Meadowlands Racetrack

Apex, Marcus Melander's millionaire trainee, stamped himself as a likely favorite for next week's $1 million Grade 1 Hambletonian by way of a gutsy 1:50.4 win the first $100,175 elimination for the 101st edition of the classic for 3-year-old trotters on Saturday (Aug. 1). Big Ranger delivered a statement win in the second elimination, leaving his nine foes well in his wake for a decisive 1:50 score.

After teaming Apex to wins in the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship and his division of the Grade 3 Stanley Dancer Memorial, Dexter Dunn floated the Walner-Mission Brief c**t forward into midfield from post 7 as AI (driven by Yannick Gingras) split fellow leavers Captain Naughty (Jason Bartlett) and American Power (James MacDonald) to secure the lead through a :27.3 first quarter. Midway up the backstretch, Dunn angled Apex wide to flush Inexpressable (Scott Zeron) out from fourth, but Inexpressable charged ahead to clear the front at the :56.4 half-mile station, leaving Apex uncovered and 2 lengths off the lead with the toughest part of the race ahead of him.

"I knew it was going to be a tough mile no matter what we did with him," said Dunn. "We got away in a pretty good position, but we were only in for a little bit and out the rest of the mile."

Inexpressable threw down a :26.4 third quarter through the far turn, but Apex managed to gradually grind forward and sweep to the lead with 150 yards to go. Though Apex made easy work of Inexpressable, Endurance and Andy McCarthy posed a major threat down the grandstand side nearing the winning post after slipstreaming Apex's cover on the far turn.

"I thought Andy was going to pass me late in the stretch (with Endurance), but [Apex] really dug deep and wanted to fight him off," said Dunn.

Apex indeed proved up to the challenge, gamely parrying Endurance by a nose to record his ninth career win from 13 starts — and his third from just four tries this year — for the partnership of Jeffrey Snyder, SRF Stable and Steve Stewart.

American Power split foes to save third out of a failing pocket; Captain Naughty and AI rounded out the top five finishers.

"He's got that winning attitude," concluded Dunn. "I think he'll probably be sharper next week, as well; he'd only had three starts this year, and this should tighten him up a bit."

On the strength of a four-race win streak, Big Ranger entered his elimination as the 2-5 favorite, and Tim Tetrick sustained a measured move with him out of midfield to clear the front with nine-sixteenths to go after losing cover on the backstretch. Following a :55.3 half, Big Ranger braced for a first-over challenge from Nix Nacken (Dunn) on the far turn, and the pair drew 2-1/2 lengths clear of Magic Punk (Gingras) midway through the far turn.

Nix Nacken forced Big Ranger to throw down a :27.4 third quarter, but the In Range-Big Blue Bird c**t still had a :26.3 kicker left in the tank. Big Ranger knocked three-fifths of a second off his lifetime mark with his victorious 1:50 effort and extended his record for trainer Anette Lorentzon to a perfect three-for-three after winning nine of his first 11 starts under the care of Ronnie Gillespie.

It Could Be Worse (Scott Zeron) emerged out of traffic to narrowly save second, 4 lengths in arrears, from Magic Punk; Spencer Hanover (Jason Bartlett) and Minoan (Andy McCarthy) rounded out the top five finishers.

"I was like, 'This is a real horse,'" said Tetrick. "He impressed me from day one. He's super smart, he's got big lungs, he's a real animal.

"He went under the wire strong, he was doing his work good. I got to sit behind horses on the first turn, and he settled good. When Yannick (Gingras) crossed over (to the lead with Magic Punk, before Big Ranger made his move), he bullied his way to the front, and when he got there, he relaxed. ... He passed a lot of tests today."

With his elimination win, Big Ranger passed the $500,000 mark in career earnings for owner Madison Global. He paid $2.80 to win.

The top five finishers from each elimination have earned berths to the Hambletonian final, which will take place next Saturday (Aug. 8). By virtue of their victories, Apex and Big Ranger are guaranteed to draw a post position between 1 and 6. The barrier draw will take place Tuesday (Aug. 4) at a luncheon at the Chateau Grande, in East Brunswick, N.J.

