by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — When Ray Schnittker won the Hambletonian with Deweycheatumnhowe in 2008, he became one of a handful of trainer-drivers to win the event over the past 25 years.

This year, he can do something unprecedented. If Cassis is victorious in Saturday’s $1.5 million Hambletonian, Schnittker will be the first trainer to win both the Hambletonian and million-dollar Meadowlands Pace in the same season. Schnittker’s One More Laugh won the Meadowlands Pace on July 17.

Five trainers have won both races, in different years: Steve Elliott, Blair Burgess, Chuck Sylvester, Bill Haughton and Ray Remmen.

“I think we’re looking real good,” Schnittker said. “The horse, he’s been racing a lot, but he’s coming in really strong. Yeah, I’ve got a good chance of winning. He’s no Dewey, that’s for sure, but he’s a very nice horse; real nice to drive and real handy. Hopefully we get a good trip (Saturday).”

Cassis, driven by Tim Tetrick, who coincidentally also piloted One More Laugh, won his elimination race by 1-1/4 lengths over Temple Of Doom in a career-best 1:52.4. Wishing Stone was third. Cassis’ time was the fastest of the three Hambletonian elims.

“He was good,” Tetrick said. “He’s very game. He trotted all the way through the wire; he was very strong. I’m very happy going into the big race.”

Lisa photo

Cassis won the fastest Hambletonian elimination, scoring in 1:52.4 for driver Tim Tetrick.

Cassis has won eight of 10 races this year and been no worse than second. He came to the Meadowlands’ mile oval with the reputation of being a small-track ace — a status enhanced by shattering the track record at Goshen Historic Track’s half-mile oval by more than two seconds — but seems to be comfortable on the big stage, too.

In his first race at the Meadowlands on July 17, Cassis finished second to He’s A Demon in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial. Cassis was beaten by a neck in 1:53.1.

“I put aluminum shoes on him and thought we might get a couple fifths of a second more out of him,” Schnittker said. “I don’t know if it was that, or just his second start on a big track. Some go the other way and some get tougher. Hopefully, he gets even tougher next week. Right now we look as good as anybody. We’ll see what happens.”

There is no doubt in Schnittker’s mind what would happen if the Hambletonian was raced on a half-mile track.

“He’d crush them,” Schnittker said. “They would never beat him there. He’s real clean gaited. He probably could have won at Goshen in (1):54 that day.”

In addition to winning the Hambletonian with Deweycheatumnhowe, Schnittker drove both Armbro Trick (2000) and Armbro Plato (1997) to third-place finishes. When he won with Dewey, Schnittker joined Roger Hammer, Trond Smedshammer, and Stefan Melander as trainer-drivers to win the Hambletonian since 1983.

Cassis won his first career race, a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event at The Meadows, before finishing fifth in a Reynolds Stakes division at Pocono Downs. He was limited to those two starts last year because of a bone chip in a knee, but came back strong this season.

“I guess you get spoiled after Dewey, but (Cassis) is a very, very good horse,” Schnittker said.

After momentary reflection, Schnittker upped the appraisal.

“He might be a great horse,” he said, adding with a grin, “He wins a lot.”