Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Big Bikkies has the speed to be a tough cookie in Saturday’s Hambletonian eliminations. The question is whether the lightly raced 3-year-old can step up — and step true — against stakes competition.

Bred and owned by the Adam Victor & Son Stable, the son of Windsong’s Legacy-Sheza Hot Cookie has one win in four races this season, earning $6,750. He went off stride in three races, but his victory was an 11-3/4 length triumph in 1:53.4 at the Meadowlands on June 25. Last week, he qualified in 1:53.1 at the Meadowlands; only Muscle Hill and Southern Rocketop have posted faster winning miles among 3-year-old trotters this season.

Muscle Hill, Southern Rocketop and Big Bikkies are the only 3-year-olds with multiple sub-1:54 win times this year.

Big Bikkies, whose name comes from the Australian slang for biscuit or cookie, was unraced as a 2-year-old. He is among three horses entered by the Adam Victor & Son Stable, along with homebred Explosive Matter and Cesar A Blue Chip (owned with Lindy Racing and Blue Chip Bloodstock).

“He’s still very immature; clearly not as ready as we’d like to be,” Adam Victor, Jr. said. “But as you can see, he is über-talented. The experience may not be there, but considering we have two other ones that we’re pretty happy with, we were willing to throw this guy in there and see if he could sneak into the final.

“In terms of speed and ability to go a mile, he’s probably right up there. And we’ve never seen the bottom yet. But it’s going to be tough to jump up and face this type of competition.”

Big Bikkies is the first foal out of Sheza Hot Cookie, who is a half sister to three-time divisional champion Mr Muscleman. The Victors also owned Mr Muscleman, who was the 2005 Trotter of the Year and earned $3.5 million in his career.

Explosive Matter has won seven of 10 career races and earned $434,910. He finished second to Hambletonian favorite Muscle Hill in his Stanley Dancer Memorial division on July 17 at the Meadowlands despite going off stride just after the start of the race.

Cesar A Blue Chip has won four of 14 lifetime starts and earned $108,058. He is coming off a third-place finish, behind Federal Flex and Mr Cantab, in his Dancer division.

“We made some shoeing changes on Cesar to try to get a little more grip on the track. But we’re very pleased with all three of our horses, knock on wood,” Victor said.

“It’s unreal for us. There are a lot of good connections and family friends (with these three horses). All we can hope for is three clean, safe races and go from there. On paper, they all have a very good shot, but you just never know. We’re just excited we’re in three decent spots and we’ll hope for the best.”

$70,000 Hambletonian Elimination – Race 7
PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer
1, Explosive Matter, Ron Pierce, Noel Daley
2, Citation Lindy, Ray Schnittker, Ray Schnittker
3, Select Yankee, Brett Miller, Jonas Czernyson
4, Reinsman Hanover, Tim Tetrick, Trond Smedshammer
5, NF Quotable, David Miller, Sam Beegle
6, Truth In Action, Tim Tetrick, Blair Burgess
7, Hot Shot Blue Chip, Mike Lachance, Jonas Czernyson

$70,000 Hambletonian Elimination – Race 8
PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer
1, Symphonic Hanover, David Miller, Jonas Czernyson
2, Judge Joe, D.R. Ackerman, Doug Ackerman
3, Mr Cantab, Andy Miller, Erv Miller
4, My Back Pages, George Brennan, Greg Peck
5, Calchips Brute, David Miller, Trond Smedshammer
6, Cesar A Blue Chip, Tim Tetrick, Noel Daley
7, Federal Flex, Jody Jamieson, Jeff Gillis

$70,000 Hambletonian Elimination – Race 9
PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer
1, Triumphant Caviar, Luc Ouellette, Chris Beaver
2, Muscle Hill, Brian Sears, Greg Peck
3, The Chancellor, Andy Miller, Julie Miller
4, Tom Cango, John Campbell, Jim Campbell
5, Braggart, Tim Tetrick, Jim Arledge
6, Big Bikkies, Andrew McCarthy, Noel Daley
7, Airzoom Lindy, Tim Tetrick, Frank Antonacci
8, Wuthering Hanover, Dave Palone, Jonas Czernyson