Horse Racing
Derick Giwner | Daily Racing Form 7y

Meadowlands to host wide open $1 million Hambletonian

Horse Racing

When the horses line up behind the gate for the 92nd Hambletonian on Saturday afternoon at The Meadowlands, there will be favorites and longshots among the 19 entrants. But unlike years past, due to an injury to divisional standout Walner, not a single horse jumps off the page as a cinch to capture the $1,000,000 Final.

Two $100,000 eliminations featuring a 9- and 10-horse field as races eight and nine on the 16-race card, will be reduced to one 10-horse race as the top five in each elimination will return on the same day for the 13th race Hambletonian final.

If there is a leader in the first elimination heat it is 5-2 morning line choice International Moni. A 3-year-old son of the Italian sire Love You out of the great mare Moni Maker, International Moni has won all three of his starts in 2017 for trainer Frank Antonacci, Jr. and driver Scott Zeron.

"It's nice to be in the middle of the pack there," said Antonacci about the post 5 draw. "I think we're in a good spot. He's a really handy horse, so whatever Scott (Zeron) is going to want to do he's going to be able to do from there, which is nice."

A four-time winner in five starts this year, Long Tom (post 8) is the second choice in the field at 3-1, followed by Bill's Man (5-1, post 2).

Gaining the oddsmaker's attention in the second elimination is Devious Man (5-2), who has four wins and has never finished worse than second in six 2017 starts. To advance into the Final, driver/co-owner Andy Miller will have to negotiate a good trip from outside post 9.

"I'm not thrilled about the draw, but hopefully we can advance from there and get to the final," said Andy Miller. "Hopefully we can win (the elimination) and secure an inside spot for the final. If not, then hopefully we draw good in the final."

Other obvious contenders in the second elimination include What The Hill (3-1) from post 1 and Enterprise (9-2, post 6).

What makes this edition of the Hambletonian most interesting is the strong possibility of a longshot stepping up. While it did not come in a winning effort, Victor Gio IT (6-1) has the fastest charted line of any entrant in the first elim with a second-place finish in a 1:51 clocking on July 21 at The Meadowlands.

"I think he is capable of trotting a 1:50 and change mile if he is feeling good," said driver Yannick Gingras, who will guide the Jimmy Takter-trained Victor Gio IT from post 7.

Sortie, a 10-1 morning line proposition, is thought by many to be one of the fastest horses in the group of 19, but he is very green and tends to make major mistakes that remove him from contention and drive trainer Noel Daley bonkers.

"He's too good of a horse not to give him a shot," said Daley, who will add hobbles to the colt's equipment in an attempt to keep his mind on business during the mile.

Sortie starts from post 2 in the second elimination with Andrew McCarthy in the bike.

The Hambletonian is the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown and the marquee event on a program that features 12 stakes races worth over $3.8 million. All of the live action can be viewed on DRF.com beginning at noon on Saturday, with the Hambletonian final, $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and $224,400 Sam McKee Memorial part of a 4 p.m. broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

^ Back to Top ^