Home / Hambletonian News / Three New Contenders Make Ken Warkentin’s 2024 Road to the Hambletonian Week 4

Three New Contenders Make Ken Warkentin’s 2024 Road to the Hambletonian Week 4

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

ROAD TO THE HAMBLETONIAN

Week Four – Issued June 19, 2024

The 2024 Hambletonian is Saturday, August 3

Meadowlands Racetrack

East Rutherford, NJ—Karl and TCI remain 1-2, but three newcomers vault into Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian in Week 4. Highland Kismet debuts at #3 after a stakes record performance in the Goodtimes. Situationship takes the fifth spot after going two for two in the NYSS and EBC. Bright Star makes the list at #7 after a score in a Meadowlands overnight.

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, returns in a few weeks
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, did not race last week/not in to go
3	Highland Kismet (Father Patrick)	Bob McClure, Mark Etsell, Highland Thoroughbred Farm	Unraced at two, a “project horse” for 2023 O’Brien Award winning trainer Mark Etsell 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, not in to go
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, did not race last week/not in to go
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, not in to go
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, Svanstedt a two-time Hambo winner & third in 2023, did not race last week, post four in a Big M overnight on June 21
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, posted a decisive score in a Big M overnight on June 14 in 1:52.1 with three-time Hambo winner Scott Zeron, not in to go
8	Mars Hill (Muscle Hill)	Todd McCarthy, Tony Alagna, Willow Oak Ranch	Kicked off 3YO season with a second in both legs of NJSS, broke/ninth from post eight in NJSS Final, rallied 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, beaten favorite faded to eighth in Big M overnight on June 14, not in to go
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, not in to go

Date	Stakes	Site	Winner	Driver	Trainer	2nd Horse	3rd Horse	Time
May 11	NJSS 1^st Leg	M	CABALLERO	Trond Smedshammer	Trond Smedshammer	WATERFALL	Bella’s Muscle Hill	1:54.1
May 11	NJSS 1^st Leg	M	KARL	Yannick Gingras	Nancy Takter	SOUTHWIND METRIC	PICK POCKET	1:53.2
May 11	NJSS 1^st Leg	M	BENNY J	Andrew McCarthy	Tony Alagna	MARS HILL	DUKE OF WALNER	1:53
May 18	NJSS 2^nd Leg	M	BRIGHT STAR	Scott Zeron	Tony Alagna	MARS HILL	SOUTHWIND METRIC	1:52.1
May 18	NJSS 2^nd Leg	M	KARL	Yannick Gingras	Nancy Takter	Tony Adams S	DUKE WALNER	1:52.2
May 18	NJSS 2^nd Leg	M	PANTORAN DH	Ake Svanstedt	Ake Svanstedt		BENNY J	1:52
May 18	NJSS 2^nd 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 1^st Leg	Vern	SITUATIONSHIP	Ake Svanstedt	Ake Svanstedt	It Wasnt Me	THINKER MONKEY	1:52.1
May 27	NYSS 1^st Leg	Vern	WILD TICKET	Dexter Dunn	Marcus Melander	NOTTINGHAM	VICTOR LASZLO	1:55.4
May 27	NYSS 1^st 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 1^st Leg	Mea	SECURITY PROTECTED	Dave Palone	Marcus Melander	Blackhawk Zette	Luke The Spook	1:53.3
May 31	PASS 1^st Leg	Mea	T C I	Dave Miller	Ron Burke	Ordained	COORS HANOVER	1:52.2
June 3	NYSS 2^nd Leg	Mont	KEEP ASKING	Tyler Buter	George Ducharme	Super Duper Cooper	NOTTINGHAM	1:56
June 3	NYSS 2^nd 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 2^nd Leg	Poc	SECURITY PROTECTED	Braxton Boyd	Marcus Melander	Blackhawk Zette	COORS HANOVER	1:54.2
June 8	PASS 2^nd 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
June 26	NYSS 3^rd 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 4^th Leg	Y
July 19	PASS 3^rd Leg	Phl
July 20	Tompkins-Geers	M
July 27	Hambletonian Elim	M