KEN WARKENTIN’S ROAD TO THE WINNING KEY FARM HAMBLETONIAN (G1): Week 1
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Dan Patch award winner, Apex, sits on top of Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Winning Key Farm Hambletonian (G1).
The 2026 Winning Key Farm Hambletonian (G1) will take place Saturday, August 8
2026 Top Ten – Week 1 – May 6
| 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, Melander finished second four times, Dexter Dunn third in 2025 with Winterbook favorite & Melander trainee Maryland, scheduled to train @ Big M on May 8 & qualify May 23 | |
| 2 | 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, mark of 1:52.3, earned $557,450, won 1:53.4 qualifier on April 16 @ Spring Garden Ranch, track record 1:51.3 in Oak Grove Derby elim | |
| 3 | Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven) | Jason Bartlett, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Synder, Arthur Pronti | Won Big Apple Trot Final in 1:52.3, also Breeders Crown elimination & final, second by a head in Valley Victory, earned $649,889, Melander sent out four in last year’s Hambo (second & third), dominated Oak Grove Derby elim in 1:53.4 | |
| 4 | Diabolic Hill (Muscle Hill) | Todd McCarthy, Annie Stoebe, Mazza Racing Stables, | 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, Todd McCarthy scored the biggest upset (52-1) in Hambo history in 2022 with Cool Papa Bell, entered to qualify @ Big M on May 8 | |
| 5 | AI (Chapter Seven) | Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc, Weaver Bruscemi LLC | 14 – 5-1-4 record, won NYSS Final, second in Kindergarten Final, banked $395,073, Yannick Gingras won his first Hambo in 2024 with Karl & second for the fourth time last year with Super Chapter, second (1:51.4) in Oak Grove Derby elim | |
| 6 | 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 to Mr Big Spender in Bluegrass, third in Valley Victory, earned $187,186, 2009 winner Muscle Hill looks for fourth siring credit, third (1:52) in Oak Grove Derby elim | |
| 7 | 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, rebounded with 1:53 qualifier … “He’s a horse that has it all, he’s just a natural,” said trainer Gillespie, faded to fourth in Oak Grove Derby elim | |
| 8 | Magic Punk (Wishing Stone) | Ake Svanstedt, Magic Punk Inc. | Runner up in the Wellwood & Peter Haughton, third in Kindergarten Final, banked $220,878, Svanstedt won his third Hambo in 2025 with Nordic Catcher S in stakes record 1:50, rallied to 1:53.1 stakes record Dexter Cup in 3YO debut | |
| 9 | Mr Big Spender (Captain Corey) | Mike Wilder, Norm Parker, Bart Brice, Todd Brice | Bluegrass winner in 1:51.2, third in the Peter Haughton Memorial & Breeders Crown Final, earned $273,180, two qualifiers @ The Meadows, 1:57.2 win April 21, then broke on lead April 28, post six in PASS division May 8 | |
| 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, Scott Zeron seeks his fourth Hambo | |
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 | ||||||
| May 8 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | ||||||
| May 16 | Battle of Bunker Hill | PR | ||||||
| May 16 | Oak Grove Derby | OG | ||||||
| May 18 | PA Allstars | Poc | ||||||
| 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
05/08/2026
Fast
Variant:
Weather
East Rutherford, US
11:00 am,
May 9, 2026
43°F
overcast clouds