Ken Warkentin’s Road to the 2025 Hambletonian Presented by FanDuel Week 5
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Gap Kronos S and Go Dog Go each move up a spot in week 5 of Ken Warkentin’s Road to the 2025 Hambletonian Presented by FanDuel. Four horses in the top ten are facing each other in the Zweig Memorial this Thursday at Vernon Downs.
2025 HAMBLETONIAN
Road to the Hambletonian Top 10 – Week 5
The 100th Hambletonian will take place Saturday, August 2
| Rank | Horse | Driver, Trainer, Owner | Ken Warkentin’s Comments | |
| 1 | Super Chapter (Chapter Seven) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Snyder, Arthur Pronti | Three-for-three this season, wire-to-wire for a new mark of 1:50.4 in EBC division, one fifth off all-age Vernon Downs track record, rallied to win Yonkers Trot in 1:54.3, last quarter in :27.3, “I just took my time keeping him safe with the first turn and he’s gotten stronger,” said Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander: “He’s always been a horse that’s very professional out on the track, so easy to handle, so easy on himself, and very nice to drive. You can put him on the front, he can chase horses down, he never gets grabby or anything like that. He has everything you need to be a good horse.” Not in to go | |
| 2 | Maryland (Chapter Seven) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc, PCW Racing, Holly Lane Stud East Ltd, SStewartRThorn Stable | Dan Patch Award winner made his 3YO debut in EBC division @ Vernon Downs finishing second to stablemate Super Chapter, back half :54.2, last quarter :26.2, post two in Zweig Memorial | |
| 3 | Emoticon Legacy (Walner) | Louis Roy, Luc Blais, Determination | Fresh off his 3YO debut in a 1:52.1 career best elimination he dominated the Goodtimes Final in a Mohawk track record of 1:50.2, post five in Zweig Memorial | |
| 4 | Gap Kronos S (Face Time Bourbon) | Yannick Gingras, Ake Svanstedt, Bruni Racing Team Inc | Team Svandstedt prospect a two-time Grand Circuit winner at two with a mark of 1:51.4, finished well (:27.2) for second in Goodtimes Final, equaled career best 1:51.4 (:27.2) in W.N. Reynolds division, not in to go | |
| 5 | Go Dog Go (Greenshoe) | Todd McCarthy, Carter Pinske, Wiesman Farms, Al Libfeld | Impressive career best 1:52.3 in his 3YO debut in PASS division @ Pocono, then romped to new mark of 1:52 from post nine in a W.N. Reynolds division, “He’s getting stronger and really comfortable,” said Todd McCarthy. “I had live cover, he wanted to go and he’s a pleasure to drive.” Not in to go | |
| 6 | Hidalgo (Muscle Hill) | Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, Brixton Medical Inc. Hatfield Stables | Broke in his first two starts of 2025, won NJSS division in a career best 1:53.1, second (1:51.2) in NJSS division on June 6, took a new mark of 1:52.4 winning the NJSS final, post one in Zweig Memorial | |
| 7 | Onajetplane (Walner) | Andrew McCarthy, Noel Daley, Sjoblom Racing Inc, LA Express Stable, Joonas Jarvinen | 3YO debut was an eye-catching career best 1:52.1 in a NJSS division, second (1:52.4) in a dead heat in NJSS Final, post six in Zweig Memorial | |
| 8 | Maximus Mearas S (Chapter Seven) | Scott Zeron, Lucas Wallin, Kjell Magne Andersen | Won a Bluegrass division & Breeders Crown elimination at two, close second to Maryland in that final, training well & went all the way in an eye-catching first qualifier @ Big M on June 27 in 1:54.4, not in to go | |
| 9 | Variegated (Chapter Seven) | Scott Zeron, Marcus Melander, S R F Stable | Started 3YO season two-for-two, won the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1:53.1 & crushed a NYSS division at Vernon Downs in a career best 1:52.1, second (1:52.4) in EBC division, set the pace & finished second to stablemate Super Chapter in Yonkers Trot, not in to go | |
| 10 | Monserrate (Chapter Seven) | Dave Miller, Andrew Harris, William Pollock, Bruce Areman, Andrew Harris | Won both Big M qualifiers in 1:54.1 & 1:54, second to Super Chapter on May 26, third (1:52.4) in EBC division, wire-to-wire in a 1:54.1 (:26.3) Big M overnight, “Dave [Miller] kept the ear plugs in,” said Andrew Harris. “When he went to Vernon, he wouldn’t eat or drink, and his lines still looked OK. But he didn’t possess that pop. Tonight, that’s as good as he’s ever been.” Not in to go | |
KEY PREP RACES
Hambletonian Eligibles in Caps