IT’S LIVE ON FOX: The Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks will be telecast live to a national television audience on Saturday, Aug. 8.

The show can be seen as part of the New York Racing Association’s “Day at the Races” coverage of the Thoroughbred action from Saratoga Race Course.

For those who would like to see the Hambletonian Oaks and Hambletonian live on TV, they should tune in to FOX Sports 2 (FS2) at 3 p.m.

Post time for the Oaks is 3:21 p.m. The Hambo is set for 4:35 p.m.

Brandon Blvd and Darlin's Angel were convincing winners in a pair of Tompkins-Geers events on Saturday night (Aug. 1).

The $54,150 Tompkins-Geers for pacing glamour boys presented another sterling mile by Brandon Blvd, the Meadowlands Pace winner and top sophomore star pacing c**t of 2026 who stopped the clock to win in 1:47.3.

Driven again by Dexter Dunn, Brandon Blvd sat fourth off the gate as Frantic Hanover pursued the top followed by Sea Bistro Hanover and Ubrute, with the latter rushing forward to take command in a fiery :25.4 first quarter. Ubrute muscled up the backstretch while Brandon Blvd left the pylons to test them all while the half clocked in at :54.1. Ubrute continued with a confident lead, but Brandon Blvd inched nearer under minimal effort as Dunn floated the Andrew Harris-trained millionaire through three-quarters in 1:21.3 to prove his superiority with a sprint to the finish under a hand drive for a 1-1/2-length win. Sea Bistro Hanover got up for second over a late-charging Frantic Hanover as those two passed a tired Ubrute in the final surge to the wire.

“I think his consistency is his most impressive thing,” Andrew Harris said after the race. “He just goes out there and shows up every week; it’s hard to find one like that. I’m just truly blessed to have one like that. We gave him a little bit of extra time [off the Meadowlands Pace] and used this as a prep race for next week, but I was super thrilled with how he came out of the [Pace]." Harris hopes to have the c**t ready for next week's Cane Pace. "With all the talent in that field it is great for racing."

Punisher 11 Stable owns Brandon Blvd, a son of Downbytheseaside out of the American Ideal dam Alexis Faith. He paid $2.40 to win while pumping his earnings to $1,097,802 after his 12th win in 17 starts over two seasons of racing.

In the $52,500 dash for sophomore pacing fillies, 1-5 favorite Darlin’s Angel led every step for a lifetime-best 1:49.2 win. Driver Lauren Tritton steered the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Darlin’s Delight past Car Keys to lead through a :26.2 first quarter and controlled the pace to a :56 half as the field stayed in line to the final turn. Car Keys drafted behind Darlin's Angel while the others straggled in the ensuing sprint to three-quarters in 1:23.4. Darlin's Angel soared with no threats to the finish as Tritton pulled off to win by two lengths over Car Keys with Sunny Station following in third and Fabulous Hanover taking fourth.

“She’s a nice filly,” Lauren Tritton said after the race. “She always gives a hundred percent and Juan [Cano]’s done a great job with her. Obviously she got a nice sectional there today but she was just toying with them today. She actually took off again after the wire so I was really happy with her today.”

Darlin's Angel, trained by Juan Cano, collected her fourth win from six starts win this season and her eighth from 13 starts in her career. She increased her lifetime bankroll to $192,440 for owner-breeder Hot Lead Farms and paid $2.60 to win.

Join us for the Hambletonian Post Position Draw & luncheon on Tuesday, August 4.

Lunch begins 2pm with draw at 3pm

Can't make it? The Draw will be broadcast live on the Meadowlands Youtube and pages.

Our good pal Don Niccum recently honored long-time Michigan horseman Lee Sattleberg. In memory of his friend’s passing, Don wore Sattleberg's colors for a few more miles.

