by Ken Warkentin, for the Meadowlands Racetrack

East Rutherford, NJ — The $1.5 million Hambletonian is Saturday (August 4) and eliminations are five weeks from this Saturday (June 23).

We are tracking the top contenders and rating their performances on the major stakes trail to harness racing’s greatest day. From our Winterbook Top 10, the list of prospects grew to about 30 as many have served up some strong performances already.

The primary focus this Saturday will be on the $500,000 Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial Final at Pocono Downs. The horse to beat is the world champion Googoo Gaagaa (1:51.3), who is not eligible to the Hambletonian. Future Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter qualified three colts for the final.

1. Check Me Out won the $519,400 Elegantimage Stakes at Mohawk. The outstanding filly by Donato Hanover did it the hard way, first over, and held off arch rival Maven in a track record of 1:52.1. Tim Tetrick drove the Ray Schnittker trainee to her third straight win. “I knew it was really tight,” said Tetrick. “My filly kept fighting all the way to the wire. I give Maven tons of credit, she fought tooth and nail, and it was a great horse race all the way down the lane.”

2. Uncle Peter was forced wide off dull cover and roared home to finish second (timed in 1:51.4) to Stormin Normand in the second Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination. The Breeders Crown upsetter had previously beaten last year’s PASS champion Stormin Normand with a career best of 1:53.4 at The Meadows. Ron Pierce drove for Jimmy Takter, who declared this Cantab Hall colt the best he’s ever had.

3. Magic Tonight finished fourth (timed in 1:53.3) and was left in the wake of Googoo Gaagaa’s world record of 1:51.3 in the first Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination. He had previously shattered The Meadows track record and romped in his second straight PASS with an impressive eight length score in 1:52.4 (two-fifths off a world record) with Ron Pierce driving for trainer Noel Daley.

4. Little Brown Fox finished second (timed in 1:53), beaten seven lengths in Googoo Gaagaa’s world record mile of 1:51.3 in the first Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination with trainer Jimmy Takter in the bike. The Muscles Yankee colt was coming off a decisive win in the NJSS Final at the Big M in a career best 1:53.3 after winning a division in 1:54.1.

5. Beer Summit capitalized on a perfect second over trip to score an upset ($19.20) in the $343,980 Goodtimes Final with Ron Pierce in the bike for trainer Noel Daley. The Cantab Hall colt equaled the Mohawk track record of 1:52.2. He had finished second to Market Share in his elimination, and last month won two straight PASS events.

6. Guccio had no chance from post eight in the Goodtimes Final, yet closed widest from tenth to within a length and a quarter in a :26.2 final panel (race timed in 1:52.3) with Jimmy Takter driving. He had previously rallied for second behind stablemate Little Brown Fox in the NJSS Final, and also romped in a division in 1:55.1.

7. Market Share was the beaten favorite in the Goodtimes Final. He was forced wide from an impossible spot and finished a hard-charging fifth, beaten only a length (timed in 1:52.3). He had won his elimination in 1:53.2. He was also the beaten favorite in the NJSS Final, finishing third after setting a rated pace, and had previously won a NJSS division by nine lengths in 1:53.1 for trainer Linda Toscano.

8. Stormin Normand won the second Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination in 1:51.4, only a fifth off Googoo Gaagaa’s world record set two races earlier. Dave Palone drove the son of Broadway Hall, and it was only his second start of the season with Lasix added. Palone won last year’s inaugural Beal with Dejarmbro. The stablemate to Dan Patch Award winner Possess The Will (Jim Campbell) won the PASS Championship at two in 1:54.3 at Pocono Downs.

9. Possess The Will, the 2011 Dan Patch Award winner and stablemate to Stormin Normand, is entered in a qualifier this Thursday at the Big M after sickness set back his schedule a few weeks according to trainer Jim Campbell, who has a pair in the Top 10 now. The top earner among last year’s freshman trotters won the Valley Victory, and went two-for-two in Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile.

10. From Above makes his sophomore debut from post nine in race four on June 22 at the Big M. Finished second to Open class trotter Likeabatoutahell in his third qualifier (timed in 1:56, last quarter in :26.4). He won his second qualifier at the Big M in 1:54.2, last quarter in :27.1 with Tim Tetrick after finishing second in his first qualifier of the season. The son of Donato Hanover won back-to-back Grand Circuit stakes at The Red Mile at two for trainer Greg Peck (Muscle Hill).

Other Contenders

Vic Smith is entered in an overnight on June 22 at the Big M with post six in race four. The freshman NJSS champion broke and finished ninth in the NJSS Final. The son of Yankee Glide had won his 2012 NJSS debut in 1:55.3, then lost by a nose to Little Brown Fox in 1:54.1 for Andy and Julie Miller.

My MVP finished third (timed in 1:52) to Stormin Normand in the second Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination. He won a division of the PASS at The Meadows in 1:55.1 over Beer Summit and Solvato. Mike Lachance drives the son of Cantab Hall for trainer Tony Alagna.

