Apex remains #1 on Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian Week 3
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Apex remains #1 on Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian and is in to qualify at the Meadowlands on May 22. Spencer Hanover jumps up to take the #2 spot while Big Ranger makes a move up to #6. American Power makes his debut in the top ten, landing at #9.
ROAD TO THE WINNING KEY FARM HAMBLETONIAN (G1)
2026 Top Ten – Week 3 – May 10
The 2026 Winning Key Farm Hambletonian (G1) will take place Saturday, August 8
| Rank | Horse | Driver, Trainer, Owner | Ken Warkentin’s Comments | |
| 1 | Apex (Walner) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander. Jeffrey Snyder, S R F Stable, Steve Stewart | Dan Patch Award winner, money leader ($871,798), won NJSS & NJ Classic Finals, Peter Haughton Memorial & Mohawk Million in 1:51.4, trained @ Big M May 8, post 5 in qualifier 2 @ Big M May 22 | |
| 2 | Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven) | Jason Bartlett, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Synder, Arthur Pronti | Won Big Apple Trot Final, also Breeders Crown elimination & final, second in Valley Victory, earned $649,889, dominated Oak Grove Derby elim in 1:53.4 in 3YO debut, rallied past roughed up favorite Endurance to equal 1:51.3 track record in final, Bartlett: “He loves to track horses down. I was trying to get the right one to follow and today it worked out for sure.” Not in to go | |
| 3 | Endurance (Captain Corey) | Andrew McCarthy, Christopher Beaver, Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, Mark Moger | First crop of 2021 Hambo winner Captain Corey, won six of eight starts, including two KYSS Finals, second in Mohawk Million, track record equaling 1:51.3 in Oak Grove Derby elim in 3YO debut, then a gallant first over second in final, not in to go | |
| 4 | Diabolic Hill (Muscle Hill) | Todd McCarthy, Annie Stoebe, Mario Mazza, AC Crawford Racing Stable | Won Breeders Crown elimination in 1:53.1, close second in final, turned the tables on Spencer Hanover in the Valley Victory in 1:53.3, banked $506,636, won Big M qualifier in 1:53.3 on May 8, makes 3YO debut from rail in Race 14 NJSS division May 23 | |
| 5 | AI (Chapter Seven) | Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc, Weaver Bruscemi LLC | Won NYSS Final, second in Kindergarten Final, banked $395,073, in 3YO debut second (1:51.4) in Oak Grove Derby elim, fourth (1:52.1) from post three in Final, not in to go | |
| 6 | Big Ranger (In Range) | Ronnie Gillespie, Madison Global | 2025 Ohio Horse of the Year went seven-for-seven, track records @ Scioto Downs & Dayton, broke in 3YO debut April 23, faded to fourth in Oak Grove Derby elim, then wire-to-wire in Silver consolation in career best 1:52.3, not in to go | |
| 7 | Nix Nacken (Muscle Hill) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc. | Won NJ Classic Conso (1:55) & INSS division (1:52.2), second by a nose in Bluegrass division, third in Valley Victory, earned $187,186, third (1:52) in 3YO debut, broke/finished eighth in Oak Grove Derby Final, post four in Race 7 NJSS division May 23 | |
| 8 | Magic Punk (Wishing Stone) | Ake Svanstedt, Magic Punk Inc. | Runner up in the Wellwood & Peter Haughton, third in Kindergarten Final, banked $220,878, rallied to 1:53.1 stakes record Dexter Cup in 3YO debut, not in to go | |
| 9 | American Power (Walner) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, M Biasuzzi Stable Inc | Won an INSS division in 1:53.1 & earned $68,860 at two, beat Spencer Hanover in 1:55.3 qualifier May 16, rallied in :26.3 again to win a Garden State division May 16, post three in Race 14 NJSS division May 23, gives Melander four in our Top 10 | |
| 10 | Ardonne (Tactical Landing) | Scott Zeron, Megan Scran, Philip Steinberg | Won elimination in 1:54.4 & final William Wellwood Memorial in 1:52.4, second by a head to Apex in NJSS Final, banked $289,150, won his first Big M qualifier in 1:55.1 May 15, makes 3YO debut in Race 14 NJSS division May 23 | |
KEY PREP RACES
Hambletonian Eligibles in Caps
| Date | Stakes | Site | Winner | Driver | Trainer | 2nd Horse | 3rd Horse | Time |
| May 2 | Dexter Cup | M | MAGIC PUNK | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | Southwind Alamo | WHO’S EYES BLUES | 1:53.1 |
| May 4 | Oak Grove Elim | OG | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | Geologic | IMPOSSIBLE BI | 1:53.4 |
| May 4 | Oak Grove Elim | OG | Silverstein | Dave Miller | Matthew Burkholder | REQIUEM | KINGMEN | 1:52.3 |
| May 4 | Oak Grove Elim | OG | ENDURANCE | Andrew McCarthy | Christopher Beaver | AI | NIX NAKEN | 1:51.3 |
| May 8 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | Captain Vodka | Ridge Warren | Robert Baggitt, Jr. | GREENARROW HANOVER | HAMLET HALL | 1:54.3 |
| May 8 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | Fineline Hanover | Ridge Warren | Ron Coyne, Jr. | Dilly Hanover | R TOMMY COLLINS | 1:53.2 |
| May 16 | Battle of Bunker Hill | PR | NEBBIOLO | Sarah Svanstedt | Ake Svantedt | MIDWIND CHIMP | Water Slide | 1:54.2 |
| May 16 | Oak Grove Derby | OG | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | ENDURANCE | REQUIEM | 1:51.3 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | MR PENNER | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | MINOAN | Captain Vodka | 1:52 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | HIGHLAND DESTINY | Scott Zeron | Nancy Takter | JIM BEAM | DOLLAR DRAFT | 1:52.2 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | Fineline Hanover | Todd McCarthy | Ron Coyne, Jr. | NEIGHVER PUNT | Confident Volo | 1:52.2 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | ||||||
| May 25 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | ||||||
| June 5 | NYSS 2nd Leg | TD | ||||||
| June 5 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | ||||||
| June 5 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | ||||||
| June 5 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | ||||||
| June 6 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | ||||||
| June 12 | NJSS Final | M | ||||||
| June 12 | EBC Division | Ver | ||||||
| June 12 | EBC Division | Ver | ||||||
| June 13 | Goodtimes Final | MO | ||||||
| June 19 | Yonkers Trot Elim | Y | ||||||
| June 24 | NYSS 3rd leg | Buf | ||||||
| June 26 | Yonkers Trot Final | Y | ||||||
| June 26 | Currier & Ives | Mea | ||||||
| July 4 | Reynolds | M | ||||||
| July 4 | Reynolds | M | ||||||
| July 11 | Stanley Dancer | M | ||||||
| July 11 | Stanley Dancer | M | ||||||
| July 19 | Zweig Memorial | V | ||||||
| July 23 | NYSS 4th Leg | Y | ||||||
| July 25 | Tompkins-Geers | M | ||||||
| July 25 | Tompkins-Geers | M | ||||||
| Aug. 1 | Hambo Elim | M | ||||||
| Aug. 1 | Hambo Elim | M |
FanDuel Championships
Track Conditions
Updated
05/23/2026
Sloppy
Variant: -2
Weather
East Rutherford, US
10:18 pm,
May 26, 2026
43°F
overcast clouds