AND THE WINNERS ARE: The other seven NJSS winners on the card were:
• Race 2: Platinum filly pace – Perfect Hope Deo (Perfect Sting-Machnhope), Andy McCarthy was the driver, Noel Daley is the trainer, winning time 1:52 (first win in three career outings), paid $12.60 as the 5-1 fourth choice in the betting
• Race 4: Silver filly trot – Day One Dandy (Walner-Delilah Hanover), Scott Zeron, Nifty Norman, 1:54 (first win in three lifetime tries), $9 as the 7-2 third choice
• Race 6: Silver filly pace – Perfect Kiss (Perfect Sting-Dr J’s Kiss), Todd McCarthy, Linda Toscano, 1:53.4 (first win in four starts), $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite
• Race 9: Silver c**t and gelding trot – Maxman (Walner-Lovely Lindy), Tim Tetrick, Toscano, lifetime-best 1:55.2 (two-for-three lifetime), $16.40 as the 7-1 third choice
• Race 10: Silver c**t and gelding trot – Wyoming (Walner-Wahoo Broline S), Yannick Gingras, Ake Svanstedt, 1:55.2 (first win in two tries), $7.60 as the 5-2 second choice
• Race 12: Silver filly trot – Declan Shea (Tactical Landing-Mymomsablizzard), Tetrick, Richard Johnson, 1:56 (first win in three career starts), $41 as the 19-1 sixth choice
• Race 13: Platinum filly trot – Nevis Peak (Walner-Ramona Hill), Gingras, Ron Burke, lifetime-best 1:53.4 (two-for-two lifetime), $5.80 as the 9-5 second choice
BEFORE THE BETTING CARD: A pair of non-wagering NJSS dashes were held before the start of the 15-race betting program, those races were won by:
• NB1: Platinum c**t and gelding pace – Aintmyfirstro Deo (a gelded son of Perfect Sting-Some Renditions), Zeron, Megan Scran, lifetime-best 1:52 (now three-for-three in his career)
• NB2: Silver c**t and gelding pace – Jerzy George (Lazarus N-Holy Trinity), Andy McCarthy, Chris Freck, lifetime-best 1:53.3 (now two-for-three lifetime)

A pair of upsets landed in the trio of $50,175 eliminations for the Hambletonian Oaks Saturday night (Aug. 1) with Carve and Busy Miss Lissy S finding the winner’s circle in their respective eliminations while Setyoursightshigh, off the slight third choice in the betting, also clinched a victory.

Carve skimmed through a seam at the pylons to nab the first Hambletonian Oaks elimination in a 1:51.1 mile. Driver Andy McCarthy thrusted Carve to the point around the first turn but settled for the pocket as Madam Cheval brushed forward from the widest draw to take command into a :28 first quarter. Lainey W then lunged out of third into the backstretch to swoop to the top, shuffling Carve into third to a :56.2 half. Stuck at the pylons to three-quarters in 1:24.3 with first-up Ygritte and second-over Jailbird Jog to her outside, Carve awaited a gap in the stretch that soon opened as leader Lainey W sprinted for the finish. Carve surged inside of Lainey W late in the stretch to bag a 1-1/2-length win with Madam Cheval holding third.

“I really didn’t know how to play this race,” Andy McCarthy said after the race. “She’s got so much early speed, but sometimes if I use her too much early she doesn’t finish quite as strong. Once I saw Timmy [Tetrick with Madam Cheval] was on the gate and moving forward, I thought this should work out. She was on the muscle tonight. As soon as I had clearance to get through, I figured she had enough trot to finish it off.”

Noel Daley trains Carve, a daughter of Captain Corey-Alpine, for lessees Patricia Stables, L A Express Stable and Sjoeblom Racing. She won her fifth race from 17 starts, earning $296,198, and paid $10.80 to win.

Busy Miss Lissy S converted a pocket trip into an upset in the second Hambletonian Oaks elimination, staving off a late charge from 1-5 favorite Nezuko Kamado S for a lifetime-best 1:51.4 victory. After taking the lead to a :27.2 first quarter, Busy Miss Lissy S yielded command to pocket-popping Frattina Diablo S in the backstretch and coasted behind the leader to a :57 half. But once Nezuko Kamado S pulled off the pylons from fourth and pushed up the rim, driver Ake Svanstedt loomed out of the pocket with Busy Miss Lissy S and attacked for the lead to three-quarters in 1:25.2. She then reached for the finish under pursuit from Nezuko Kamado S to hold onto the victory by a neck with Frattina Diablo S settling for third and Storybook Love earning the last berth into the final.

