EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ Pinkman won the 90th Hambletonian on Saturday,
giving trainer Jimmy Takter a fourth training victory in world-famous trotting
classic.
Takter
continued his domination of Hambletonian Day at Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
He swept both the $1 million Hambletonian and the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks
for a second straight year.
In 2014, it
was Trixton in the Hambletonian and Lifetime Pursuit in the Oaks.
This time it
was Pinkman in the Hambo, and Wild Honey in the Oaks.
Brian Sears
fell into the winning drive with Pinkman when Yannick Gingras opted to
handle the filly Mission Brief in the final.
Gingras
steered both Pinkman and Mission Brief to victories in the eliminations earlier
that afternoon.
Faced with a fateful
decision, Gingras opted for Mission Brief.
That set up
Sears for his third Hambletonian win.
“Opportunity
knocked,” Sears said. “It was great they gave me the call. What a pleasure the
horse was to drive. You’re always a little nervous the first time you drive a
horse in race like that, but he was pretty much push button.”
Takter failed
to convince Gingras that Pinkman was his best choice.
“I tried to
tell him you’re making a great mistake,” Takter said. “And I was right. Pinkman
is just such a fighter. He’s not impressive, but he gets it done every
time.”
Both Pinkman
and Mission Brief were divisional winners last season. Fittingly, the
Hambletonian came down to those two around the final turn.
Sears and
Pinkman got the early jump, moving to the lead down the backstretch. That left
Mission Brief with a prolonged first-over bid.
The filly was
game but Pinkman prevailed by three quarters of a length.
“I knew I
didn’t have enough at the top of the stretch,” Gingras said. “You have to give
it to Pinkman. He’s a great horse and he’s a winner.”
Pinkman posted
his 14th victory in 17 starts to cap another fantastic Hambletonian
afternoon for Takter.
And it left
Ron Burke, Mission Brief’s trainer, still looking for his first Hambletonian
win. This was as close as the meet’s leading trainer has come.
“She raced
really good,” Burke said. “If things shook out a little differently, the result
might be different. She was the only one still going forward at the wire.
She really gave it her all.”
Pinkman paid
$4.60 to win as the 9-5 second choice. The time was 1:52 2/5. The gelding is
owned by Christina Takter, John & Jim Fielding, Joyce McClelland and Herb
Liverman.
Uncle Lasse
was third followed by The Bank as Takter horses finished first, third and
fourth, good for $700,000 of the $1 million at stake.
Pinkman
overcame post 10 to take first elimination in 1:51 2/5, equaling the world
record for 3-year-old geldings on a mile track with The Bank second.
Donatomite,
Habitat and Jacksons Minion also advance to the final.
Pinkman paid
$5.60 to win.
Mission Brief
took the second elimination by 4 ¾ lengths over long shot Albebaran Eagle in
1:51 3/5.
French
Laundry, Uncle Lasse and Wings of Royalty also made the final.
$500,000
HAMBLETONIAN OAKS 3-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Wild Honey,
owned by many of the same members of the Pinkman team, won the companion event,
giving trainer Takter a fifth Oaks.
“This little
filly overcame her size,” Takter said. “She’s not a very big filly but she’s
got a big heart. She gives her all every time.”
Gingras put
Wild Honey on the lead midway down the backstretch and she took it from there,
securing a 1 ¾ length victory over Rules of the Road with
Bright Baby Blues
third.
She paid $4.60
to win. The time was 1:52 2/5.
Wild Honey
improved to 13 for 19 for Christina Takter, the Fielding brothers and Herb
Liverman.
It was one of
five wins on the afternoon for Gingras.
$389,450
JIM DOHERTY MEMORIAL – 2-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Broadway Donna
extended her unbeaten streak to six with a nose win over Kathy Parker. She took
charge entering the final turn and held on in 1:54 2/5 with David Miller in the
sulky.
The race,
formerly the Merrie Annabelle, was renamed for the Hall of Fame horseman who
was a Meadowlands pioneer.
“Jim was a
gentleman,” winning trainer Jim Campbell said. “If you bumped into him 10
times, he’d say hello to you 10 times. When I first came to The Meadowlands, he
was someone I looked up to.”
Broadway
Donna, the overwhelming favorite, paid $2.20 to win for Fashion Farms.
$251,250
LADY LIBERTY FINAL Free-For-All Pacing Mares
Four-time Dan
Patch winner Anndrovette proved she is still a dominant force in the division
with a determined victory, the 44th of her brilliant career.
