Saturday's 89th edition of the $1 million Hambletonian at The Meadowlands has drawn a field of 11 3-year-old trotters going a mile in harness racing's most prestigious race.
The Hambletonian is the opening leg of the Trotting Triple Crown which also includes the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity.
Leading the field are Father Patrick, Nuncio and Trixton, all trained by Jimmy Takter who is a two-time Hambletonian winner with Malabar Man (1997) and Muscle Massive (2010).
Takter is looking to become the first trainer to sweep first, second and third in the modern era of the Hambletonian. Father Patrick is the 4-5 morning line favorite and will be driven by Yannick Gingras from post 10. Trixton is 7-2 and will break from post 7 with Takter driving and Nuncio is 9-2 with Hall of Fame driver John Campbell leaving from post 5.
"At this point, I have three really good horses and they're racing scary good," Takter said. "I've got to keep them fresh and make sure nothing goes wrong. I have the three best horses, and I would be extremely disappointed if I don't win the Hambletonian this year. My goal is to win the Hambletonian. It's fun. The Hambletonian is the biggest race in our sport and something you work hard to win."
Father Patrick, the 2013 champion 2-year-old male trotter, is perfect this year in six starts for $510,931 and is ranked second in the current Hambletonian/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll.
"He's the best horse I've ever developed," Takter said. "He's just different. He has all the things I like in a horse. He's a good sound horse. You can't find any fault with him. You can do anything you want with him. He's so handy. Patrick, to me, is the perfect horse."
Owned by Father Patrick Stable, the colt has wins this season in the Earl Beal Jr. at Pocono Downs and the Stanley Dancer Memorial at The Meadowlands. He has won 15 straight starts since losing to Nuncio in his second career effort. Overall, Father Patrick has banked $1,254,988 with 16 wins in 17 starts.
Co-owned by the trainer's wife Christina, Trixton has six wins this year in eight starts for $283,855. He was third to Father Patrick in the Dancer Memorial and is coming off a victory in a division of the Reynolds Memorial at The Meadowlands. Trixton, sixth in the harness poll, has career earnings of $337,542 with 10 wins in 16 starts.
"He's the kind with a big future as a 4-year-old. He's improving, getting more professional and very confident." the trainer/driver noted.
Nuncio, owned by Stall TZ Inc., finished second to his stablemate in both the Earl Beal Jr. and Stanley Dancer Memorial, his only losses this year in seven starts.
"I'm very happy with the way he's been coming along," Campbell said. "Jimmy trained him from behind all winter and we've qualified him that way, and raced him that way, and he's started to figure it out.
Nuncio, 10th in this week's poll, has earned $342,003 in 2014 and has 10 wins and seven seconds from 17 lifetime starts for $803,077. John Campbell has won the Hambletonian a record six times with the most recent victory coming with Glidemaster in 2006.
Here is the Hambletonian field in post position order: Resolve, Corey Callahan, 20-1; JJ Alex, Francisco Del Cid, 50-1; Doncango, Ake Svanstedt, 20-1; Datsyuk, Charlie Norris, 12-1; Nuncio, John Campbell, 9-2; Royal Ice, Ron Pierce, 20-1; Trixton, Jimmy Takter, 7-2; Il Sogno Dream, Aaron Merriman, 50-1; Harper Blue Chip, Brian Sears, 12-1; Father Patrick, Yannick Gingras, 4-5 and Don Dorado, Tim Tetrick, 20-1.
The 89th Hambletonian has an approximate post time Saturday of 5:11 p.m. ET.
[SportsNetwork.com]
