3-Even Better Odds (Tim Tetrick); 4-The Vatican (Tim Tetrick); 5-Symphonic Hanover (David Miller); 6-Tom Cango (John Campbell); 7-Airzoom Lindy (Frank Antonacci); 8-Citation Lindy (Ray Schnittker).