by Dean A. Hoffman

Vivid Photo has won six times in 20 starts this season, but three of his victories have come in his last four starts.

“He’s as good now as he has ever been,” said trainer-driver and co-owner Roger Hammer after Saturday night’s win in an $85,000 leg of the Classic Series.

Vivid Photo has certainly been good the last two seasons, as he’s banked $1,963,120 for Hammer and partner Todd Schadel. His biggest win, of course, was in last year’s $1.5 million Hambletonian Final over the same track where he won on Saturday night.

Rosecroft Raceway Photo

Vivid Photo has scored three victories in his last four starts, including wins over Mr Muscleman and Sand Vic.

Vivid Photo scored his first wins of the 2006 season in May at the Meadowlands, and he added a third victory in an invitational trot at Rosecroft in early June.

Thereafter, he was winless for five than five months as Sand Vic dominated the aged trotting ranks in North America.

Despite not winning, Vivid Photo went some remarkable miles, picking up checks in many of his races. He was beaten only a neck by Sand Vic in the $800,000 Breeders Crown in late July.

His next race was even more impressive, if less remunerative. In the $300,000 Nat Ray on Hambletonian Day, Vivid Photo started from post 10, and was parked three-wide the opening half-mile as Hammer rushed him into contention.

Vivid Photo challenged pacesetting Sand Vic around the final turn, but was unable to catch him in the stretch. He finished fourth, beaten 1-3/4 lengths, and timed in 1:52.3. Horsemen and fans applauded the heroic effort Vivid Photo put into that race.

He was not as good in August and September, but set all the fractions in the Allerage Farm Trot at the Red Mile in early October, being nipped by Sand Vic in 1:51.4.

That set up Vivid Photo for a rematch with Sand Vic in the $100,000 Patriot Invitational six days later at Colonial Downs. This time there was no catching the gelded son of S J’s Photo. He stepped to the front at the start of the race and hit the wire in 1:50.2, equaling the fastest trotting mile ever, recorded by Tom Ridge in 2004.

Vivid Photo later defeated Mr Muscleman at Vernon Downs and finished fourth in the Classic Series at Dover before his triumph win on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Although his big Hambletonian victory last year was an off-the-pace effort, Hammer usually sends his brave trotter to the front at the start. That was his strategy on Saturday.

“I just figured I wanted to be on top when Sand Vic made his move so I could take off,” Hammer said in the winner’s circle. “I figured I’d be on the engine and out foot them home.”

That’s a strategy that makes Vivid Photo very difficult to catch when he’s in top form, as he obviously is now. He is now less than $18,000 away from passing $2 million in career earnings.

His next start is the $250,000 Classic Series Final at Dover on Nov. 27.