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

Right now, he is light years ahead of the rest. Remains the fastest standardbred I have witnessed EVER. Had the week off after obliterating the field in the NJSS final in 1:50.2, last half in :54.2 in hand.

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

Qualified brilliantly yesterday after two consecutive breaks. Timmy didn’t race him carefully either. He used him hard the last half against Hambletonian champion Marion Marauder in 1:53, finishing second.

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

Even though he remains undefeated, I don’t feel he has the raw speed of the top two picks. Rock-solid gaited performer. Didn’t race this week.

4. PILOT DISCRETION

Muscle Hill — Self Indulgent
$100,000 Lexington Selected $37,100, 3, 1:52
J. Leblanc, David Anderson and John Fodera
Steve H. Stewart and David W. Miller
Tony Alagna / Andrew McCarthy

New to the list this week, the colt is undefeated in five attempts this year. Unraced at two, he has burst on the scene in formidable fashion. To be honest, I trained his second and third dams, both impressive stakes winners, and in my mind, I thought the pedigree was a little old fashioned. I was soooooo wrong. The competition in the Goodtimes where he won the fastest division on Friday at Mohawk left a little to be desired, but the 1:52 mile was very impressive.

5. DON’T LET’EM

Muscle Hill — Passageway
$80,000 Lexington Selected $243,867,617. 2, 1:51.4
Brittany Farm LLC, Christina Takter, John D Fielding and Herb Liverman
Brittany Farms LLC
Nancy Johansson / Marcus Johansson

Went a big mile in a NW event at Meadowlands on Friday night. Was beaten a nose in 1:52, last quarter in :26.1, by the hottest 4-year-old mare at the Meadowlands, Say You Do. He was flying late. Most definitely a step in the right direction for Marcus and Nancy.

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

Made an uncharacteristic break on the way to the half in his Goodtimes elimination. Was his first start this year. I blame it on being too fresh. Gets a pass.

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

Still hasn’t raced in 2019. Will make some inquiries. Very talented lass. Will not throw her under the bus, yet.

8. CANTAB FASHION

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

Last week it was Hannelore Hanover, this week Hambletonian champion Marion Marauder. He keeps drawing outside in qualifiers where the talent is so good he gets gapped out by horses that can’t keep up. He looks perfectly sound. I have to give him some more time, the 1:51 2-year-old mark glares at me.

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

After recovering from a misstep last week at Pocono in the PASS, he finished willingly to garner the fourth-place check, on an awful racetrack. Didn’t have a start this week.

10. FORBIDDEN TRADE

Kadabra — Pure Ivory
$110,000 Harrisburg $260,713 3, 1:53.1
Determination, Steve Stewart
Luc Blais / Bob McClure

Another new kid of the block. I give great credit to Determination and Blais for selecting this colt from the great mare Pure Ivory. He sold as the fifth foal of the mare and she has not had a foal that has a race record and the two that raced earned $1,835. Great buy. Very talented youngster. The cold did race very well in his Goodtimes division, finishing with a sizzling :26.3 last quarter. He beat Swandre The Giant off pedestrian fractions. The Indiana champion had no excuse except the 26-second last quarter. I can’t really understand that Swandre is the early Hambletonian futures favorite. The colt has never won a race outside the confines of the state of Indiana.