It's Hambo Time!

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

This is the one time of the year that I actually understand how the state of Kentucky feels the first week in May..

Awesome field this year, I can't even pick, it's too hard. I guess I'm pulling for the local horses a bit more but who can blame me? I'd dearly love to see Paula Wellwood or Per Henriksen win, simply because I know them and I think both truly deserve the honour. I still count Adrian Chip as Per's, I remember being in Ottawa watching that monster of a colt win his first start, knowing I was witnessing the beginning of something very special.

DONATO DOMINATES, PRINCESS BEATS THE BOYS AND A SWEDE CONQUERS IN HAMBLETONIAN ELIMS

After the dust settled on Saturday night, a talented field of 10 trotters – nine colts and one filly - remained in pursuit of harness racing’s greatest prize, the $1.5 million Hambletonian.

Pampered Princess validated trainer Jimmy Takter’s decision to race her against the colts as she pulled away to a 1:53 victory in the first of three $70,000 elimination races for the Hambletonian, which will be raced Saturday, August 4. Driver Tim Tetrick sent her to the front in a :27 opening quarter before yielding to Xactly Hanover down the backstretch. After being briefly shuffled back, Pampered Princess found room to her outside in mid-stretch and she drew off to a two and a three-quarter-length victory over Xactly Hanover. Please Poppy raced third along the pylons the whole way and held his ground for the show spot.

The lone filly entered in the 2007 Hambletonian, Pampered Princess picked up her fifth straight win and 15th in 18 career starts. She surpassed the $1 million mark in earnings when she breezed to a 1:53.2 win in the Del Miller Memorial on July 13. Pampered Princess is the 160th filly to compete in the Hambletonian. Only 13 have achieved victory in the final; Continentalvictory was the last in 1996.

Ontario residents Bob and David Anderson own the daughter of Andover Hall.

“We wanted to see what happened with the Stanley Dancer and Donato [Hanover] and the rest of the colts,” said co-owner David Anderson. “Pretty much right after [Donato] crossed the wire [in the Dancer], we made the decision. This is the greatest trotting race in the world. A filly of this caliber only comes around once in a lifetime and we’re going to take our shot against the boys and see if she can prove that.”

Donato Hanover made it 12 straight wins with a career best 1:53.1 mile in the second elimination. Flirtin Man employed a strong late kick to finish second, while the pocketsitter Great Success held his ground for third.

Donato Hanover is undefeated in four starts this year and has won 12 of 13 overall for the team of driver Ron Pierce and trainer Steve Elliott. His only loss was his career debut. The elimination victory pushed his earnings past the $1 million mark. Donato Hanover is owned by David Scharf of New York, New York; Steve Arnold of Purchase, New York; and Paul Bordogna’s Golden Touch Stable of Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
Swedish invader Adrian Chip pounced off a pocket trip to win the third elimination in 1:54.2, in rein to his driver-trainer Robert Bergh. Too Salty and Don’t Blink Twice also advanced to the Hambletonian Final from that elimination.

Adrian Chip will try to become the second Swedish horse in six years to win the most prestigious event in harness racing. In 2001, Scarlet Knight followed the same path to Hambletonian glory.

Although foaled in southern Ohio, Adrian Chip spent his sophomore season in Sweden until now. He has won five of six starts this year for Bergh and his owner, NHL star Peter Forsberg, who races as Forspro AB of Domsjo, Sweden. As a two-year-old, Adrian Chip raced in the United States and Canada under the tutelage of trainer Per Henriksen. He was exported to Sweden late in 2006, when he was bought by Forsberg.

Laddie, the fourth-place finisher with the highest overall earnings, completes the 10-horse field for the Hambletonian. Post positions for the race will be drawn on Tuesday afternoon. The $1.5 million Hambletonian and $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks for fillies are the centerpiece of the Saturday, August 4 card at the Meadowlands. Post time is 11:30 a.m., with the Hambletonian set to go off at 4:12 p.m. The race will be broadcast live on NBC and TVG.

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

Hambletonian And Oaks Drawn

July 31, 2007

The field for Saturday's $1.5 million Hambletonian and the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks, to be contested at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was drawn at a special press conference this afternoon.

The connections of each elimination winner (Donato Hanover, Pampered Princess, Adrian Chip) drew before the open draw to determine the order in which post positions would be selected. Adrian Chip's connections drew to pick first, the connections of Pampered Princess selected their post position second and Donato Hanover third.

The 82nd edition of the Hambletonian for three-year-old trotters will be broadcast live on NBC in a special one-hour broadcast starting at 3:30 p.m. The Hambletonian has been carded as Race 11 and is scheduled to go to post at 4:15 p.m.

