Ranking the 101st Hambletonian field from outsiders to my pick to win it all

by Brett Sturman

Nineteen horses over two eliminations on Saturday (Aug. 1) at The Meadowlands will contest this year’s Hambletonian. Grouping the horses by their likelihood to win, and in alphabetical order, here is a rundown of each one.

THE OUTSIDERS

AI – Picked up his first win of the season last week in an New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) event at Yonkers, a track where he seems to do some of his best work. He could only manage a fifth-place finish against Hambletonian hopefuls two back when riding an ideal second-over trip; Burke is aiming high here.

Ardonne – He was a top 2-year-old last year in winning the Grade 1 William Wellwood in a stakes-record-equaling time of 1:52.4, but just hasn’t been the same horse this year, so far. He does go second start for Svanstedt on the barn change but is still in need of a big turnaround.

Highland Destiny – He was respected enough to be odds of 7-2 in the Dancer on July 4 when he broke, but things haven’t gone his way at all in the three recent Meadowlands races. A Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) winner from June, he would need a big reversal from his race last week when appearing empty.

Kingmen – His lone win this year came in a 1:55 mile at Pocono, similar to his best mark last year of 1:55.1 at Mohawk. He wasn’t terribly outmatched in some of those higher-tier New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) races, but was well beaten last out in the Zweig when starting from the rail; would need to go faster.

Minoan – Comes off a lifetime best win of 1:52:2 last week in a stake at The Meadowlands, albeit against lesser. His Reynolds try from two back where he showed speed and tracked in behind It Could Be Worse wasn’t bad but has a lot to prove against these.

Practical Man – A 1:53.4 winner over The Meadowlands surface this year, but not much on view to recommend as far as Hambletonian chances. Expect him to be generally dismissed as a big long shot against these. He does land the rail in his elimination though so a trip to next week’s final is possible.

Requiem – He’s had his moments against some of the best, including his third-place finish in May in the Oak Grove Derby to be less than two lengths behind Spencer Hanover and Endurance. That said, a Bluegrass winner from last year wasn’t threatening in his Dancer split and would need to show further advancement.

Wolfpack Crown – May be the biggest longshot of all the Hambletonian entrants; appears further doomed by drawing post 10 for his elimination.

WITH A CHANCE

Inexpressable – Emerged onto the scene with his win in the Yonkers Trot when he stormed home with the added distance in that race. He handled the step up well enough next out when trying hard to rally from second-over but just couldn’t push past American Power or reach Apex for that matter. Needs to continue to progress but is moving in the right direction.

It Could Be Worse – Had things his own way on the front end in the Reynolds when getting a big jump on the heavy favorite, but in the process was game through the stretch that night. He was perhaps even more impressive when locked in behind Endurance in his Dancer. These are the same trainer/driver connections that produced a Hambletonian win with Market Share in 2012 but I’m almost certain this one is going to lose Tetrick to Big Ranger.

Nix Nacken – He crushed NJSS Silver foes in that 1:50 win, which went even faster than the Platinum final that night, but hasn’t been able to replicate that same success when hiked up against the classier Hambletonian prospects. At the same time, he hasn’t been bad either; might just need to piece it together at the right time. Retains Dunn for his elimination but surely will lose him to Apex in the final.

Spencer Hanover – Has seen his stock fall over the past month. The 2-year-old Breeders Crown champion began this year right where he left off last year, including a win in the Oake Grove Derby and Empire Breeders Classic, but things have gone sideways since. I thought that EBC win was just okay in a slower time, and since then came consecutive breaks, including one in the Dancer when he appeared non-threatening even before. Qualified fine with Melander and is out to regain his luster.

THE WILDCARD

Captain Naughty – In from Indiana where his season-to-date doesn’t particularly shout out Hambletonian, but he does warrant a renewed look on the barn change to Engblom. He qualified last Friday in a career best time of 1:52 and in the process was 10 lengths ahead of fellow Hambletonian entrant Ardonne. I wouldn’t be surprised by anything, good or bad.

MAIN CONTENDERS

American Power – Has really progressed well throughout these past couple of months. He was 14-1 in that NJSS win and proved it wasn’t a fluke with another honest try in that NJSS Platinum final. Right behind Apex twice, he got first run last out at Nix Nacken in the Zweig and won nicely in a time of 1:50; continuing to get better and better.

Apex – Last year’s 2-year-old champion has consistently been the top-rated Hambletonian prospect all season long. His wins in the NJSS Platinum final and in the Dancer three weeks ago both came at the shortest odds of 1-9, where he won both of those races confidently. His dam, the great trotting mare Mission Brief was favored in this race 11 years ago when she was second. Perhaps the one that the 2026 Hambletonian goes through.

Diabolic Hill – He’s been solid in all four starts this year despite not having a win yet to show for it; sort of reminds me of Maryland in a similar situation entering last year’s Hambletonian. It’s been one thing or another including that recent Zweig effort when second to American Power after that one got the jump on him past a leader this one was in behind. He’s been a top-level colt going back to the very beginning of his career last summer and there would be no better time to get his first win of the season soon; this week or preferably even, next week.

Endurance – It feels tough to split this one and Apex but we’ll find out soon enough as they start two slots apart in the same elimination on Saturday. This one cruised last out to a win in the Dancer when bet down from 9-2 to 3-5 and won nicely in a time of 1:52. His lone loss this season came in that Oak Grove Derby race when he was essentially parked the mile and still only lost to a tripped-out Spencer Hanover who latched onto his cover. It almost doesn’t seem fair that he, Apex, and American Power land the outside three slots in the same stacked elimination.

Magic Punk – He’s another that’s been solid throughout both his 2- and 3-year-old seasons and that race two back where he stormed home out of the pocket in :26.3 to surge past Diabolic Hill puts him in high status alone. He made a good account for himself in June in the Goodtimes at Mohawk and prior to that captured the Dexter Cup here at The Meadowlands, as that race can be seen even more now as taking on renewed importance. Perhaps something was learned from that first-turn break last out at Vernon.

THE PICK

Big Ranger – Unbeaten last year at 2 and highly impressive this year at 3, the Ohio star by sire In Range looks every bit the part of a potential Hambletonian champion. Following a then-track-record performance of 1:51.2 three back at Scioto with Ronnie Gillespie who had trained the horse to date, he was transferred to the barn of Anette Lorentzon where his next start out he lowered that mark over the same track down to 1:50.3. He’s been freaky good in both that start and in the subsequent one for the new barn where he won by over 12 lengths. Entering the eliminations, he’ll be my pick to win the Hambletonian.