Gym Tan Laundry set a strong pace from post nine and finished a surprising third in the Goodtimes Final at 99-1, beaten only a half-length. He had finished fourth in his elimination, and was a well beaten sixth in the NJSS Final for trainer Noel Daley.

Lightning Storm went two-for-two to begin 2012 with back-to-back miles of 1:53.3 and 1:53.4 at the Big M. Last week the Peter Haughton elimination winner finished fourth (timed in 1:52.2) in his Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination behind Stormin Normand. Jonas Czernyson has sent out six Hambletonian finalists in the last four editions.

Delano won a division of the NYSS in a Buffalo Raceway track record of 1:57 for Ray Schnittker. He bounced back from making a break and finishing eighth in the Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs. The son of Credit Winner started 2012 by going wire-to-wire in a NYSS in 1:54.4 at Tioga Downs.

Archangel won his a division of the NYSS at Buffalo Raceway in 1:57.3 with a flat tire. Broke his own Vernon Downs track record by winning the Empire Breeders Classic in 1:53.1 with Jim Morrill, Jr. driving for trainer Peter Arrigena, and won his elimination in 1:53.4.

Coraggioso cruised to a lifetime best of 1:54.3 in the $63,489 Historic at Tioga Downs. The son of Conway Hall, co-owned by legendary announcer Tom Durkin, finished second in the Empire Breeders Classic for trainer/driver Phil Fluet, and won a NYSS division at Tioga Downs in 1:55.4.

Solvato finished a well beaten fifth behind Googoo Gaagaa in the first Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination. Owns a win in a PASS division in 1:53.2 at Harrah’s Philadelphia for Trond Smedshammer.

Knows Nothing offered a decent rally and finished fourth in the Goodtimes Final after going undefeated in five starts, and winning his Goodtimes elimination in 1:53.4 for Jody Jamieson and Jeff Gillis. Unraced at two, his sire Kadabra will enter the Canadian Hall of Fame in August.

One In A Million won his 2012 debut with a mighty sweep from post 10 in 1:55.2 on June 15 for Brian Sears and Chuck Sylvester, who has won four Hambletonians. He’s right back in to go with post eight in race four at the Big M on June 22.

Flyhawk Jester finished a well beaten fifth in the Empire Breeders Classic after setting the pace and finishing second in his elimination as the beaten favorite. Previously had a second to Archangel in a NYSS at Tioga Downs for trainer Tyler Raymer.

Big Chocolate made another break and finished fourth in a qualifier at Vernon Downs on June 8. Had made a break for the second straight start and finished seventh in the NJSS Final at the Big M, and had previously won a division in 1:54.3.

Appomattox finished second to Coraggioso in the Historic at Tioga Downs on June 17. He rallied from post nine to win his 2012 debut in 1:56.1 on June 1 at the Big M with Tim Tetrick driving for trainer Frank Antonacci.

Money On My Mind has post seven in race four on June 22 at the Big M as part of an entry with Vic Smith. Finished a well beaten sixth (timed in 1:52.3) in the second Earl Beal, Jr. Memorial elimination for Andy Miller. Also finished a distant second in Magic Tonight’s 1:52.4 track record in the PASS at The Meadows (timed in 1:54.2). He was second by a head in last year’s William Wellwood Final.

Royal Shyster finished sixth in his Empire Breeders Classic elimination. The NYSS champion switched to trainer Noel Daley this season and was second to Googoo Gaagaa in the Simpson at the Big M. Entered in a qualifier on Thursday.

Top Billing recovered from an early break and finished fourth in a PASS division at The Meadows. The Spring Survivor winner at the Big M finished a close second to Solvato in a previous division at Harrah’s Philadelphia for Andy and Julie Miller.

American Gangster made an early break and finished seventh as the beaten favorite in his seasonal debut at Pocono Downs on June 15. He had won a qualifier at the Big M in 1:55.4, final quarter in :27.4. As a freshman, he set a Mohawk track record of 1:54.4 in his William Wellwood elimination for trainer Chris Oakes.

Prestidigitator romped in his second qualifier at Mohawk in 1:56, last quarter in :27.1, with Sylvain Filion driving on June 11. Capped his freshman season by winning the OSS Super Final for trainer Dustin Jones.

Pekoe Fashion was the Matron Stakes winner at two was entered in a qualifier at Harrah’s Philadelphia on June 19. The stablemate to Possess The Will and Stormin Normand for Jim Campbell finished seventh against older stock on April 20 at the Big M after winning both qualifiers.

Weingartner lit up the board in the Peter Haughton Memorial last year for Jimmy Takter, but hasn’t started yet in 2012.

Power Play broke and finished sixth on June 1 at the Big M after he romped in his 2012 debut in 1:55.3 for trainer Steve Elliott.