Changes in Five-Ten in Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian Week 6
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Ken Warkentin’s top 4 in the Road to the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian Week 6 remain the same but it is a different story for 5-10. American Power advances up to #5 after a new mark in the NJSS leg 2 and Magic Punk moves up to #6 after his new mark in the Goodtimes elimination. Neighver Punt returns to the top ten at #8 and Nancy Takter’s Highland Destiny makes his top ten debut at #10.
| 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 won Big M qualifier in 1:53.3 (:26.1) May 22, rallied from post 11 to finish second by a neck to stablemate American Power in 3YO debut June 5, final quarter in :25.2, post three in NJSS Final June 12 | |
| 2 | Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven) | Jason Bartlett, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Synder, Arthur Pronti | Breeders Crown champion dominated Oak Grove Derby elim in 1:53.4 in 3YO debut, equaled 1:51.3 track record in final, easily made it three-for-three this season with a 1:53.3 romp (track good) in NYSS @ Vernon Downs May 25, post five in EBC June 12 | |
| 3 | Endurance (Captain Corey) | Andrew McCarthy, Christopher Beaver, Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, Mark Moger | Captain Corey colt unleashed track record equaling 1:51.3 in Oak Grove Derby elim in 3YO debut, then a gallant second in final, dominated PASS division in 1:51.4 June 6, not in to go | |
| 4 | Diabolic Hill (Muscle Hill) | Todd McCarthy, Annie Stoebe, Mario Mazza, AC Crawford Racing Stable | Breeders Crown elimination winner, close second in final, beat Spencer Hanover in Valley Victory in 1:53.3, banked $506,636, won Big M qualifier in 1:53.3 on May 8, wire-to-wire in 1:53.2 Big M qualifier May 29, first over third in strong 3YO NJSS debut June 5, post four in NJSS Final June 12 | |
| 5 | American Power (Walner) | Mattias Melander, Marcus Melander, M Biasuzzi Stable Inc | Beat Spencer Hanover in 1:55.3 qualifier May 16, rallied in :26.3 again to win Garden State division May 16, won NJSS Platinum Division in 1:54.3 over sloppy track May 23, took new mark of 1:52 in NJSS Leg 2 June 5, post six in NJSS Final June 12 | |
| 6 | Magic Punk (Wishing Stone) | Yannick Gingras, Ake Svanstedt, Magic Punk Inc. | Second in Wellwood & Peter Haughton, third in Kindergarten Final, banked $220,878, 1:53.1 stakes record Dexter Cup in 3YO debut, fourth (1:54.1) in Big M qualifier May 29, romped to a new mark of 1:51.1 in first Goodtimes elim June 5, post three in final June 13 | |
| 7 | Big Ranger (In Range) | Tim Tetrick, Anette Lorentzon, Madison Global | 2025 Ohio Horse of the Year went seven-for-seven, set track records @ Scioto Downs & Dayton, broke in 3YO debut April 23, fourth in Oak Grove Derby elim, wire-to-wire in Silver consolation in 1:52.3, set Scioto Downs track record 1:51.2 in OHSS May 25, then underwent a barn change, did not race last week, post three in OHSS division @ Scioto Downs June 13 | |
| 8 | Neighver Punt (Bar Hopping) | Marcus Melander, Courant Inc | Gives Marcus Melander four in the Top Ten, has suddenly blossomed @ three upsetting a Goodtimes elimination in career best 1:51.4 June 5, post five in final June 13 | |
| 9 | 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) in Final, second (1:54) in NYSS @ Tioga Downs June 5, post one in EBC June 12 with Tyler Buter driving | |
| 10 | Highland Destiny (Greenshoe) | Scott Zeron, Nancy Takter, Highland Thoroughbred Farm | Greenshoe gelding unraced at two, now four-for-four as a sophomore, winning PA Allstars division in 1:52 May 18, then a PASS division @ Pocono in 1:54.1 June 6, not in to go | |
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 | GABES LUCK | Scott Zeron | Nancy Takter | MEGA SHARK | PRACTICAL MAN | 1:55.3 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | King Of The Wind | Joe Bongiorno | Joe Bongiorno | MAGA HILL | NEVER SAY DIE | 1:55.2 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | AMERICAN POWER | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | KINGMEN | ARDONNE | 1:54.3 |
| May 23 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | TRILLION TIMES | Jason Bartlett | Per Engblom | Ice Fall | Be Positive | 1:57.3 |
| May 25 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | SEVENATO | Trond Smedshammer | Trond Smedshammer | WHO’S EYES BLUES | Highway Six | 1:54 |
| May 25 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | SPENCER HANOVER | Jason Bartlett | Marcus Melander | Titan’s Mischief | SECURED | 1:53.4 |
| June 5 | NYSS 2nd Leg | TD | READ THE ROOM | Sarah Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | Highway Six | TWIN B SEVEN SINS | 1:53.2 |
| June 5 | NYSS 2nd Leg | TD | Silverstein | Matt Kakaley | Matthew Burkholder | AI | SEVEN GRAND | 1:53.3 |
| June 5 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | AMERICAN POWER | Mattias Melander | Marcus Melander | APEX | DIABOLIC HILL | 1:52 |
| June 5 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | MAGIC PUNK | Yannick Gingras | Ake Svanstedt | Strobe Light | WOLFPACK CROWN | 1:52.1 |
| June 5 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | NEIGHVER PUNT | Yannick Gingras | Marcus Melander | Touchedbyanangel | Royal Captain | 1:51.4 |
| June 6 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | ENDURANCE | Andrew McCarthy | Christopher Beaver | Geologic | HAMLET HALL | 1:51.4 |
| June 6 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | HIGHLAND DESTINY | Scott Zeron | Nancy Takter | MINOAN | Captain Vodka | 1:54.1 |
| 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 |
Track Conditions
Updated
06/12/2026
Sloppy
Variant:
