Walner sets stakes record, Long Tom wins second division in Stanley Dancer Memorial
July 15, 2017,by Lou Monaco, for the Hambletonian Society
East Rutherford, NJ — Walner did not disappoint. The 1-9 favorite and defending Dan Patch Award and Breeders Crown winner cruised to a 3-1/4 length victory over Devious Man in a stakes-record 1:50.2 in the $159,000 first division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial for 3-year-old male trotters at the Meadowlands Saturday night (July 15). Bill’s Man finished third and Common Parlance finished fourth.
Walner eclipsed the previous stakes mark of 1:50.4, set by The Bank in 2015.
Driven by Tim Tetrick and starting from post eight in an eight-horse field, the likely Hambletonian favorite took control early after a :28 opening quarter and is now 2-for-2 in his 3-year-old campaign, extending his win streak to seven dating back to September of last year.
The Chapter Seven-Random Destiny colt has also won nine of 10 career races for owner Ken Jacobs and trainer Linda Toscano.
“He’s an amazing animal, that’s all I can say. He really does (love what he’s doing). He thinks it’s fun. Timmy said he was really good and he just gets sharper every week,” said Toscano. “(The Hambletonian) is a horse race. I’m going to fly under the radar as best I can and take care of the horse and hope he takes care of us.”
Tetrick and Toscano have each won one Hambletonian, which came as a team with Market Share in 2012.
“Absolutely no racing (prior to the Aug. 5 Hambletonian). We will probably have a real easy week for him this week and then take it week to week,” added Toscano. “I train him like a Thoroughbred. He seems to get ready and responds off very little work and that’s the way we are going to keep it.”
Walner paid his backers a modest $2.20, $2.10 and $2.10 for his efforts.
Long Tom, the 3-5 favorite, took to the rail in mid-stretch and drove past What The Hill by a length to take the $161,500 second division, giving Tetrick a Dancer sweep.
Long Tom has won four of his last five starts and is a Hambletonian contender.
Long Tom paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10 for the win. Meteoric, a 50-1 long shot, was third, while Shake It Off Lindy rounded out the top four.
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