Hambletonian 100 numbers

by Bob Heyden

With the number 100 clearly in everyone’s minds this weekend, here are some others numbers to think about from Hambletonian Days in the past:

1. Chapter Seven was 2 1-1-0, $100,000 entering the 2011 Hambletonian for Linda Toscano. He finished a non-threatening fourth. As a stallion, he’s a two-time
winner he already has gone 1-2 in a Hambletonian final (2022) and recently had all five starters in the Yonkers Trot. He is also trying to do what no other HOY has done on the trotting side, sire a HOY! Super Chapter is off to a good start there.

2. Brian Sears holds the Meadowlands and single day earnings record of $1,555,674 set in 2009, on Muscle Hill’s Hambletonian Day.

3. Eternal Camnation holds the record at $3,617,458 for the highest ever female pacing bankroll entering a race on Hambletonian Day, the 2004 Golden Girls.

4. The Meadowlands largest ever win price of $367.20 (6/15/84) cane from a horse who later won a Hambletonian elim, Delvin G Hanover.

5. Ake Svanstedt got the ball rolling on his first ever Hambo Day in 2014 winning the Peter Haughton with Centurion ATM.

6. Dexter Dunn has won both Triple Crowns this year with the Yonkers Trot Super Chapter and the Cane Pace with Twisted Destiny. The latter ineligible for the Cane.

7. The three fastest ever Hambletonian/or Oaks performers ever are one father and his two daughters: Muscle Hill 1:50.1 (2009), Manchego 1:50 (2018) and Ramona Hill 1:50.1 (2021).

8. Marcus Melander was 9 years old attending his first Hambletonian in 2001 when his uncle Stefan Melander won it with Scarlet Knight.

9. Elista Hanover is the best chestnut around. In the 120 checks distributed in the Hambletonian since 2000, zero have gone to a chestnut. None since Yankee Paco won it in 2000.

10. Atlanta, Kalamazoo, and Syracuse were the three who bid on the first Hambletonian.

11. 626 were nominated to the initial 1926 Hambletonian.

12. 26 drivers and 25 trainers are still with us who’ve captured the Hambletonian. Some had doubles.

13. 291 days after the launching of the 1926 Hambletonian, Charles Lindberg took off too.

14. Trond Smedshammer (2004 Windsong’s Legacy) is the sports only trainer/driver in the last 45 years to win a Triple Crown. Clint Galbraith won it in 1980 with Niatross.

15. With Nancy Takter not in the Hambletonian, her streak at two-straight Hambletonians ends, and matches her dad’s from 2014-2015 (Trixton and Pinkman).

16. Lucas Wallin had the 2022 Hambletonian fave Rebuff. Marcus Melander had the three favorites in 2019 with Greenshoe, Gimpanzee, and Green Manalishi S.

17. Dave Miller is now within $5 million of John Campbell. It’s $295 million for “the Buckeye” and $299.8 for “JC.” It’s been 37 years since anyone (Herve Filion) was within $5 million of Campbell in the summer of 1988.

18. Can Yannick Gingras go back-to-back in the Hambletonian? It’s not done in 37 years (1987-88), John Campbell, Mack Lobell, and Armbro Goal.

19. Was Greyhound’s sire really a chestnut? Yes, Guy Abbe, himself a Hambo runner-up.

20. Hambletonian Day (2004) was the lone loss of 2004 for HOY Rainbow Blue who went 2O-for-21.