by Bob Heyden

With the 99^th Hambletonian in the books, before we turn our sights to the 100^th, lets look back at some stats from the big day.

RARE AIR

There’s no doubt that Hambletonian Day was also Nancy Takter Day. She entered the day as one of eight prior Hambletonian-winning trainers on the card joining Trond Smedshammer, Linda Toscano, Ake Svanstedt, Luc Blais, Tony Alagna, Noel Daley and Jim Campbell. She won her second-straight Hambletonian and is the first do that since dad, Jimmy Takter, did it in 2014-15.

WINNING TACTICS

Southwind Farms’ Tactical Landing is now the first stallion in 65 years to win the Hambletonian in his first two crops with Tactical Approach (2023) and now Karl. Stars Pride did it in 1958-59 with Emilys Pride and Diller Hanover, respectively. Tactical Landing and Walner (also a Southwind stallion), were the only two sires on the card to double up.

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

There are now 511 Triple Crown races in the books and Legendary Hanover owns the fastest victory, 1:46.2, after his incredible Cane Pace victory.

OH BROTHER

Two brothers — James and Mark MacDonald — had the two fastest, high and low prices of the day. Legendary Hanover, with James driving, paid $2.40 in the 1:46.2 and Mark upset at $138.60 with Rocknroll Runa A in 1:47.3.

LONE ROAN

Upallnight Hanover, the lone roan or grey among the 154 programmed horses on the card, won the opener, a division of the Continentalvictory.

I LOVE ROCK N ROLL

Rock N Roll Heaven was the only HOY sire on the entire card with a credit, the aforementioned Rocknroll Runa A.

RARE BREEDERS

Crawford Farms are the first to breed two Hambletonian winners since Steve Stewart did it in 2014 with Trixton and 2019 with Forbidden Trade. Prior to Karl, the Crawfords bred Atlanta (2018). They also owned Ramona Hill who won the Hambletonian in 2020.

CHECK OUT

Marcus Melander’s streak of seven-straight Hambletonian checks ended when Security Protected finished last. He’s the only trainer to be in eight Hambletonians by age 32.

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

Ake Svanstedt, 65, just won the $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks, making him the first driver past his 65th birthday ever to win a race worth more than half a million dollars.

IMPRESSIVE SIX PACK

Dexter Dunn showed off his six-pack on Hambletonian Day. He won with Upallnight Hanover ($8.20), Supernova Hanover ($34.20), Slip Sliding Away ($53.20), Jiggy Jog S ($3), Champagne Problems ($5.20), and Twin B Joe Fresh ($3.20).

HIGH TIME

Yannick Gingras has the highest career earnings ever for first-time Hambletonian winners and the first member of the $200 million club — that has seven members in it — to then break through.

TEN AGAIN

Dexter Dunn is the first Hambletonian driver to get three checks from post 10. He finished third this year with Amazing Catch and was fourth in both 2019 (Soul Strong) and 2020 (Amigo Volo).

AGED STAKE

The two oldest drivers on the card got it done in big stakes. The aforementioned Svanstedt winning the Oaks, and 59-year-old David Miller taking the Steele Memorial in back-to-back years with M-M’s Dream. Miller, at $286 million plus, is the richest driver to ever participate on Hambletonian Day.

ON THE MARK

With nearly 300 drives available at The Meadowlands this past weekend, multiple Canadian Driver of the Year award winner Mark MacDonald had exactly two of them and he won both. He won a division of the Muscle Hill on Friday with fourth choice Victor Laszlo ($11.20) and the aforementioned Sam McKee with Rocknroll Runa A ($138.60), by far the biggest price on Hambletonian Day. Three years ago, MacDonald won the Peter Haughton on Hambletonian Day and don’t forget he also set the 3YOPC track record in 2005 with American Ideal surging by HOY Rocknroll Hanover in 1:48.1 also on Hambletonian Day.

Note: I haven’t missed either a Hambletonian Day in New Jersey or a Breeders Crown. None. The best drive I’ve ever witnessed on either of those days came when MacDonald stick-handled his way to the winner’s circle in Canada in 2011 with Betterthancheddar after having been replaced on the colt and only got the drive because of the snowstorm/airplane fiasco that year. Talent like his should be rewarded.