| Date | Stakes | Site | Winner | Driver | Trainer | 2nd Horse | 3rd Horse | Time |
| May 3 | Dexter Cup | M | HARD SEVEN | Todd McCarthy | Nancy Takter | MY DEGENERATE | CIVILIAN DRONE | 1:53.4 |
| May 9 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | The Fix Is In | Charlie Norris | Charlie Norris | HEY PORTER | BOMBAY TOM | 1:54.4 |
| May 9 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | Big Shoes | Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. | Ron Burke | MESHUGGAH | Arrowhead Hanover | 1:52.4 |
| May 15 | Battle of Bunker Hill | PP | VARIEGATED | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | Global Sensation | MY DEGENERATE | 1:53.1 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | Give Me A Yankee | Simon Allard | Mark Akins | GREEN MEL | Golazo | 1:55 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | Frank Leahy | Yannick Gingras | Ron Burke | BOMBAY TOM | Honolulu Hanover | 1:54 |
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | LEFTIES RIGHTIES | Braxton Boyd | Jenny Melander | MESHUGGAH | HEY PORTER | 1:53.3 |
| May 24 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | TRAVOLTA HANOVER | Dexter Dunn | Nancy Takter | TE QUIERO LINDY | MOUNTCASTLE | 1:54.4 |
| May 24 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | HIDALGO | Yannick Gingras | Ron Burke | SKY LEGACY | MY DEGENERATE | 1:53.1 |
| May 24 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | PRECISE LANDING | Tim Tetrick | Dan Daley | GO BOOM | NIGHT PHANTOM | 1:54 |
| May 26 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | SUPER CHAPTER | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | MONSERRATE | Seven Layer | 1:53.3 |
| May 26 | NYSS 1st Leg | Ver | VARIEGATED | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | Global Sensation | KARINCHAK | 1:52.3 |
| June 2 | NYSS 2nd Leg | Mon | Bjm’s Lil Man | Tyler Buter | John Berger | Seven Layer | Seismic Step | 1:55.4 |
| June 6 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | MR WALNER FASHION | Todd McCarthy | Jim Campbell | HIDALGO | MR DEGENERATE | 1:51.2 |
| June 6 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | MOUNTCASTLE | Scott Zeron | Marcus Melander | TOP GUN HANOVER | YANNICK G KEMP | 1:51.2 |
| June 6 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | ONAJETPLANE | Andrew McCarthy | Noel Daley | Moni Man | HERECOMESDAJUDGE | 1:52.1 |
| June 7 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | GALEN ERSO | Doug McNair | Gregg McNair | LANDING ON TIME | LMC Wagon Wheel | 1:53 |
| June 7 | Goodtimes Elim | MO | EMOTICON LEGACY | Louis Roy | Luc Blais | Eugene The Genius | Fadeaway Hanover | 1:52.1 |
| June 8 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | MESHUGGAH | Scott Zeron | Marcus Melander | GREENMA | The Fix Is In | 1:54.1 |
| June 8 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | GO DOG GO | Todd McCarthy | Carter Pinske | HEY PORTER | Arrowhead Hanover | 1:52.3 |
| June 13 | NJSS Final | M | HIDALGO | Yannick Gingras | Ron Burke | ONAJETPLANE (DH) | TOP GUN HAONVER (DH) | 1:52.4 |
| June 13 | EBC Division | Ver | SUPER CHAPTER | Scott Zeron | Marcus Melander | MARYLAND | HARD SEVEN | 1:50.4 |
| June 13 | EBC Division | Ver | CHAT ROOM | Tyler Buter | John Butenschoen | VARIEGATED | MONSERRATE | 1:52.3 |
| June 14 | Goodtimes Final | MO | EMOTICON LEGACY | Louis Roy | Luc Blais | GAP KRONOS S | LANDING ON TIME | 1:50.2 |
| June 25 | NYSS 3rd Leg | Buf | Fadeaway Hanover | Jim Morrill, Jr. | Sara Baillargeon | Bjm’s Lil Man | Seven Layer | 1:57 |
| June 27 | Yonkers Trot | Y | SUPER CHAPTER | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | VARIEGATED | HAPPY JACK B | 1:54.3 |
| June 28 | Reynolds | M | GO DOG GO | Todd McCarthy | Carter Pinske | MR MOUTON | MOUNTCASTLE | 1:52 |
| June 28 | Reynolds | M | GAP KRONOS S | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | NORDIC CATCHER S | PRECISE LANDING | 1:51.4 |
| July 3 | Zweig Memorial | Ver | ||||||
| July 7 | KYSS 2nd Leg | OG | ||||||
| July 11 | PASS 3rd Leg | Phl | ||||||
| July 12 | Stanley Dancer | M | ||||||
| July 14 | KYSS 3rd Leg | OG | ||||||
| July 19 | Tompkins-Geers | M | ||||||
| July 26 | Hambo Eliminations | M |
100th Hambletonian
07
days
:
18
hrs
:
22
mins
:
21
secs
Track Conditions
Updated
07/25/2025
Fast
Variant:
Weather
East Rutherford, US
5:37 pm,
July 25, 2025
85°F
light rain