by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — The Ray Schnittker Stable might not possess a single standout in the 3-year-old trotting ranks, but it may have something even better: Depth.

Schnittker, who drove and trained Deweycheatumnhowe to the 2008 Hambletonian and Trotter of the Year honors, will send three horses into Saturday’s (May 8) $156,000 Dexter Cup at Freehold Raceway and also three horses into Tuesday’s (May 4) Wyoming Valley Trot at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

“I’ve got a good group,” Schnittker said. “They were real nice as 2-year-olds and have come back good. It’s probably for sure my deepest group. It’s probably as deep as most people ever have. They’re all very nice colts.”

Leading the way is Shaq Is Back, who on May 1 won the Dexter Cup elimination by 3-1/2 lengths over Senor Glide in 1:57.2. George Brennan drove Shaq Is Back while Schnittker handled Margarita Man, who failed to reach the Dexter final (finishing sixth in the elim) after banking $105,868 last year on the New York Sire Stakes circuit.

The top three finishers from the elim — Shaq Is Back, Senor Glide and Mamas Boo Bear — will join Big Stick Lindy, Celebrity Blue Chip, Flex The Muscle, Indefensible and Take My Picture, who all received byes, in the final. Big Stick Lindy and Flex The Muscle also are part of the Schnittker Stable.

Nigel Soult photo

Shaq Is Back held off Jetblue Volo by a half-length in their Bluegrass division last fall at The Red Mile.

Last year, Shaq Is Back won five of 11 races (and finished second on four occasions) while earning $204,657. He won a division of the Bluegrass Stakes and was second in the New York Sire Stakes championship. The Dexter elim was his first start this year.

“He’s a nice horse,” Schnittker said. “He was always good on a half, so he should be in pretty good shape. He was a good horse all last year and he came back good. (Flex The Muscle) and Shaq should be 1-2, hopefully. It depends how we draw.”

Flex The Muscle is 1-for-1 this year, winning an overnight in 1:55.1 at Pocono Downs on April 23, and won five of 13 starts last season. His lifetime earnings are $101,395. Big Stick Lindy also is 1-for-1, with a 1:58.1 victory at Saratoga, after picking up three triumphs in 11 races in 2009. A full brother to 2002 Dan Patch Award winning filly Pizza Dolce, he has earned $129,756 in his career.

“I’ve got a good threesome going in there,” Schnittker said about the Dexter.

Tuesday at Pocono, Schnittker’s Cassis could grab the headlines. Cassis was limited to two starts last year because of a bone chip in a knee, but is well thought of by Schnittker. Cassis has won three of four lifetime races and earned $38,523.

“He’s come back real strong,” Schnittker said. “If he holds together, he’s a very nice horse.”

Shaq Is Back, Flex The Muscle, Big Stick Lindy and Cassis all are eligible to the $1.5 million Hambletonian in August.

“They’ve all got shots,” Schnittker said. “They’re in the ballpark. They’re in the top 20. I don’t know if they’re top five, but they’re definitely top 20.”

Following is the Dexter Cup field in alphabetical order, with most recent drivers and trainers listed: Big Stick Lindy, Ray Schnittker, Schnittker; Celebrity Blue Chip, George Brennan, Staffan Lind; Flex The Muscle, Schnittker, Schnittker; Indefensible, Steve Smith, Jonas Czernyson; Mamas Boo Bear, Smith, Karen Garland; Senor Glide, Daniel Dube, Jimmy Takter; Shaq Is Back, George Brennan, Schnittker; Take My Picture, David Miller, Taylor Gower.