Karl, T C I lead the way for Hambletonian elims

by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Cranbury, NJ — Karl and T C I, the top-ranked horses in the most recent edition of the Road to the Hambletonian Top 10, have been made the morning-line favorites for Saturday’s two eliminations of the $1.25 million Hambletonian Stakes for 3-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands.

A total of 20 sophomore male trotters were entered in the 99th edition of the Hambletonian, requiring two $100,000 eliminations. The top-five finishers from each group will advance to the $1.05 million Hambletonian final Aug. 3. Elim winners draw for post positions one through five followed by the remaining finalists receiving their posts in an open draw on July 30 at Hogan Equine Clinic in Cream Ridge, N.J.

Karl, rated No. 1 in the Road to the Hambletonian, is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the first of the two elims and will start from post six with driver Yannick Gingras. Joining Karl in the field are Goodtimes Stakes champion Highland Kismet and Stanley Dancer Memorial division winners Sig Sauer and Situationship.

Sig Sauer, Situationship, and Highland Kismet occupy spots three through five, respectively, in the Road to the Hambletonian rankings, which are compiled by Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin. Highland Kismet is the 3-1 second choice, leaving from post three with Bob McClure driving for trainer Mark Etsell. Situationship (9-2) drew post 10 for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt and Sig Sauer (8-1) will start from post eight with Andy McCarthy in the sulky for Noel Daley.

T C I, the 2-1 favorite in the second elim, will leave from post one with driver David Miller. The field also includes Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial champ Dame Good Time, 3-1 from post seven with Scott Zeron driving for Travis Alexander, and last week’s Tompkins-Geers Stakes winner Secret Agent Man, 4-1 with Andy Miller driving for Julie Miller.

Karl and T C I both head to the Hambletonian eliminations off third-place finishes in divisions of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 13 at The Big M.

For Karl, the setback snapped an eight-race win streak dating back to October. Karl, the 2023 Dan Patch Award winner for best 2-year-old male trotter, has won 13 of 15 career races and $1.22 million for trainer Nancy Takter, who won last year’s Hambletonian with Tactical Approach. The colt’s victories last year included the Breeders Crown and this season the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship.

T C I, the 2023 O’Brien Award winner for best 2-year-old male trotter to compete in Canada, has won 13 of 17 career starts and $1.36 million for trainer Ron Burke. Last year, the colt’s victories included the Mohawk Million, William Wellwood Memorial and Peter Haughton Memorial.

Situationship is one of three Hambletonian hopefuls from the stable of trainer Ake Svanstedt, who is a two-time winner of the sport’s top prize for 3-year-old trotters. His other horses in this year’s Hambletonian are Amazing Catch and Daiquiri Hanover, both in the second elim.

The Hambletonian is the second jewel in the Trotting Triple Crown, following the MGM Yonkers Trot and ahead of October’s Kentucky Futurity. Sir Pinocchio, who won the Yonkers Trot, was not staked to the Hambletonian.

Twenty-three 3-year-old filly trotters were entered in the $675,000 Hambletonian Oaks, requiring three $50,000 eliminations. The top-three finishers from each elim plus the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings will advance to the $525,000 final, also Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.

French Champagne, who won a division of the Delvin Miller Memorial on July 13, is the 2-1 favorite in the first elimination. She will leave from post one with Dunn driving for Svanstedt. Soiree Hanover, last year’s Dan Patch Award-winning filly, is 3-1. She will start from post five with Tim Tetrick driving for Lucas Wallin.

Elista Hanover, who has won nine consecutive races since opening her season with a third-place finish, is the 6-5 favorite in the second elim. She will start from post four with David Miller driving for Annie Stoebe. She counts divisions of the W.N. Reynolds Memorial and Tompkins-Geers Stakes among her victories this year.

Date Night Hanover, who won this year’s Zweig Memorial for fillies, is the 5-2 favorite in the third elimination. She will start from post five with Dexter Dunn in the sulky for Marcus Melander, who won last year’s Hambletonian Oaks with Heaven Hanover. Delvin Miller Memorial division winner R Melina, leaving from post eight with Todd McCarthy driving for John Butenschoen, is the 3-1 second choice.

Following are the fields for the $100,000 Hambletonian eliminations, with horse, driver, trainer, and morning-line odds:

Elimination One, Race 9
1 – Bella’s Musclehill – David Miller – Nifty Norman – 6-1
2 – Waterfall – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 20-1
3 – Highland Kismet – Bob McClure – Mark Etsell – 3-1
4 – Benny J – James MacDonald – Tony Alagna – 10-1
5 – Supernova Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Per Engblom – 15-1
6 – Karl – Yannick Gingras – Nancy Takter – 4-5
7 – Security Protected – Tim Tetrick – Marcus Melander – 12-1
8 – Sig Sauer – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 8-1
9 – Caballero – Scott Zeron – Trond Smedshammer – 20-1
10 – Situationship – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt 9-2

Elimination Two, Race 11
1 – T C I – David Miller – Ron Burke – 2-1
2 – Amazing Catch – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1
3 – Secret Agent Man – Andy Miller – Julie Miller – 4-1
4 – Mars Hill – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 15-1
5 – Private Access – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 5-1
6 – Life on the Bluf – James MacDonald – Lucas Wallin – 20-1
7 – Dame Good Time – Scott Zeron – Travis Alexander – 3-1
8 – Bright Star – Scott Zeron – Tony Alagna – 8-1
9 – Wild Ticket – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 15-1
10 – Daiquiri Hanover – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1

Following are the fields for the $50,000 Hambletonian Oaks eliminations, with horse, driver, trainer, and morning-line odds:

Elimination One, Race 6
1 – French Champagne – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 2-1
2 – Chaparmbro – Scott Zeron – Trond Smedshammer – 10-1
3 – Sadbirdstillsing – Jason Bartlett – Tony Alagna – 15-1
4 – Paulina Hanover – David Miller – Noel Daley – 6-1
5 – Soiree Hanover – Tim Tetrick – Lucas Wallin – 3-1
6 – Allegiant – Scott Zeron – Vernon Beachy – 8-1
7 – Spy Coast – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 4-1

Elimination Two, Race 8
1 – Warrawee Michelle – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 10-1
2 – Tandem Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Andrew Harris – 15-1
3 – Buy A Round – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 5-2
4 – Elista Hanover – David Miller – Annie Stoebe – 6-5
5 – Draw The Line – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 15-1
6 – Cool Ma Belle – Bob McClure – Mark Steacy – 10-1
7 – Drawn Impression – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 4-1
8 – Honey’s Sweet – Yannick Gingras – Tony Alagna – 8-1

Elimination Three, Race 10
1 – Emoji Hanover – Bob McClure – Luc Blais – 7-2
2 – Kinesiology – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 12-1
3 – Chapalonia – David Miller – Annie Stoebe – 8-1
4 – Sambuca Hanover – David Miller – Nifty Norman – 6-1
5 – Date Night Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 5-2
6 – Senorita Palema – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 12-1
7 – Miss I La – Joe Bongiorno – Noel Daley – 10-1
8 – R Melina – Todd McCarthy – John Butenschoen – 3-1