Final Road to the 2012 Hambletonian

Final Road to the Hambletonian 2012  

(issued July 29) 

The road to the $1.5 million Hambletonian, this Saturday, August 4 has almost reached the starting gate.  We have followed the top contenders and rated their performances on the stakes trail, starting with a Winterbook Top 10.  The outstanding filly Check Me Out was number one every week up until trainer Ray Schnittker made a decision on July 20 to enter her in the Oaks.  So, the top rated colt, Uncle Peter has led the way for the final two weeks.  He was one of three elimination winners and Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter will send out a pair in this year’s final. 

1-Uncle Peter – The son of Cantab Hall was used pretty hard winning a competitive elimination in 1:53.3 over an off track, yet Ron Pierce assured us there was plenty left in tank.  The Breeders Crown champion at two was coming off a perfect prep, a well controlled 1:53.1 score in a Stanley Dancer Memorial division.  This followed a career best of 1:52.3 in the PA All-Stars at Pocono Downs.  Jimmy Takter did express some concern over a shoeing issue if the track were to come up sloppy. 

2-Knows Nothing – Shipped in, sat in, angled out and exploded home in a sharp :27.1 for the 2011 O’Brien Award winning team of Jody Jamieson and Jeff Gillis, who look for a better experience than 2009 with Federal Flex.  This son of Kadabra acclimated accordingly with a 1:53.1 career best coming off Lasix.  He won the Canadian Breeders Championship after a 35-day layoff and has come a long way in a short time.    

3-Market Share – Capitalized on some better racing luck with a perfect two-hole trip, and when Tim Tetrick pulled the right line he knew Linda Toscano had this $16,000 bargain Revenue colt on his toes.  Fresh off the fastest elimination at 1:52.2, the stablemate to Chapter Seven puts Toscano in her second straight final. 

4-Guccio – This improving Yankee Glide colt unleashed his second straight solid runner-up rally and continues to go in the right direction for Jimmy Takter.  The NJSS runner-up has proven he belongs, and with further fine tuning and some mayhem up front his wicked sprint could payoff in a big way. 

5-Archangel – Shipped in with high hopes, a seven-race winning streak, a world record Yonkers Trot, plus other stakes and track records, acclimated to the mile track by setting a rated pace, yet couldn’t sprint with Market Share.  This Credit Winner colt looms as a possible threat to steal away, although Jim Morrill, Jr. is noted for his patience and prowess in big money events. 

6-Prestidigitator – Kadabra got another in this big dance, and this colt has shown top level talent at two and three.  In the Uncle Peter elimination, he acclimated with a very wide trip around the first turn, got parked a long way and finished a wide third.  It was Sylvain Filion’s first appearance at the Big M since winning back-to-back stakes with Goliath Bayama in 2001.   

7-Stormin Normand – The son of last year’s winning sire Broadway Hall was forced into a first over grind and earned the final qualifying spot based on earnings, while coming off Lasix.  He won a Beal elimination in a sizzling 1:51.4, has been very consistent and Jim Campbell calls him a true professional who gives everything he’s got every time out.  Newly minted Dash King Dave Palone makes his second Hambletonian appearance. 

8-My MVP – Runner-up to Uncle Peter in the PA All-Stars and PASS winner in 1:53.4 has peaked perfectly for the red-hot Tony Alagna.  The son of Cantab Hall finished well enough in his elimination and has the Hall of Fame hands of four-time Hambletonian winner Mike Lachance. 

9-Money On My Mind – Gives Cantab Hall a third colt in the final.  This guy had trot at both ends in a creditable second to Uncle Peter, but if he employs more tactical speed, he will somehow have to come up with more late pop.  Andy and Julie Miller’s best of two finals came with The Chancellor, who was fourth in 2009. 

10-Gym Tan Laundry – Last year’s winning team of George Brennan and Noel Daley might try another Broad Bahn mission if you look at the way he set a strong pace from post nine and finished a solid third in the Goodtimes Final at 99-1.  He was all out third behind Market Share in his elimination, remains winless in nine starts this season, and gives Yankee Glide a pair in the final.