The Guru’s Road to the Hambletonian – Week 4

by Ron Gurfein

HORSE

PEDIGREE

SALE PRICE, EARNINGS, RECORD

OWNER 
BREEDER

TRAINER / DRIVER 
COMMENT

1. GREENSHOE

Father Patrick — Designed To Be
$330,000 Lexington Selected $189,223 2,153.3 3,150.2
Courant Inc, Hans R Backe, Lars Granqvist,and Martin Langli
Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld
Marcus Melander / Brian Sears

Raced 5/31 in the NJSS dinal at the Meadowlands and obliterated the field in 1:50.2 after a pedestrian half in :56. Last half in :54.2 in hand. Please note there were a flock of new owners listed. It’s called Hambletonian fever. He is light years above his competition for the Hambletonian crown as of this writing.

2. GREEN MANALISHI S

Muscle Hill — Naga Morich
$270,000 Sweden , $510,557 2, 1:53.4
Courant Inc 
AB Svensk Reklamfinas
Marcus Melander / Tim Tetrick

Made two miscues and now gets a week off. Trouble brewing. Gets another chance then he’s gone. Sixty days goes quickly.

3. GIMPANZEE

Chapter Seven — Steamy Windows
$170,000 Harrisburg $695,730 2,1:54.3, 3, 1:54
Courant Inc and SRF Stable 
Order By Stable
Marcus Melander / Brian Sears

Won the Empire Classic Monday in a so-so performance. I am not sure if he is just playing out there and goes as much as he has to, to win or he has a governor. Had a tough time dispensing a lesser type. Even though he remains undefeated I can’t put him in a class with his stablemate Greenshoe.

4. CHIN CHIN HALL

Cash Hall — Canland Hall
$50,000 Ohio $201,320 2, 1:54.4
David H McDuffee and Oldfield Racing LLC 
Walnut Hall Limited
R.Nifty Norman / David Miller

Morning efforts have been disappointing. I haven’t given up, yet. I trained two of his brothers: Cantab Hall — a wonderful colt but a better 2-year-old than 3-year-old, but had a health issue at three; and Cadillac Hall who was hard pressed to win nw3.. My guess is he is more like the former. We will soon see.

5. CANTAB FASHION

Cantab Hall — Defiant Donato
Homebred, $110,600 2, 1:51.4
Fashion Farms 
Fashion Farms
Jim Campbell / David Miller

Made his initial outing against an FFA group in a qualifier at the Meadowlands 6/1 timed in 1:55.4 just made a tour of the oval as first asking was in with Hannelore Hanover in a 1:52 mile. Let’s give him a bit more time. The 2-year-old performance of 1:51.4 speaks volumes as to his real ability.

6. KINGS COUNTY

Muscle Hill — Brooklyn
$210,000 Harrisburg $150,032. 2, 1:52.3
Lindy Farms of Conn 
Order By Stable
Domenico Cecere / David Miller

Qualified nicely last Saturday at the Meadowlands. Will race next Friday in the Goodtimes at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

7. WHEN DOVESCRY (f)

Muscle Hill — Cedar Dove
$205,000 Harrisburg $290,710 2, 1:52.3
Go Fast Stable, Yvette Sarrazin, Kapildeo Singh and Lawrence S Dumain
William Weaver II
Rene Allard / Simon Allard

Unraced to date 2019. If she doesn’t start soon she will never catch up with this group of colts.

8. DON’T LET’EM

Muscle Hill — Passageway
$80,000 Lexington Selected $238,617. 2, 1:51.4
Brittany Farm LLC, Christina Takter, John D Fielding and Herb Liverman
Brittany Farms LLC
Nancy Johansson / Marcus Johansson

Scratched sick from a NW event at the Meadowlands 5/31.

9. GOES DOWN SMOOTH

Muscle Hill — Peach Martini
$82,000 Harrisburg. $90,762 3, 1:53.4
Burke Racing, Switala, Martin and Weaver Bruschemi
Concord Stud
Ron Burke / Yannick Gingras

Favorite tonight in a PASS division at Pocono Downs

10. OSTERC

Cantab Hall — Oh Oh Hereshecomes
Homebred $285,876 2,155.2f 3, Q 155.
Christina Takter and Göran Falk
Christina Takter and Göran Falk
Per Engblom / Yannick Gingras

Favorite tonight in a division of PASS at Pocono

ON THE RADAR:

Swandre The Giant, Reign Of Honor, Evident Beauty (f), Southwind Avenger.