by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
East Rutherford, NJ — Six Pack and Wolfgang won Saturday’s (July 14) $181,000 divisions of the Stanley Dancer Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters at The Meadowlands, stamping themselves as top contenders for the $1.2 million Hambletonian on Aug. 4.
Six Pack, the No. 2-ranked horse in Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian, won his division in a world-record 1:50. The time eclipsed the previous mark for a 3-year-old, which was shared by Donato Hanover and Muscle Hill. Six Pack, driven and trained by Ake Svanstedt, won by 2-1/4 lengths over You Know You Do. Alarm Detector was third.
Alarm Detector set the early fractions, leading to an opening quarter in :26.2 and half in :54.4. Six Pack and Svanstedt were third, but went on the attack and were alongside Alarm Detector as they came around the final turn. Six Pack pulled away in the stretch on his way to his fifth win in six starts this year.
“He’s a tough horse,” said Svanstedt, won last year’s Hambletonian with Perfect Spirit. “I had a lot of power when we came into the stretch. I hope he can be sound and healthy (for the Hambletonian). I’m looking forward to that.”
Six Pack, a son of Muscle Mass-Pleasing Lady, has won nine of 14 career races and earned $557,840. He is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC, Stall Kalmar FF, and Lars Berg.
Sent off at odds of 3-5, Six Pack paid $3.40 to win.
Wolfgang, the No. 1 horse in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings, won his Dancer division by 2-3/4 lengths over Classichap in a career-best 1:51.2. Zephyr Kronos finished third.
Driven by Yannick Gingras, the Jimmy Takter-trained Wolfgang sat behind an early battle for the lead between Evaluate and Hat Trick Habit before moving to the front on the backstretch. He was unthreatened the rest of the way.
Wolfgang, a son of My MVP-Summer Savory, has won all three of his starts this season and earned $200,415. For his career, he has won six of 13 races and $516,690. Wolfgang is owned by Brixton Medical Inc., Goran Falk, Hatfield Stables, and Fair Island Farm Inc.
The 4-5 favorite, Wolfgang paid $3.60 to win.