The Guru’s Road to the Hambletonian – Week 8

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 $201,723 2,1:53.3 3,1:50.2
Courant Inc, Hans R Backe, Lars Granqvist,and Martin Langli
Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld
Marcus Melander / Brian Sears

Blew the doors off a nice field in his elimination to the Beal and, despite traffic trouble, was coming like gangbusters in the stretch of last night’s Beal final, just missing by a head in a race won by Marseille in an upset in 1:52.3 on a “good” track.

2. PILOT DISCRETION

Muscle Hill — Self Indulgent
100,000 Lexington Selected $129,725, 3, 1:52
J. Leblanc, David Anderson and John Fodera
Steve H. Stewart and David W. Miller
Tony Alagna / Andrew McCarthy

Moved up last week off a stunning win in the Goodtimes final at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Obviously picking his spots with conservative handling before the big dance. Not in to go this week.

3. GREEN MANALISHI S

Muscle Hill — Naga Morich
$270,000 Sweden , $523,057 2, 1:53.4
Courant Inc
AB Svensk Reklamfinas
Marcus Melander / Tim Tetrick

According to the “Baby Trainer” he is over some minor issues. He sure looked awesome in his elimination victory in the Beal. He finished third behind Marseilles and Greenshoe in last night’s Beal final.

4. GIMPANZEE

Chapter Seven — Steamy Windows
$170,000 Harrisburg $723,146 3, 1:54
Courant Inc and SRF Stable
Order By Stable
Marcus Melander / Brian Sears

Can you imagine Marcus Melander finishing 1, 2, 3 in the Hambletonian? Right now it wouldn’t be a shock. This colt continued his unbeaten streak crushing a field in a NYSS non-betting event at Yonkers Raceway in 1:55 on Tuesday. This gets harder for me to say every week, but he still doesn’t show me the speed of Melander’s other two colts.

5. FORBIDDEN TRADE

Kadabra — Pure Ivory
$110,000 Harrisburg $302,394 3, 1:53.1
Determination, Steve Stewart
Luc Blais / Bob McClure

Colt was a very credible second to Pilot Discretion in the Goodtimes final at Mohawk. Not in to go this week.

6. OSTERIC

Cantab Hall — Oh Oh Hereshecomes
Homebred $347,292, 3, 1:52.2
Christina Takter and Goran Falk
Per Engblom / Yannick Gingras

After a bang-up Sires Stakes victory, he looked a little ordinary in his Beal elimination. All things being equal, Greenshoe can make any colt look ordinary. Despite sitting second much of the mile in last night’s Beal final, Osteric made a break after the three-quarter pole and finished seventh in the field of eight.

7. DON’T LET’EM

Muscle Hill — Passageway
$80,000 Lexington Selected $254,367, 2, 1:51.4
Brittany Farm LLC, Christina Takter, John D Fielding and Herb Liverman
Brittany Farms LLC
Nancy Johansson / Marcus Johansson

Raced in a NW7 last Friday night at the Meadowlands and looked fabulous destroying the overnight field in 1:51.3. It looks to this writer that Nancy has found the keys and this guy is well on the comeback trail. The colt was not in to go this week.

8. 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. He bruised his ankle on that break and there is no definite time, as of now, for his return. The bruise is superficial.

9. 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

Look fabulous in her first appearance of 2019 running away from a group in a Pocono qualifier. I want to thank Rene Allard for sending me the video. Still has a lot of catching up to do.

10. CANTAB FASHION

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

They must be at the drawing board as he is not back in the box, yet. I have been carrying the colt because of the very impressive 1:51.4 2-year-old achievement, but, as of now, it’s wearing thin.