The 8-year-old
has now earned over $3.4 million with the 1 ¼ length win over Table Talk with
Venus Delight third. The time was 2:04 1/5 for the 1 1/8 miles with Tim Tetrick
at the lines.
“When she’s
one her game, she’s one of the toughest horses I’ve ever been associated with,”
Tetrick said. “She shows up, she’s a true champion, no question.”
Jeffrey
Baymond, Jr. trains the multiple champion for Bamond Racing and Joseph Davino.
$215,400 US
PACING CHAMPIONSHIP Free-For-All
State
Treasurer finally had his Meadowlands moment after losing both the W.R.
Haughton Final and the TVG Open by a neck.
The 6-year-old
trained by Dr. Ian Moore and driven by David Miller demolished the competition
by 3 ¼ lengths in a lifetime best 1:47.
Doo Wop
Hanover got second over Foiled Again, the sport’s richest campaigner with over
$7 million in the bank, third.
State
Treasurer got his 26th win for Sally and Paul MacDonald.
$301,500 JOHN
CASHMAN MEMORIAL Free-For-All Trot
Flanagan
Memory made it two straight at The Meadowlands, pulling a 9-1 upset in the
Cashman for Sears.
The 5-year-old
exploded in the lane following a second-over trip behind Obrigado. The
5-year-old stopped the clock in 2:05 4/5, paying $21 to win.
“We got the
kind of trip he likes,” Sears said. “He likes to close it up if he gets some
good flow.”
The 5-year-old
improved to 12 for 44 for Llette Flanagan and trainer Rene Dion.
$181,450 FRESH
YANKEE FINAL Free-For-All Trotting Mares
Swedish star
D’One was a rousing winner in her U.S. debut, rallying from far back to beat
2013 Horse of the Year Bee A Magician by one length in 2:05 for the 1 1/8
miles.
Ojran
Kihlstrom drove for trainer Roger Walmann and Stall Kenny 23.
She was sharp
as could be despite, not having raced in 10 weeks.
“She’s a horse
that can trot pretty good,” Walmann said.
$349,850
PETER HAUGHTON MEMORIAL 2-Year-Old trotters
Southwind
Frank took a major step toward next year’s Hambletonian with a decisive 2 1/4
length victory over Brooklyn Hill.
The New Jersey
Sires Stakes champion improved to 4 for 5.
“He started
out terribly but he has really blossomed into a really nice horse,” winning
trainer Burke said.
As usual,
Gingras was at the lines for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, J & T
Silva and Our Horse Cents Stable.
$75,000
VINCENNES Free For All Invitational Trot
Resolve,
beaten only a neck in the Hambletonian Maturity here, overcame post 10 with
trainer Ake Svanstedt at the line. He paid $4.60 to win for the lifetime best
1:50 4/5 victory.
$319,400 CANE
PACE 3-Year-Olds
Dealt A Winner
was the 26-1 winner of the opening leg of the Pacing Triple Crown, raced for
the first time at The Meadowlands.
Wiggle It
Jiggleit, the Meadowlands Pace winner, was victimized by a punishing speed duel
with In The Arsenal. The 1-5 favorite finished fourth.
Dealt A Winner
won for the first time in eight starts this year. The gelding owned by Jeffrey
Snyder was driven by David Miller for Mark Silva.
“They were
marching pretty good,” Miller said. “I never to move him until the last turn.
He swelled up in the hole and when I moved him, he took off.”
Dude’s The Man
survived a judges’ inquiry to get third. He skipped off stride turning for home
but was not found to be in violation of the breaking rules.
$109,500 SHADY
DAISY 3-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
Stacia Hanover
rallied for a 1 ½ length win over the duo of Bettor Be Steppin and Divine
Caroline who dead-heated for second.
Scott Zeron
drove for trainer Steve Elliott and owners David Van Dusen and Michael
Cimaaglio. She paid $22 to win. The time was 1:49 2/5.
There were
$21,968 in attendance for the spectacular card of racing and the North American
handle was $6,701,866. The on-track handle of $1,320,325 was a slight
increase from the $1,280,854 wagered on-track last year. The numbers from
international export will be reported soon and the handle will be updated
accordingly.
Live harness
racing returns to The Meadowlands on Friday, November 13th, and the
thoroughbred turf meet will commence on Thursday, October 1st.
Thanks to all The Meadowlands for an outstanding 2015 Championship Meet!
Darin Zoccali
