Hambletonian 2024 Contenders at Meadowlands

Karl Early Favorite in 99th Hambletonian

Elimination winner Karl drew post one for the $1.05 million Hambletonian Stakes final at The Meadowlands on Saturday, August 3 and was made the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the 99th edition of the sport's premier event for 3-year-old trotters.

T C I, who won the second of last week's two Hambletonian eliminations, drew post four and was made the 5-2 second choice. The event's draw and press conference were held Tuesday at Hogan Equine. The two elimination winners drew for posts one through five followed by the remaining finalists in an open draw.

The Hambletonian will be race 12 with a post time of 4:45 p.m. (EDT) at The Big M. The companion $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 14 and will go at 6:06 p.m. Racing will begin at noon.

The Hambletonian will be only the third meeting between Karl and T C I, and the first since Karl's victory in the Breeders Crown in late October at Harrah's Hoosier Park. T C I, who finished second in the Breeders Crown, defeated Karl in a division of the International Stallion Stakes three weeks earlier at Lexington's Red Mile.

Karl's nose loss to T C I was his lone defeat in 10 starts last year. He earned $1.04 million and received the Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old male trotter. T C I won 10 of 12 races and earned $1.23 million to become the richest 2-year-old male trotter in history. He received the O'Brien Award for best freshman male trotter to race in Canada, where his triumphs included the Mohawk Million.

This year, Karl has won five of six races and earned $232,839 for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Takter. He finished third in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 13 at The Meadowlands but rebounded to win his Hambletonian elimination by 1-1/4 lengths over Bella's Musclehill in a career-best 1:50.3.

"I think everybody was a little hard on him," Takter said after the elimination, referring to the reaction to Karl's loss two weeks earlier. "He had a really tough trip and he'd raced one time in six weeks, so he definitely needed that race. Obviously, we didn't want to lose, but it happens. They're horses, they're not machines.

"I think he's going to be peaking at the right time. He only had one start in six weeks (prior to the Dancer), which was a little bit by design because we can't over-race horses and it's a long season. You kind of want to peak them for certain races, and this is definitely the race that we No. 1 wanted to peak for. You're building like a mountain, and you just want to build a good foundation and hopefully we get to the top next week."

Takter, who won the Hambletonian last year with Tactical Approach, is bidding to become the first trainer to win the race in back-to-back years since her father, Jimmy, in 2014 with Trixton and 2015 with Pinkman. The only other trainer to pull off consecutive victories since the Hambletonian moved to The Meadowlands in 1981 was Per Eriksson in 1991-92.

"I think that would be pretty cool," Takter said about the possibility of winning again and duplicating the accomplishment of her father, who is a Hall of Famer in the U.S., Canada and Sweden. "I've always tried to fill his shoes, which hasn't always been easy, so if we can get it done, that would be great."

Karl, a son of Tactical Landing-Avalicious bred by Crawford Farms, is owned by Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing, and Bender Sweden.

T C I won his elimination by a neck over Private Access in a career-best 1:50.4. The victory snapped a two-race skid after the colt had won his first three races of the season. For the year, he has earned $179,637 for driver David Miller and trainer Ron Burke.

"It's going to be a great matchup and a great race as always," Miller said after T C I's victory, referring to the highly anticipated meeting with Karl. "I'm very excited too."

Burke, Miller, and Gingras are each seeking a first Hambletonian trophy.

Sig Sauer, who won a Dancer division on July 13 and finished third in the Hambletonian elimination won by Karl, is the 4-1 third choice on the morning line. The son of Muscle Hill-Sigilwig will leave from post eight with Andy McCarthy driving for trainer Noel Daley.

McCarthy won the Hambletonian in 2020 with the filly Ramona Hill. Daley won the Hambletonian in 2011 with Broad Bahn.

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Hambletonian Post Position Draw Information

July 29 -The Hambletonian and post-position draw for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, July 30, at Hogan Equine in Cream Ridge, NJ.

The $1,050,000 Hambo and $500,000 Oaks take place on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The press conference, which is open to anyone who would like to attend, is from 2 to 5 p.m., with the Hambo and Oaks draws taking place at 3 p.m. Big M TV's Ken Warkentin and Jessica Otten will host the draws.

T C I AND KARL SCORE EASY IN HAMBO ELIMS

July 29 - Karl and T C I won the first and second $100,000 Hambletonian elimination splits, respectively, and under relative ease at The Meadowlands on Saturday night (July 27).

Karl's personal-best time of 1:50.3 for the mile was a strong rebound from his only loss of the season in the Stanley Dancer Memorial two weeks ago.

Yannick Gingras, in the bike again, rested Karl into third while Situationship flew from post 10 to take the early lead over Security Protected in a fiery first quarter of :26.3. By the :55.2 half, Karl took to the outside and cruised by Situationship after three-quarters in 1:23.3. Gingras nursed Karl through the lane and crossed the line under wraps and 1-1/4 lengths in front. A late-charging Bella's Musclehill angled from second over to finish second with Sig Sauer finishing third.

"He bounced back [from a loss] and was the best he ever looked or left from the gate," Nancy Takter said. "I don't mind the pressure but I don't like to lose. He's versatile and has a strong kick. He's going to be peaking at the right time for next week's race," Takter also said as she tries for her second-straight Hambletonian win, having taken the 2023 edition with Tactical Approach.

Christina & Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing and Crawford Farms Racing owns Karl, now a 14-time winner and an earner of $1,274,816 lifetime. Trained by Nancy Takter, Karl (Tactical Landing-Avalicious, by RC Royalty) was the huge favorite in the first-elim field of 10. He paid $2.80 to win.

Also making the final from the first elimination were Highland Kismet, the crowd's second choice in the betting who finished fourth, and another longshot in Security Protected, who finished fifth.

A wire-to-wire victory and a lifetime mark appeared business as usual for the rebounding T C I and driver David Miller. The son of Cantab Hall-Nicole's Promise posted a 1:50.4 win in the second Hambletonian elimination.

T C I motored from post 1 for the lead with a :27.3 first panel while Private Access and Amazing Catch followed into a :56.1 half. Secret Agent Man went first over to the final turn but only moved evenly through three-quarters in 1:24. Not even a strong challenge near the wire by Private Access, the only remaining rival in contention, could faze the Ron Burke trainee. T C I finished a neck better than Private Access with longshot Amazing Catch another six lengths behind in third. Also making the final were Secret Agent Man, finishing fourth, and Mars Hill, finishing fifth.

David Miller confirmed T C I overcame some stomach problems and trainer Burke added some shoe changes to help in the win. "I was planning on getting him out [in front] early," Miller said, "and we went as easy as I could."

T C I is now the winner of 14 races from 18 starts and $1,418,507 as he readies to meet Karl in the Hambletonian final. He competes for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables & Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi. He paid $4.80 to win.

The winterbook dream of Karl versus T C I, and eight other trotting glamour boys, happens at The Meadowlands next Saturday (Aug. 3) in the $1-million Hambletonian final. Karl and T C I, having won their eliminations, will draw from posts 1 through 5 for the final.

Karl & T C I lead the way for 2024 Hambletonian Elims

July 24 - 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.