by Bob Heyden

A lot happens on Hambletonian Day. In addition to America’s Trotting Classic, plenty of top horses compete in other stakes. Here’s a look at some standout performances through the years.

1948: Demon Hanover wins for hat manufacturer Harrison Hoyt who becomes the first of just two amateurs to win the Hambletonian (Malabar Man with amateur Mal Burroughs driving won in 1997). A $2,600 yearling Demon Hanover was the one who ended Proximity’s 16-race winning streak that same year and Hoyt then found himself besieged with offers. But he stood his ground.

1983: Joe Thomson of Winbak Farm competes in the sports first ever seven-figure, $1,080,000, trot with longshot Super Spy who finished 12th and did not advance. Cam Fella, 4, makes his final Meadowlands appearance winning the U.S. Pacing Championship. Hall of Fame conditioners on that day’s card were: Anthony Abbatiello, Ray Remmen, Billy Haughton, Doug Ackerman, Howard Beissinger, Glen Garnsey, Ron Waples, Jerry Silverman, Bill O’Donnell, Ted Wing, and Gene Riegle.

1984: Held on Aug. 4, just 12 days prior to the richest ever race, the $2,161,000 Wilson captured by Nihilator, Green With Envy won her 15th race of the meet and would later tie Genghis Khan at 16 for a single season best in East Rutherford. Cornstalk was fourth timed in 1:58.2 in his Hambletonian elim. In a few short weeks in the Midwest he’d set the new trotting mark of 1:53.4. The 1982 Meadowlands Pace winner Hilarion now 5, was also on the card. He was just eight-for-42 combined at 4 and 5 since his shining moment defeating No Nukes two years prior. Instrument Landing was also on the card as a 3-year-old competing in the Howard Camden barn. A decade later he’d retire as the winningest Meadowlands horse of all time with 47 wins. Aerobatic was also competing versus the open 3YOs. Two starts prior he had set the track record for sophs with a 1:52.1 new standard which doubled at that time as the fastest ever Herve Filion drive.

1987: Super Mario Baillargeon got some good money following Mack Lobell with Spotlite Lobell in the Hambletonian driving for Team Nordin. Can you believe that Jimmy Takter made his Hambletonian debut 38 years ago? Sir Taurus was sixth with Benny Webster driving.

1989: On the memorable Hambletonian Dead Heat Card was history’s first horse to make over a million before competing in East Rutherford. Runnymede Lobell banked $1,108,355 as a sophomore in 1988 taking the rich North America Cup.

1990: Harmonious, in just his ninth career start, takes the Hambletonian for his first stakes win! Jeff Gural sent out Lady Genius in the Tarport Hap.

1991: A 2-year-old named Alf Palema is familiarizing himself making his seventh career start, all in New Jersey. This of course would be his day just a year later. Stanley Dancer’s last six-figure driving win at The Meadowlands comes on Hambletonian Day 1991 capturing the Merrie Annabelle with a pot of $357,250 with Super Nice. Jack Moiseyev drives Giant Victory for the very first time and boom, wins the whole enchilada.

2001: Just 38 days prior to 9/11, Scarlet Knight wins the Hambletonian to go to nine-for-nine and Syrinx Hanover takes the Oaks to improve to five-for-five. A $1 million bonus was on the table that year for anyone who could capture the Grand Slam consisting of the Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity, World Trotting Derby and the Breeders Crown. Gallo Blue Chip and Eternal Camnation meet for the only time ever in the U.S. Pacing Championship. He was second but she didn’t cash. They would soon reign as the richest male and female pacers of all-time. Real Desire overcomes post 12 to win the Holmes. It was Joe DeFrank’s final Hambletonian Day. He had been the race secretary since the track’s 1976 opening.

2003: Adam Victor is the meets leading owner. Mike Lachance who had qualified Amigo Hall once drives him for the very first time in a race and upsets in the Hambletonian. Dave Miller takes superstar Kadabra in the Cashman leaving his prized Magician in Luc Ouellette’s hands. Malabar Millennium was in action after winning his Hambletonian elim. Was there any pressure on him seeing that his parents won the Hambletonian (Malabar Man) and the Oaks (Gleam)? Who knows, but he didn’t cash. 2001 HOY Bunny Lake was on the card. Six notables from that day no longer with us are: Jack Baggitt, Jr., Jim Doherty, Eric Ledford, Ted Wing, and of course, Dave Brower and Sam McKee.

2017: First ever New Jersey Hambletonian without John Campbell who had retired five weeks earlier. First 21st century Hambletonian without McKee who we lost on March 8. JL Cruze competes in the Cashman at age 6 and is still at it in 2025 at 14 now past $2 million. At 25, trainer Marcus Melander debuts in the Hambletonian, finishing third with Enterprise. First Sam McKee Memorial goes to upsetter Check Six.

2024: Top guys had tough posts. The four-time defending Canadian Driver of the Year James MacDonald and the five times in the last six years U.S. Driver of the Year, Dexter Dunn, got posts 9 and 10 in both the Hambletonian and Oaks. MacDonald got post 9 with Private Access in the Hambletonian and then 10 with Drawn Impression versus the girls. Dunn had post 10 with Amazing Catch versus the colts and post 9 with Date Night Hanover in the Oaks.