No Change in Ken Warkentin’s 2024 Road to the Hambletonian Week 5
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
No Change to the top ten in Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian Week 5. There will undoubtedly be some movement next week, with eight of the ten horses racing this weekend.
ROAD TO THE HAMBLETONIAN
Week Five – Issued June 26, 2024
The 2024 Hambletonian is Saturday, August 3
Rank | Horse | Driver, Trainer, Owner | Ken Warkentin’s Comments | |
1 | Karl
(Tactical landing) |
Yannick Gingras, Nancy Takter, Christina & Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing, Bender Sweden Inc. | Dan Patch Award winner, $1M freshman kicked off his 3YO season with an effortless three-ply NJSS series sweep (new mark of 1:51 in final), trained sharply @ Big M on June 14, last raced on May 31 & drew post 6 in W.N. Reynolds division | |
2 | T C I
(Cantab Hall) |
Dave Miller, Ron Burke, Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., Weaver Bruscemi | O’Brien Award winner set earnings record for freshman trotters with $1,238,870 (12 – 10-2-0), two-for-two this season, won 1:52.2 PASS division @ The Meadows & PASS division in 1:53.3 @ Pocono Downs, drew post 6 in W.N. Reynolds division | |
3 | Highland Kismet
(Father Patrick) |
Bob McClure, Mark Etsell, Highland Thoroughbred Farm | Unraced at two, has come bursting on the scene winning four of five @ Mohawk, cruised to a Goodtimes stakes record equaling 1:51.3 for 2019 Hambo winning driver Bob McClure, drew post seven in a Mohawk overnight (Race 10) on June 28 | |
4 | Security Protected
(Father Patrick) |
Tim Tetrick, Marcus Melander, Mitchell Friesen, Brad Grant, Order By Stable AB | 1:53 PA All-Stars win in 3YO debut, wire-to-wire in 1:53.3 PASS division @ The Meadows, won a PASS division @ Pocono Downs in 1:54.2, 3-2 ML favorite from the rail in Yonkers Trot Final, “He’s always been a pretty nice, handy horse, and this year he’s more mature and a true professional,” said Tetrick. | |
5 | Situationship
(Chapter Seven) |
Ake Svanstedt, Knutsson Trotting Inc, Little E, Tomas Anderson | Developed into a Grand Circuit player as a freshman, two-for-two this season, won divisions of NYSS & EBC, both in a career best 1:52.1 @ Vernon Downs, drew post eight in Yonkers Trot Final | |
6 | Daiquiri Hanover
(Bar Hopping) |
Ake Svanstedt, Stable Why Not, Tomas Anderson | Valley Victory runner up finished a solid second to T C I in his 3YO debut, held off stablemate Amazing Catch to win a Big M overnight on June 21 in a career best 1:53.1, final quarter in :27, not in to go | |
7 | Bright Star
(Muscle Hill) |
Scott, Zeron, Tony Alagna, Brittany Farms, Pryde Stables Inc, Caviart Farms, Plouffe & Riverview | Romped in a NJSS division in 1:52.1, fourth in NJSS Final, took a new mark of 1:52.1 in a Big M overnight on June 14 with three-time Hambo winner Scott Zeron, post eight in W.N. Reynolds division | |
8 | Mars Hill
(Muscle Hill) |
Todd McCarthy, Tony Alagna, Willow Oak Ranch | Second in both legs of NJSS, broke/ninth from post eight in NJSS Final, rebounded to upset older foes with career best 1:53 in Big M overnight on June 14, not in to go | |
9 | Benny J
(Walner) |
Andrew McCarthy, Tony Alagna, Kenneth Jacobs | Broke his maiden with a 1:53 NJSS decision over stablemate Mars Hill, then third to Waterfall & second to Karl in NJSS Final, eighth in Big M overnight on June 14, post three in W.N. Reynolds division | |
10 | Waterfall
(Walner) |
Todd McCarthy, Tony Alagna, Brittany Farms, Al Libfeld | Second by a nose in his NJSS 3YO debut, rallied for a 1:52 win deadheat in Leg 2, then fifth in NJSS Final, fourth after a tough trip in Big M overnight on June 14, post eght in W.N. Reynolds division |
Date | Stakes | Site | Winner | Driver | Trainer | 2nd Horse | 3rd Horse | Time |