The field for Saturday's Hambletonian is below:

Post - Horse - Listed Driver - (Morning Line Odds)

1 - Don't Blink Twice - C. Manzi - (30-1)
2 - Donato Hanover - R. Pierce - (1-1)
3 - Adrian Chip - R. Bergh - (5-1)
4 - Pampered Princess - T. Tetrick - (3-1)
5 - Too Salty - D. Miller - (15-1)
6 - Great Success - M. Lachance - (15-1)
7 - Laddie - P. MacDonell - (15-1)
8 - Xactly Hanover - A. Miller - (12-1)
9 - Please Poppy - B. Sears - (30-1)
10 - Flirtin Man - J. Campbell - (8-1)

In addition to the Hambletonian, the field for the Hambletonian Oaks was also drawn.

The $750,000 contest for three-year-old trotting fillies has been carded as Race 10 and will go to post at 3:38 p.m.

The field for Saturday's Hambletonian Oaks is below:

Post - Horse - Listed Driver - (Morning Line Odds)

1 - Sing Me To Sleep - J. Doherty - (20-1)
2 - Possess The Magic - M. Lachance - (9-5)
3 - Falls For You - B. Sears - (5-2)
4 - Right On Renee - C. Manzi - (20-1)
5 - Pippiwhitestockings - Y. Gingras - (10-1)
6 - Danae - T. Tetrick - (8-1)
7 - Granny Gui - T. Tetrick - (12-1)
8 - Resortful - J. Gregory - (12-1)
9 - Vulcanize - Ron Pierce - (5-1)
10 - Wishful Me - D. Miller - (15-1)

Nikki Everdeen · Post by **Nikki Everdeen** » 17 years ago

We were supposed to go, but my boyfriend is back to working at the track in the mornings, so we won't make it. We'll be watching on tv though!

Mandy Saunders · Post by **Mandy Saunders** » 17 years ago

GO PRINCESS!!!!

Always a sucker for the lone filly... ever since Continentalvictory...

Mike Prevost · Post by **Mike Prevost** » 17 years ago

I am going with Sears at 30-1! I would bet him on anything at 30-1. I hope I am home in time to watch.

Mike Eaton · Post by **Mike Eaton** » 17 years ago

im rooting on jdor with the rail with his filly known him for a long time and his family

Juli Stettler · Post by **Juli Stettler** » 17 years ago

I'm going for Donato Hanover, I saw his 2007 debut a few weeks ago and he blew the field away, trotted out handily.

Unfortunately our home favorite, Quite Easy hasn't been doing well lately, he keeps making breaks. He was a favorite for the Hambo but just didn't make it. And Sweet Alabama was a favorite for the Oaks but she to just isn't performing well.

Poor Libfeld and Katz are having a tough time of it this year with all their horses either making breaks or not getting pregnant!

(In case you were wondering I work on a standardbred broodmare farm where we have the Libfeld/Katz mares, their not having the best of luck this year.)

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

OMG.. Quiet Easy is a superstar! Loooove that horse.

As for Libfeld/Katz, that's too bad. They are huge positive influences in my sport. We have 2 Duke Of York's and want more! One is actually a Libfeld/Katz bred colt out of Sierra Kosmos mare.

Juli Stettler · Post by **Juli Stettler** » 17 years ago

Do you know which mare? We have two Sierra Kosmos that I know of, Emilia Hanover and Fern.

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

He is out of Emilia Hanover.

Chris Briggs · Post by **Chris Briggs** » 17 years ago

I have to take a 2-8 exacta. Any time I see Hanover horses, I automatically go for them. In fact, box my 2-8 exacta.

Either way, I'd be happy to see either Hanover come in!

Juli Stettler · Post by **Juli Stettler** » 17 years ago

Brianna McKenzie wrote: He is out of Emilia Hanover.

Cool, she is one of my favorite mares, a little goofy, but all Sierra Kosmos' seem to be a bit goofy.

Mandy Saunders · Post by **Mandy Saunders** » 17 years ago

Donato Hanover made it look like he was a 4yo running against a bunch of 2yo maidens, it was that easy. Very impressive!

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

It's really too bad he was able to get such a cheap first half. Those kids were doing some serious flying trying to catch up with him. The filly is such a star, no shame in that effort. Adrian Chip! completely worth his price tag, but the most amazing part?

LADDIE! I realize I'm so totally biased but that little crazy loon just raced huge and I'm so happy for Paula!

"Cool, she is one of my favorite mares, a little goofy, but all Sierra Kosmos' seem to be a bit goofy."

Juli Stettler

*lol* Well I'm glad Duke gets it from somewhere. Very sweet, people loving horse but he is excitable when it comes to the track.

Patten Fuqua · Post by **Patten Fuqua** » 17 years ago

I thought Foppa's horse had him there for a sec...