Melander Has Five of the Ten Spots in Ken Warkentin’s Road to the 2025 Hambletonian Presented by FanDuel
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
This year, Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian is presented by FanDuel. Warkentin’s week one features the 2024 Dan Patch 2YO of the Year, Maryland in the top spot. In addition to Maryland, Marcus Melander has four others in the top ten, including #2 Super Chapter, #6 Variegated, #9 Meshuggah and #10 Blank.
2025 HAMBLETONIAN
Road to the Hambletonian Top 10 Presented by FanDuel – Week 1
The 100th Hambletonian will take place Saturday, August 2
| Rank | Horse | Driver, Trainer, Owner | Ken Warkentin’s Comments | |
| 1 | Maryland (Chapter Seven) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc, PCW Racing, Holly Lane Stud East LTD, SStewartRThorn Stable | Dan Patch Award winner with major victories in William Wellwood Memorial, Peter Haughton Memorial, Mohawk Million, Breeders Crown & Kindergarten Finals, two Big M qualifiers so far, broke on May 31, makes 3YO debut in EBC @ Vernon Downs on June 13 | |
| 2 | Super Chapter (Chapter Seven) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Snyder, Arthur Pronti | Won KYSS Final, International Stallion Stake division, second in Valley Victory for three-time Hambo runner up Marcus Melander, jogged in 3YO debut in NYSS @ Vernon Downs in 1:53.3 (:26.3), heading for EBC @ Vernon Downs on June 13 | |
| 3 | Monserrate (Chapter Seven) | Dave Miller, Andrew Harris, William Pollock, Bruce Areman, Andrew Harris | Upset Super Chapter in the Valley Victory Final, close second to Maryland in the Kindergarten Final, Hall of Famer Dave Miller seeks that elusive first Hambletonian, won both Big M qualifiers in 1:54.1 & 1:54, then finished second to Super Chapter on May 26 | |
| 4 | Maximus Mearas S (Chapter Seven) | Scott Zeron, Lucas Wallin, Kjell Magne Andersen | Won a Bluegrass division & Breeders Crown elimination, second by a neck to Maryland in the Breeders Crown Final, Scott Zeron goes for the Hambletonian grandslam, Lucas Wallin finished sixth with heavily favorite Rebuff in 2022, hasn’t resurfaced in 2025 | |
| 5 | Emoticon Legacy (Walner) | Louis Roy, Luc Blais, Determination | Won eliminations for William Wellwood Memorial & Breeders Crown & Champlain Stakes division, Luc Blais trained 2019 Hambletonian upsetter Forbidden Trade, won three straight Mohawk qualifiers in 1:57.2, 1:58.2 & 1:57 … post five in second Goodtimes elimination | |
| 6 | Variegated (Chapter Seven) | Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, S R F Stable | Rallied to a $113.00 shocker in a 2024 NYSS Final, two-for-two as a 3YO, won the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1:53.1 @ Plainridge & crushed a NYSS division at Vernon Downs in a career best 1:52.1, next up is EBC @ Vernon Downs on June 13 | |
| 7 | Go Dog Go (Greenshoe) | Todd McCarthy, Carter Pinske, Wiesman Farms, Al Libfeld | Third in the Breeders Crown & Valley Victory, runner up to Super Chapter in the KYSS Final, Todd McCarthy shocked the 2022 Hambletonian with Cool Papa Bell with a record 52-1, two Big M qualifiers – third in 1:57.2, then won in 1:54.2 (:26.2) … makes 3YO debut from post one in PASS division @ Pocono on June 8 | |
| 8 | Hidalgo (Muscle Hill) | Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, Brixton Medical Inc. Hatfield Stables | Second to Maryland in the Peter Haughton Memorial, Yannick Gingras won his first Hambletonian in 2024 with Karl, Ron Burke was second twice with Mission Brief & Southwind Frank, broke in his first two starts of 2024, won a NJSS division in a career best 1:53.1 … post seven in NJSS division @ Big M on June 6 | |
| 9 | Meshuggah (Greenshoe) | Scott Zeron, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc | PASS champion, third in the Mohawk Million – Scott Zeron’s three Hambletonians = Marion Marauder, Atlanta & Tactical Approach, second (1:53) in a PASS division, then second (1:53.3) in a PA Allstars split … post five in PASS division @ Pocono on June 8 | |
| 10 | Blank (Gimpanzee) | Andrew McCarthy, Marcus Melander, S R F Stable, Holly Lane Stud East LTD | Second placed first in a Bluegrass division, close third in a Breeders Crown elimination, Andrew McCarthy & Ramona Hill equaled the 1:50.1 stakes record in 2020 – Marcus Melander has five in our Top Ten, two Big M qualifiers – fifth (1:54.4) & second (1:55) … post one in second Goodtimes elimination @ Mohawk on June 6 | |
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 | Goodtimes Elims | MO | ||||||
| June 6 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | ||||||
| June 8 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | ||||||
| June 13 | NJSS Final | M | ||||||
| June 13 | EBC Final | Ver | ||||||
| June 14 | Goodtimes Final | MO | ||||||
| June 20 | Yonkers Trot Elims | Y | ||||||
| June 23 | KYSS 1st Leg | OG | ||||||
| June 25 | NYSS 3rd Leg | Buf | ||||||
| June 27 | Yonkers Trot | Y | ||||||
| June 28 | Reynolds | M | ||||||
| June 28 | Currier & Ives | Mea | ||||||
| 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 |
Meadowlands Pace
23
days
:
08
hrs
:
29
mins
:
10
secs
Track Conditions
Updated
06/14/2025
Fast
Variant:
Weather
East Rutherford, US
9:50 am,
June 19, 2025
83°F
clear sky