By
Dave Little, for the Meadowlands
EAST
RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Perfect weather and perfect conditions couldn’t prevent an
imperfect result in harness racing’s most storied stakes event.
Trainer-driver
Ake Svanstedt and his horse, Perfect Spirit, were second across the wire,
beaten a half-length, in Saturday’s 92nd edition of the $1,000,000
Hambletonian for 3-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands, but were placed first
in the official order of finish, giving Svanstedt his first Hambo trophy.
Thus,
for the first time ever, a Hambletonian winner was declared as the result of a
disqualification.
What
The Hill, who was first across the wire in 1:52.3, bothered Guardian Angel AS
(placed eighth) in deep stretch as he squeezed his way out of the pocket and
sent that one off stride, causing the DQ. What The Hill was placed ninth by the
judges.
The
official order of finish was Perfect Spirit first, 2-1 favorite Devious Man
second and Enterprise third. Perfect Spirit paid $17.00 to win and now has
seven wins in 16 lifetime starts and sports a bankroll of $646,419.
ARIANA
“GRANDE” IN OAKS: Ariana G brought her “A” game in the Hambletonian Oaks
for 3-year-old trotting fillies, and as a result, the rest of the field had no
chance.
The
daughter of Muscle Hill toyed with nine overmatched foes in the $500,000 sister
event to the Hambletonian, putting on a dazzling display as she sped clear of
the field through the stretch to win by 4¾ lengths over Magic Presto. Dream
Together was third.
As
the heavy favorite, Ariana G returned $2.40 to win and upped her lifetime stats
to 15 wins in 18 starts, good for earnings of just over $1.2 million.
For
the team of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Jimmy Takter, it marked their
fourth consecutive victory in the Oaks.
HAMBO
HOPEFUL: In what amounts to an early look at next year’s Hambletonian, You
Know You Do made his way into contention after vacating the rail at the
five-eighths and went first over from there, eventually wearing down leader
Samo Different Day inside the eighth pole before going on to an easy 2¼-length
victory in the Peter Haughton Memorial for 2-year-old colt and gelding
trotters. Farsetti Hanover was third.
You
Know You Do, a son of Muscle Hill, stopped the clock in 1:54.2 and paid $5.00
to win as the public choice for the team of Gingras and Takter.
A
LITTLE MORE: Attendance for the Hambletonian Day card was 18,356. …
All-source wagering totaled $5,788,870. … Takter trained five winners on the
card while Gingras drove four. Svanstedt trained and drove three to victory
lane. … Live harness racing returns to the Big M on September 8 for an
abbreviated four-day September meeting. The other dates are Sept. 9, 15 and 16.
Post time is 7:15 p.m.
The
results of the other major stakes events on the Hambletonian Day program, with
winner (driver, trainer), time and win payoff (*-denotes betting favorite):
· Shady
Daisy for 3-year-old pacing fillies: Blazin Britches (David Miller, Brian Brown),
1:48.4, *$2.60
· Dr.
John R. Steele Memorial for free for all trotting mares: Pasithea Face S
(Tim Tetrick, Jimmy Takter), 1:51.2, $9.60
· Jim
Doherty Memorial for 2-year-old trotting fillies: Manchego (Yannick
Gingras, Takter), 1:52.4, *$3.00
· John
Cashman Memorial for free for all trotters: Resolve (Ake Svanstedt, Ake
Svanstedt), 2:04.2 for a mile and an eighth, $7.00
· Cane
Pace for 3-year-olds: Huntsville (Tetrick, Ray Schnittker), 2:03 for a mile
and an eighth, *$3.40
· Sam
McKee Memorial for free for all pacers: Check Six (Gingras, Ron Burke),
2:02.1 for a mile and an eighth, $79.00
· Lady
Liberty for free for all pacing mares: Pure Country (Mark MacDonald,
Takter), 1:50, $10.40
