A final look at Hambletonian Day
At 0h30, on August 6, 2022 • By Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent
Race 3 – $145,000 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial for older female trotters
Bella Bellini, Atlanta, and When Dovescry — all Hambletonian Day stars in the past — return for the Steele. Bella Bellini, the 8-5 favorite, won the 2021 Hambletonian Oaks. Atlanta, who is 9-5, won the 2018 Hambletonian and last year’s Steele. When Dovescry, 7-2, won the 2019 Oaks and 2020 Steele.
Atlanta, who has earned $3.25 million in her career, won the trio’s most recent encounter, stopping the clock in 1:50 last week in a leg of the Miss Versatility Series. Bella Bellini was third, snapping a four-race win streak, and When Dovescry was sixth.
Race 5 – $337,000 Peter Haughton Memorial for 2-year-old male trotters
Kilmister, the 2-1 favorite, won last week’s single Haughton elimination by 2-1/2 lengths over Upstaged in 1:54.1. Oh Well, the 4-1 second choice, won the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship on July 22 and his connections accepted a bye to the Haughton final. Kilmister, Upstaged, and Oh Well all are trained by Marcus Melander.
Race 7 – $92,300 Shady Daisy for 3-year-old female pacers
Mistletoe Shalee and Tompkins-Geers winner Max Contract brings a three-race win streak to the race for trainer Julie Miller and is the 9-5 favorite. Boudoir Hanover, second to Max Contract in her last two starts, is the 7-2 second choice.
Race 8 – $258,300 Cane Pace for 3-year-old male pacers
The second jewel of the Pacing Triple Crown finds Meadowlands Pace champ Beach Glass the 9-5 favorite. The Brent MacGrath trainee finished second last week in the Adios. Pleaseletmeknow, the winner of the Triple Crown’s first leg, the Messenger Stakes, was not eligible to the Cane.
Race 9 – $173,000 Lady Liberty for older female pacers
Test Of Faith, the 2021 Horse of the Year and 1:47 winner of the Dorothy Haughton Memorial on July 16 at The Big M, is the 8-5 favorite in a field of 11. She has finished no worse than second in eight of nine races this year, winning five, for trainer Brett Pelling. Defending champ Lyons Sentinel, a two-time Dan Patch Award winner who won the Clara Barton on July 25 at Plainridge, is the 7-2 second choice.
Race 10 – $278,000 Sam McKee Memorial for older male pacers
Rockyroad Hanover, who won a division of the Roll With Joe in 1:46.2 on July 2 at The Meadowlands, and then finished second twice to history’s fastest pacer Bulldog Hanover, is the 3-1 favorite.
Race 13 – $355,000 Jim Doherty Memorial for 2-year-old female trotters
Mambacita, a winner on the Grand Circuit and New Jersey Sire Stakes final runner-up, received a bye to the final and is the 3-1 favorite for trainer Tony Alagna. Stablemate Royal Filly, who was second to 15-1 upsetter Una Madonna in the single Doherty elimination, is the 7-2 second choice followed by Una Madonna at 4-1.
Race 14 – $279,000 John Cashman Memorial for older trotters
Alrajah One IT, 2-for-2 since arriving from Europe for trainer Ake Svanstedt, is the 9-5 favorite. He enters off a track-record 1:50.3 performance in the Spirit Of Massachusetts at Plainridge on July 25. Stablemate Ecurie D DK, who won the Cutler Memorial in 1:49.1 on May 21 at The Big M, is the 2-1 second choice.
Racing begins at noon Saturday.
