M1 - Elimination Fields Set For Hambletonian

It will take three elimination dashes to decide the field for the 2012 Hambletonian. 

Twenty-five sophomore colts and geldings were entered for Saturday’s eliminations at the Meadowlands.  The top three finishers in each, plus the richest fourth-place finisher, will advance to the $1.5 million Hambletonian final on Saturday, August 4. 

Jimmy Takter’s stable will be well-represented in the elims by Stanley Dancer Memorial winners Uncle Peter and Little Brown Fox and Dancer runner-up Guccio.  Uncle Peter, the 2011 Breeders Crown champion, wired the field in his Dancer division in 1:53.1 on July 14.  He drew post four in the first of the $70,000 Hambletonian eliminations, race five.  Little Brown Fox also crushed his Dancer competition on the front end with a sparkling 1:51.2 effort, besting his stablemate, Guccio, by three and a half lengths.  Little Brown Fox will start from post nine in the third elimination, race eight, while Guccio has post three in the second elim, race six.

Illinois invader Riccolo proved his readiness for the Hambletonian elims last week as he kept his perfect nine-race record this season in tact with a 1:54.3 win in an open trot at the Meadowlands.  Walter Paisley developed the colt, while driver-trainer Trond Smedshammer took over the reins after his recent purchase by Norwegian connections. Riccolo will start from post seven in the second elim.

Also vying for a spot in the $1.5 million final are Archangel, winner of seven straight races, including the Yonkers Trot in a 1:54.1 world record, and 2011 divisional champion Possess The Will, whose sophomore campaign was delayed due to illness.

Superstar filly Check Me Out scared off the competition for the $714,050 Hambletonian Oaks.  Just 13 others were willing to take on the 1:51.3 world record holder trained by Ray Schnittker.  The top five finishers in each $35,000 elimination will advance to the Oaks final on August 4.

The fields for the Hambletonian eliminations, Saturday, July 28 at the Meadowlands:

Race 5

PP	Horse	Driver	Trainer
1	Banker Volo	David Miller	Erv Miller
2	Possess The Will	Tim Tetrick	Jim Campbell
3	Money On My Mind	Andy Miller	Julie Miller
4	Uncle Peter	Ron Pierce	Jimmy Takter
5	Magic Tonight	Ron Pierce	Noel Daley
6	Lindys Jersey Boy	Brian Sears	Frank Antonacci
7	From Above	Corey Callahan	Greg Peck
8	Prestidigitator	Sylvain Filion	Dusty Jones

Race 6

PP	Horse	Driver	Trainer
1	Lightning Storm	John Campbell	Jonas Czernyson
2	Stormin Normand	DavePalone	Jim Campbell
3	Guccio	Jimmy Takter	Jimmy Takter
4	Beer Summit	George Brennan	Noel Daley
5	My Mvp	Mike Lachance	Tony Alagna
6	Knows Nothing	Jody Jamieson	Jeff Gillis
7	Riccolo	Trond Smedshammer	Trond Smedshammer
8	One In A Million	Brian Sears	Chuck Sylvester

Race 8

PP	Horse	Driver	Trainer
1	Big Chocolate	Homer Hochstetler	Homer Hochstetler
2	Top Billing	Andy Miller	Julie Miller
3	Delano	Ray Schnittker	Ray Schnittker
4	Gym Tan Laundry	George Brennan	Noel Daley
5	Solvato	Trond Smedshammer	Trond Smedshammer
6	Market Share	Tim Tetrick	Linda Toscano
7	Archangel	Jim Morrill	Peter Arrigenna
8	Appomattox	Tim Tetrick	Frank Antonacci
9	Little Brown Fox	Yannick Gingras	Jimmy Takter