May 11 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | CABALLERO | Trond Smedshammer | Trond Smedshammer | WATERFALL | Bella’s Muscle Hill | 1:54.1 |
May 11 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | KARL | Yannick Gingras | Nancy Takter | SOUTHWIND METRIC | PICK POCKET | 1:53.2 |
May 11 | NJSS 1st Leg | M | BENNY J | Andrew McCarthy | Tony Alagna | MARS HILL | DUKE OF WALNER | 1:53 |
May 18 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | BRIGHT STAR | Scott Zeron | Tony Alagna | MARS HILL | SOUTHWIND METRIC | 1:52.1 |
May 18 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | KARL | Yannick Gingras | Nancy Takter | Tony Adams S | DUKE WALNER | 1:52.2 |
May 18 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | PANTORAN DH | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | BENNY J | 1:52 | |
May 18 | NJSS 2nd Leg | M | WATERFALL DH | Todd McCarthy | Tony Alagna | BENNY J | 1:52 | |
May 19 | PA Allstars | Poc | SECURITY PROTECTED | Tim Tetrick | Marcus Melander | WHITE SHOE HANOVER | Ordained | 1:53 |
May 19 | PA Allstars | Poc | Blackhawk Zette | Matt Kakaley | Robert Baggitt, Jr. | SKYDIVER | LONGFELLOW S | 1:53.3 |
May 19 | PA Allstars | Poc | Usain Hanover | Tyler Buter | Nifty Norman | Luke The Spook | FOR JULY | 1:53.3 |
May 27 | NYSS 1st Leg | Vern | SITUATIONSHIP | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | It Wasnt Me | THINKER MONKEY | 1:52.1 |
May 27 | NYSS 1st Leg | Vern | WILD TICKET | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | NOTTINGHAM | VICTOR LASZLO | 1:55.4 |
May 27 | NYSS 1st Leg | Vern | DAME GOOD TIME | Scott Zeron | Travis Alexander | Sir Pinocchio | Devastate | 1:51.1 |
May 31 | NJSS Final | M | KARL | Yannick Gingras | Nancy Takter | BENNY J | Tony Adams S | 1:51 |
May 31 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | SECURITY PROTECTED | Dave Palone | Marcus Melander | Blackhawk Zette | Luke The Spook | 1:53.3 |
May 31 | PASS 1st Leg | Mea | T C I | Dave Miller | Ron Burke | Ordained | COORS HANOVER | 1:52.2 |
June 3 | NYSS 2nd Leg | Mont | KEEP ASKING | Tyler Buter | George Ducharme | Super Duper Cooper | NOTTINGHAM | 1:56 |
June 3 | NYSS 2nd leg | Mont | Sir Pinocchio | Jason Bartlett | Ed Hart | FLY BY | Crazy Brother Jim | 1:56.3 |
June 7 | Goodtimes Elim | Moh | Top Mast | Sylvain Filion | Dustin Jones | PICK POCKET | Shermont | 1:53.4 |
June 7 | Goodtimes Elim | Moh | HIGHLAND KISMET | Bob McClure | Mark Etsell | PRIVATE ACCESS | WINTER SOLDIER | 1:54 |
June 8 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | SECURITY PROTECTED | Braxton Boyd | Marcus Melander | Blackhawk Zette | COORS HANOVER | 1:54.2 |
June 8 | PASS 2nd Leg | Poc | T C I | Dave Miller | Ron Burke | DAIQUIRI HANOVER | Ordained | 1:53.3 |
June 14 | EBC | Vern | SITUATIONSHIP | Ake Svanstedt | Ake Svanstedt | Sir Pinocchio | THINKER MONKEY | 1:52.1 |
June 14 | EBC | Vern | WILD TICKET | Dexter Dunn | Marcus Melander | FLY BY | DAME GOOD TIME | 1:53.3 |
June 15 | Goodtimes Final | Moh | HIGHLAND KISMET | Bob McClure | Mark Estell | PRIVATE ACCESS | Top Mast | 1:51.3 |
June 15 | Currier & Ives | Mea | Splendid | Chris Lems | Todd Rooney | Father Mike | I’m Out | 1:53.4 |
June 15 | Currier & Ives | Mea | SPAAANZANO | Aaron Merriman | Chris Beaver | Memorynimagination | Bird And Grenade | 1:53.3 |
June 21 | Yonkers Trot Elim | Y | BARGAIN | Yannick Gingras | Nancy Takter | FLY BY | I’m Out | 1:54.3 |
June 26 | NYSS 3rd Leg | Buf | ||||||
June 28 | Yonkers Trot | Y | ||||||
June 29 | Reynolds | M | ||||||
July 4 | Zweig Memorial | Vern | ||||||
July 13 | Stanley Dancer Mem. | M | ||||||
July 15 | NYSS 4th Leg | Y | ||||||
July 19 | PASS 3rd Leg | Phl | ||||||
July 20 | Tompkins-Geers | M | ||||||
July 27 | Hambletonian Elim | M |