Ken Warkentin's Road to the Hambletonian Week 5

East Rutherford, NJ – Top three remain the same (Amigo Volo, Real Cool Sam & Hypnotic AM) in Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian Week 5. 

 

Rank	Horse	Driver, Trainer, Owner	Ken Warkentin’s Comments
1	Amigo Volo  (Father Patrick)	Dexter Dunn, Nifty Norman, Pinske Stables, David J. Miller	Breeders Crown winner at two finished sixth [1:52.3] when forced wide off a slow pace & trotted home in :26.2 as the beaten favorite in a $25,000 overnight @ Big M on June 27
2	Real Cool Sam (Muscle Hill)	Dave Miller, Jim Campbell, Fashion Farms LLC	Dan Patch Award & Peter Haughton Memorial winner broke in his first Big M qualifier on June 20, rebounded with a second [1:53.1] in a Big M qualifier on June 27 with a final quarter in :26.3, back in to qualify @ Big M on July 3
3	Hypnotic AM (Chapter Seven)	Brian Sears, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc.	NYSS champion & Jim Doherty Memorial winner unleashed an ultra impressive 1:51.1 [:27.3] in her 3YO debut on June 12, cruised in a NYSS @ Tioga Downs on June 21 in 1:54.2, drew post 9 in EBC @ Vernon Downs on July 4
4	Back Of The Neck (Ready Cash)	Scott Zeron, Ake Svanstedt, Howard Taylor, Order By Stable, Judith Taylor	Son of two-time Prix D’Amerique winner Ready Cash now with Team Svanstedt, won a Big M qualifier on June 20 in 1:53.4, set the pace & second by a nose in 1:51.2 [:26] in a $25,000 overnight @ Big M on June 27
5	Synergy (Father Patrick)	Andrew McCarthy, Per Engblom, Brittany Farms, John Fielding, Herb Liverman & David Anderson	Qualified three times, the latest a second by a head in 1:54 [:26.2] @ Big M on June 20, third [1:52.1] in a $25,000 overnight @ Big M on June 27 in his 3YO debut
6	Big Oil (Father Patrick)	Andy & Julie Miller, Jason, Doug & Ron Allen	First in a deadheat with Real Cool Sam in 1:52.1 @ The Red Mile at two, 1:53.3 winner in a Big M qualifier on June 12, wire-to-wire in 1:55 in his 3YO debut in an overnight @ Harrah’s Philadelphia on June 28
7	Capricornus (Cantab Hall)	Tim Tetrick, Marcus Melander, JJ Racing Stable, Inc	Second in the William Wellwood Memorial at two, second [1:52.4] in his 2020 debut on June 5, finished second [1:53.4] in an overnight @ Harrah’s Philadelphia on June 25
8	Third Shift (Chapter Seven)	Ake Svanstedt, Mellby Gard, Inc., Ake Svanstedt	Set a stakes & Batavia Downs track record of 1:56 in the NYSS Final at two, won a Big M qualifier in 1:55 on May 30, won a NYSS division @ Vernon Downs on June 24 in 1:54.2, has the rail in EBC division @ Vernon Downs on July 4
9	Chestnut Hill (Muscle Hill)	Dave Miller, Nifty Norman, Melvin Hartman, David McDuffee, Little E LLC	Stablemate to Amigo Volo finished third in the PASS Final, Breeders Crown & Valley Victory at two, won his 2020 debut @ The Big M on June 19 in 1:53.1 [:26.1]
10	Maesteraemon (Andover Hall)	Brian Sears, Marcus Melander, S R F Stable	Gives Melander three in the Top Ten, took a mark of 1:52.4 @ The Red Mile, won two Big M qualifiers in 1:53.3 [:26.4]  and in 1:54 [:26.3], fifth [1:52.2] in a $25,000 overnight @ Big M on June 27

KEY PREP RACES

Hambletonian Eligibles in Caps

Date	Stakes	Site	Winner	Driver	Trainer	2nd Horse	3rd Horse	Time
June 19	NJSS	M	JULA TRIX TREASURE	Ake Svanstedt	Ake Svanstedt	Play Trix On Me	Barley	1:54
June 21	NYSS	TD	HYPNOTIC AM	Brian Sears	Marcus Melander	REBA BLUE CHIP	Munster	1:54.2
June 24	NYSS	V	THIRD SHIFT	Ake Svanstedt	Ake Svanstedt	Take The Credit	Ballcapsnbluejeans	1:54.2
June 24	NYSS	V	BERKERY J	Scott Zeron	George Ducharme	Chaptiana	Barn Holden	1:54.2
June 26	NJSS	M	Play Trix On Me	Scott Zeron	Linda Toscano	Barley	JULA TRIX TREASURE	1:53.2
June 27	$25,000	M	SORELLA	Yannick Gingras	Nancy Takter	BACK OF THE NECK	SYNERGY	1:51.2
July 3	NJSS Final	M
July 4	E. Breeders Classic	V
July 4	Currier & Ives	Mea
July 4	$25,000	M
July 11	Reynolds	M
July 11	Reynolds	M
July 17	NYSS	TD
July 17	NYSS	TD
July 18	Stanley Dancer	M
July 18	Stanley Dancer	M
July 25	Tompkins-Geers	M
Aug. 1	Hambo Elim	M
Aug. 1	Hambo Elim	M