by Bob Heyden

There have been 44 of them in New Jersey, and we even have to count Probe in the dead heat year of 1989 as a runner-up since he got second money.

1981 — Howard Beissinger’s Super Juan was the very first to finish second in a New Jersey Hambletonian when he was edged out by Shiaway St Pat, 12 years after Beissinger himself debuted with Triple Crown Winner Lindy’s Pride (1969).

1982 — Jazz Kosmos was second best to Speed Bowl as they came to the wire together. It would be a full decade before Mickey McNichol could get it done with Alf Palema in 1992.

1983 — Joie De Vie gets John Campbell home in his Hambletonian debut from post 12 in the elim, and then was fourth in a dead heat good for second money overall. That mattered big time as Joie De Vie tipped past $1 million at years end, becoming the first trotter to do so in a single year.

1984 — Delvin G Hanover was second best overall after paying $126.20 in his elim.

1985 — Torway paid $76.40 early but had to settle for second overall money for Beissinger again. Torway was a Speedy Crown colt and fittingly Beissinger won the 1971 Hambletonian with him.

1986 — Royal Prestige in a Norway versus Sweden battle to the wire. Ulf Thoresen over Berndt Lindstedt.

1987 — Napoletano was second to Mack Lobell for Bill O’Donnell and Tommy Haughton. The Super Bowl colt was one of six runners-up sired by that 1972 Triple Crown winner.

1988 — Firm Tribute was good for second money despite a 13-post draw early.

1989 — Park Avenue Joe and Probe in a dead heat with two first time winners Ron Waples and Bill Fahy. The feel-good finish did not carry over to the Breeders Crown however when they both missed checks sixth and eighth, respectively.

1990 — Embassy Lobell finished second to Harmonious, with Campbell and Lachance 1-2. That same driving duo, in reverse, would end the decade 1-2 with Self Possessed and Angus Hall.

1991 — M B Felty second best for Sonny Patterson and Ron Gurfein. “The Guru” was three years from his first of three Hambletonians.

1992 — King Conch, a Per Eriksson trainee, was second to his stablemate Alf Palema.

1993 — Pine Chip was the first New Jersey Hambletonian runner-up named Trotter of the Year. An honor he earned again at 4. He then sired back-to-back Hambletonian winners in 2001 and 2002 with Scarlet Knight and Chip Chip Hooray.

1994 — Mr Lavec was second to Victory Dream. The runner-up check was Jimmy Takter’s first ever in the classic after racing Sir Taurus in 1987 and Classic Air in 1989 without cashing.

1995 — Abundance was the bridesmaid to Tagliabue in the topsy turvy year where 1-9 favorite CR KAY Suzie broke stride. He was a son of 1988 winner Armbro Goal.

1996 — Lindy Lane beat all males, just not Continentalvictory. Sire Valley Victory went 1-2.

1997 — Take Chances was second to stablemate Malabar Man the first of two times Jimmy Takter would go 1-2 in our biggest event (2014 Trixton and Nuncio).

1998 — David Raymond’s second place effort was as close at Cat Manzi got. Chuck Sylvester was all over it this year finishing 1-2 in both elims and the final.

1999 — Angus Hall was not up to Self Possessed’s world record of 1:51.3 but was clear of the rest.

2000 — Credit Winner, second to Yankee Paco, was the swan song in a brilliant 18-year Hambletonian run for Per Eriksson.

2001 — Pegasus Spur was second in Bill O’Donnell’s own Hambletonian finale. Oddly that colt never won a race in New Jersey for Team Stillings.

2002 — Like A Prayer was second just like dad, Lindy Lane, was in 1996.

2003 — Sugar Trader was second for Luc Ouellette to uncle Mike Lachance and Amigo Hall.

2004 — Cantab Hall, the defending Trotter of the Year at age 2, was second to Windsong’s Legacy.

2005 — Classic Photo was favored for Erv Miller but couldn’t stall the other son of S Js Photo, Vivid Photo.

2006 — Chocolatier was an impressive runner-up to eventual Triple Crown winner Glidemaster despite starting from the 10 post.

2007 — Adrian Chip and Robert Bergh made a good decision to come in from Sweden and gather in the $375,000 second place check. Andover Hall sired not only the top pair but the Oaks winner, Danae, too, from his first sophomore crop.

2008 — Crazed gets 26-year-old Tim Tetrick his first on-the-board finish for 24-year-old trainer Frank Antonacci, Jr.

2009 — Explosive Matter couldn’t dent Muscle Hill in his track record 1:50.1, from Cantab Hall ‘s first crop.

2010 — Favored Lucky Chucky, a $10,000 yearling, was powerless when the Muscle Massive express went by, but he was still named Trotter of the Year.

2011 — Whiskey Tax might be the most anonymous Hambletonian runner-up. He was 39-1 and a stablemate to that year’s HOY San Pail. Randy Waples drove the Jeff Gural Little E-bred.

2012 — Guccio missed a neck with Jimmy Takter in the bike. The significance? Brian Sears and Yannick Gingras watching from the drivers’ room.

2013 — Smilin Eli was second for Tim Tetrick and trainer Dave Smith. Tetrick won with Market Share in 2012 and was the first driver, joined by Bob McClure in 2024, to follow up his Hambletonian victory with a second in his very next Hambletonian assignment.

2014 — Nuncio was the first pairing of Campbell/Takter in Hambletonian history.

2015 — Mission Brief was favored over Pinkman but couldn’t go by. Classic female/male matchup.

2016 — Southwind Frank completed a nose-apart Muscle Hill exacta.

2017 — The only DQ year. Devious Man was the third Credit Winner runner-up, just like he was in 2000.

2018 — Mets Hall is the second straight Team Andy/Julie Miller Hambletonian second place finisher.

2019 — Greenshoe was the overwhelming favorite from the first full crop of Father Patrick. He fell a buck short to Forbidden Trade.

2020 — Ready For Moni was second best and trained by Nancy Takter just a couple of years removed from dad’s retirement (12/6/18).

2021 — Spy Booth the first maiden to be first or second in the Hambletonian.

2022 — Joviality S completed the Chapter Seven male-female siring exacta, with Sears a buck and a half shy of his fourth Hambletonian. Marcus Melander got a big chunk again but just not his first whole enchilada.

2023 — Oh Well loomed and looked a winner until the rail-skimming Tactical Approach broke up the party.

2024 — Highland Kismet did some of his best work right here challenging the last three-eighth’s going by but just not able to stall Karl in the sudden downpour.