Publicerad 1999-08-05

Notes & Random Thoughts on the 74th Hambletonian

While North American trotting is undergoing this youth movement, oldsters like Super Bowl and Speedy Crown have been pushed aside by these young, gifted horses. This is the first Hambletonian in 23 years where neither Speedy Crown or Super Bowl is represented by a son or daughter in the final. Enjoy Lavec and Davanti are both from Speedy Crown mares, while no Super Bowl mares are represented in any of the ten finalists. Three finalists are out of mares by sons of Speedy Crown, including CR Renegade (Speedy Somolli dam), Cherry Hills (Royal Prestige dam) and Pearsall Hanover (Crowning Point dam.) Super Bowl, although not directly represented by a son or daughter as a broodmare, has two grandsons in the race, with the Allen entry of CR Renegade and CR Commando, both sons of Royal Troubador, a son of Super Bowl. One starter is from a Bonefish mare (Comet’s Tail.)

GARLAND LOBELL IS THE OLDEST SIRE REPRESENTED

The oldest stallion represented in this year’s Hambletonian is Garland Lobell, sire of Angus Hall. He is 18 years old. Royal Troubador is 12. Sierra Kosmos is just ten years of age. Pine Chip is nine. Victory Dream is only eight.

Four mares in this field have had previous Hambletonian starters. Self Possessed is from the stakes-winning Mystic Park mare, Feeling Great. Her Super Bowl colt, Take Chances, was second in the 1997 Hambletonian, won by Malabar Man. Angus Hall is from Amour Angus, and is a full brother to Conway Hall, fourth in last year’s Hambletonian. CR Renegade is a full brother to the multiple world champion filly, CR Kay Suzie, a starter in the 1995 Hambletonian eliminations. And Victorious Tail is the dam of Comet’s Tail in this year’s race, and also the dam of Kick Tail, third last year to Muscles Yankee.

Self Possessed and Pearsall Hanover are both from the same maternal family, that of Maggie H. The only previous Hambletonian winner from this family was Nuclear Kosmos, in 1986. CR Renegade and Davanti both hail from the Ab family, also famous as the family of the immortal trotting filly, Merrie Annabelle. Angus Hall and Enjoy Lavec are both from the Brenda Hanover branch of the vast Medio family, the maternal clan with the most Hambletonian winners in history (nine.) The last winner from this family was American Winner in 1993, a close relative of Enjoy Lavec. CR Commando and Comet’s Tail both hail from the famed Mamie clan, producer of five Hambletonian winners, with the last winner coming in 1956, with The Intruder. Raffaello Ambrosio is from the Minnehaha family, also home to nine Hambletonian winners, the last being his sire, Victory Dream.

JOHN CAMPBELL LEADS HAMBLETONIAN DRIVERS RACE

John Campbell has won five Hambletonians, all in the past 12 years. Campbell made his first start in the Hambletonian in 1983 with Joie De Vie, and has driven in every Hambletonian final since, with the exception of 1997 when he inexplicably watched the race from the grandstand paddock. Campbell and Mike Lachance have dominated the recent history of the Hambletonian. Either Campbell or Lachance has won in four of those years.

WINNING TWO YEAR OLD STAKES DOES NOT FORETELL SUCCESS IN THE HAMBLETONIAN

Winning any of the major two-year-old trotting races does not promise a victory in the Hambletonian a year later. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether they come early, or late in the season. The first major test for two-year-olds is the Peter Haughton, and in 19 years, no Peter Haughton winner has been able to capture the Hambletonian. The late season two-year-old stars do not seem to fare well in the Hambletonian, either. Since the inauguration of the Breeders Crown in 1984, Mack Lobell and Malabar Man are the only Breeders Crown winners to come back and win the Hambletonian the following year (two out of 15.) Continentalvictory did win the Breeders Crown filly trot at two and came back to trot the fastest Hambletonian heat in history in 1996 in the last Hambletonian to be raced two heats on the same day. The Valley Victory is the other major stake for two-year-old trotters. Since its inauguration in 1990, no Valley Victory winner has won a Hambletonian, either. The last four Valley Victory winners, in fact, did not make the Hambletonian final a year later. Malabar Man was second in the Valley Victory final, though and came back to win the Hambletonian. Self Possessed was second in the Valley Victory last fall.

EVEN BEACON COURSE WINNERS HAVE HAD A TOUGH TIME

Even races on the eve of the Hambletonian are not a good indicator of what may happen the first Saturday in August. Since the Beacon Course was inaugurated in 1976, only seven Beacon Course winner (out of 23) have won the Hambletonian. In the past ten years, only three Beacon Course winners have gone on to win the Hambletonian.

Speaking of the Beacon Course, trainer Ronnie Gurfein has harnessed four Beacon Course favorites, including Imperfection, Victory Dream, Continentalvictory and Self Possessed. Each of them lost the Beacon Course. However, both Victory Dream and Continentalvictory regrouped and won the Hambletonian.

Only nine Hambletonian winners have become the sires of Hambletonian winners, and only Self Possessed and Raffaello Ambrosio this year are sons of a Hambletonian winner. From 69 winners with foals old enough to race, only nine have had a son (or daughter) win the Hambletonian as well. Those nine are Titan Hanover, Hoot Mon, Nevele Pride, Speedy Crown, Super Bowl, Speedy Scot, Speedy Somolli, Ayres and Green Speed.

The Hambletonian stakes record is Continentalvictory’s 1:52 1-5 in 1996, which equals Mack Lobell's world mark set at Springfield, Illinois twelve years ago. The Meadowlands track record for three-year-old colts is co-held by 1998 winner Muscles Yankee, and 1999 starter, Self Possessed, who at 1:52 2-5, is the fastest horse ever to start in a Hambletonian. Co-favorite Angus Hall and second choice CR Renegade have also trotted fast enough (they have been timed in 1:52 3-5 this season) to have won 13 of the last 15 Hambletonians. Six colts in this race have records below 1:55, making this the fastest Hambletonian field ever.

The world trotting race mark is 1:51 4-5, set by the 4-year-old mare, Beat The Wheel, at the Meadowlands in 1994. With the talent in this Hambletonian field, that record is not safe should the Meadowlands track play to speed the way it often does.