Hambletonian
Memories
by Jay Bergman for the Hambletonian Society
Growing
up in a big city there were few things to be envious of.
We
had it all.
Well,
as harness fans we had two of the sport’s most iconic tracks in Yonkers and
Roosevelt Raceways, but when it came to the sport’s signature event, The
Hambletonian, we were miles from where it was
happening.
In
the fall of 1976 The Meadowlands ushered in a new era for the sport. For those
of us “half-milers” the one-mile strip had the allure of all of those speedy
tracks in the Midwest that annually held State Fairs accompanied by the
greatest the sport had to offer. The Grand Circuit’s mile tracks gave the sport’s
stars the opportunity to race in heats and generally race faster than they
would anywhere else.
It
just seemed natural that industry leaders would find a way to blend our rich
tradition with our obvious future.
In
1981 the Hambletonian arrived at the Meadowlands under less than ideal weather
conditions. It arrived with many of the same faces that graced the Grand
Circuit. It also came with an advanced purse structure more befitting the
character the sport had attained in the New York City region.
It
would be simple to start the history lesson with Shiaway St. Pat’s victory.
It’s nice that Ray Remmen, the winning driver remains one of the most respected
horsemen at the Meadowlands to this day.
Yet
my story begins with a man who never won a Hambletonian. However, Carl Allen
was hardly a loser that afternoon. He guided longshot Olaf to victory in one
heat of the Hambletonian and also guided Pams Key to victory in a heat of the
Hambletonian Oaks.
Allen’s
saga in the Hambletonian is similar to most trotting horsemen. He wanted to win
the race more than any other. In 1995 most people thought his time had finally
arrived. The homebred C R Kay Suzie was the best filly of her generation and an
odds-on favorite to beat the boys in the Hambletonian after capturing the
Yonkers Trot.
Sure
there was a genuine family story line with Carl’s son Rod driving the filly.
There was also some dissent because C R Kay Suzie would race with trotting
hopples. Purists far and wide (and most Europeans) believed that no true
trotter should wear hopples and that they should be prohibited from use in the
sport’s most elite race.
Maybe
like all great inventions, 1995 was too soon for the gear Carl Allen had
modified and maximized to be fully accepted.
That’s
the only plausible reason I can imagine as to why C R Kay Suzie made a break
that day as the 1-10 favorite in her Hambletonian elimination.
Over
the 32 years at the Meadowlands the race has evolved when necessary to more
accurately resemble challenges of the day. What has never changed is the
openness and availability of the race to those from North America and overseas.
The universal appeal of the Hambletonian is something that was nurtured and
grew at the Meadowlands.
It’s
hard to imagine another race having the same allure that would draw a Ulf
Thoresen (Nuclear Kosmos 1986) or a
Stefan Melander (Scarlet Knight 2001) to come to these shores and succeed.
One
would have to think that location, location, location is a major reason why Canadians
based in Ontario made the pilgrimage to East Rutherford and enjoyed the
ultimate prize in 2000 (Yankee Paco), 2003 (Amigo Hall) and again in 2006 with
Glidemaster.
It
is this type of diversity that has set the Hambletonian apart in its stay in New
Jersey. In DuQuoin the greats of the sport were prominent with the Dancers and
Haughtons winning with regularity. The canvas has been spread much wider since
the race arrived in the metropolitan New York area.
While
the race isn’t going anywhere for some time, the 2013 edition marks the last
time the horses will cross the wire in front of the current grandstand. With
building fast reaching its completion the 2014 Hambletonian’s finish wire will
be on the current backstretch.
Much
like the Hambletonian, however, the shift in grandstand will do little to shift
the drama and excitement the race creates for the sport each and every year.
It’s
hard not to look back and recall some of the greatest moments in the sport’s
long history taking place in the Hambletonian or on Hambletonian Day. It’s a
race that has been filled with epic drama.
In
1983 for example Hall of Famer Stanley Dancer’s stable would suffer a crippling
blow in July when likely Hambo favorite Dancers Crown would succumb to severe
intestinal issues. Dancer enlisted his brilliant filly Duenna to fill the void
and her victory was bittersweet to all. The 1983 Hambletonian was the first to
offer a $1 million purse putting it on similar footing with many of the
Meadowlands other signature events.
It
was hard to argue with the Meadowlands brass when they called upon the
Hambletonian Society to shift eliminations to a week before the final. That
move took place in 1997 and it was in response to the creation of a week-long
Hambletonian Festival, adding Breeders Crown races, maximizing betting and
attracting international simulcasting. Still it was sad at the time to see an
end to what appeared to be a time-honored tradition of heat racing.
One
of the most exciting periods for the race in New Jersey came in the mid-90’s
with the emergence of Valley Victory as a unique and powerful presence in the
stallion ranks. Valley Victorys hit the ground trotting and changed the
landscape dramatically with Victory Dream (1994), the filly Continentalvictory
(1996) and Muscles Yankee (1997).
But
1999 may stand out as one of, if not the greatest, crop of trotters the sport
has seen. At least that’s the way it appeared to be shaking out leading up to
the Hambletonian that year. Self Possessed’s (by Victory Dream) 1:51 3/5
record-setting performance on that afternoon still stands out not just for the
final time but for the quality of the horses that the colt left in the dust
that afternoon.
Vivid
Photo and Roger Hammer winning the 2005 edition was a moment in time few will
forget. For me Roger Hammer seemed the least likely candidate to emerge from
the fairs of Pennsylvania onto the big stage. What made this race special is
the obvious miscalculation of the experts. Hammer had been known for most of
his career as a driver who liked the front end. When he employed the opposite
strategy in the first $1.5 million Hambletonian (of his or any other driver’s
career) it fulfilled the “No Guts, No Glory” prophecy.
It
certainly seemed fitting that horses bred in New Jersey would be good enough to
take on the world. Muscles Yankee had a streak of his own with his sons
Deweycheatumnhowe (2008), Muscle Hill (2009) and Muscle Massive (2010)
distinguishing themselves for varied reasons. Deweycheatumnhowe became the
first colt to win the race wearing the trotting hopples Carl Allen had
mastered.
Muscle
Hill set the world record of 1:50 1/5 in a dynamic performance that winning
trainer Greg Peck still hasn’t stopped talking about. And Muscle Massive became
the most expensive yearling ($425,000) to win the race.
The
race returns to eliminations and final on one afternoon, for two trips around
the course this Saturday afternoon. Though the Hambletonian has moved venues in
the past, the next chapter in the race’s rich history remains on sound footing.
In
an era were few things remain the same for long, it’s refreshing that in this
case tradition has triumphed with New Meadowlands home sweet home for the
Hambletonian.