“She didn’t race great last time [in the Zweig Filly Trot], but she also has been up and down with the training and the heat; the weather hasn’t really been in our favor,” Sarah Svanstedt of Team Svanstedt said. “I have said all along I am so impressed with her every time she hits the track because she’s very small but she has the biggest heart that I have seen. Just her instinct to know where the wire is has come a long way. She’s very small but she fights, so I love her.”

Ake Svanstedt trains Busy Miss Lissy S, a filly by Calgary Games-Hill’s Angel S, for owner Panamera Racing. She won her eighth race from 14 starts this season, earning $273,427, and paid $18.40 to win.

Driver Dexter Dunn circled Setyoursightshigh to the lead and nabbed easy fractions while holding strong against a cavalry charge to win the final Oaks elimination in 1:53.1. Dunn looped from the pocket after a :27.3 first quarter to lead up the backstretch to a :58 half before gradually accelerating through the remainder. Setyoursightshigh clocked three-quarters in 1:26.3 and spun for home with an ample cushion to withstand a flurry of rivals late for the win by a neck. Leading Lady recovered from a break at the start to rally for second with Custom finishing third.

“She was all class last year and didn’t start the season off that flashy this year, but Marcus [Melander] and the team have got her back on track,” Dunn said after the race. “She was excellent at Vernon and felt great tonight. I got pretty cheap fractions tonight, but the way she felt was really impressive. She definitely wasn’t tired, just a little lonely up there. She was going pretty good.”

Marcus Melander trains Setyoursightshigh, a daughter of In Range-Special Interest, for owners Heights Stable, Mantorp LLC, AMG Stable Inc. and K. Kjellgren Livs Ab Inc. The filly won her 10th race from 17 starts, earning $823,997, and paid $7.40 to win.

Each elimination winner earned draw protection between posts 1 and 6 for the final, taking place as the co-feature to Hambletonian No. 101 next Saturday (Aug. 8).

Wall Of Fame and Wrong Sounds Right were the winners of 2 of 9 leg three divisions of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds of each s*x and gait Friday night.

Platinum division races went for a purse of $25K while Silver dashes were contested for $10,000.

Wall Of Fame, a product of Walner-Saadet, remained perfect in three Platinum-level filly trots (race three) for the driver-trainer, husband and wife team of Andy and Julie Miller, and stamped herself as one of the major players in the $225,000 final, which takes place on Hambletonian Day, Aug. 8.

Racing in the four-hole down the backstretch, Wall Of Fame vacated the rail at the five-eighths, made up ground on leader Love’s Passion nearing the far turn, had to swerve into the three-lane when Dandelion Wine popped out of the pocket for the stretch drive, but continued to gain through the lane – after a slight stall – before going on to half-length win over Dandelion Wine.

“We’re just taking it race-by-race for now,” said Andy. “She was kind of staying alongside (Dandelion Wine through the stretch), but when I hollered at her, she got going again. She’ll be in the sire stakes final next week and then we’ll decide from there (what we are going to do).”

As the 1-9 favorite, Wall Of Fame returned $2.20 to win after completing the mile in 1:52.3.

In race seven, Wrong Sounds Right recorded his second victory in three tries after taking a split for Platinum-level c**ts and geldings on the trot for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Jim Campbell.

The c**t by Tactical Landing-Broadway Jo Ell used a wicked brush onto and around the far turn to challenge leader Lifetime Dreamer and was strong through the stretch to record a 1-length score over Presidente in a lifetime-best 1:53.

“He’s come along very nicely,” said McCarthy. “We’re really happy with him. He was pretty quiet in his qualifiers but now we’ve been able to kind of open him up a little bit and now he’s coming along quite nicely. Jim’s doing a great job with him. He’s showing a lot of talent right now and we’re just looking forward to next week and hopefully he comes out of tonight happy and healthy and we are hoping for a good draw next week (in the final).”

Sent off as the 12-1 fourth choice, Wrong Sounds Right returned $26 to win.