Trotters Tap National And State Stakes

By Frank Cotolo

The Hambletonian Trail ensues this week with Grand Circuit and state-bred stakes, offering hefty purses for eligibles to the big events in August.

Friday, May 8, filly trotters arrive at the Meadowlands for a national event, a John Simpson Memorial division worth $39,816. Four Oaks-aimed femmes tackle five others. One of the eligibles, Shaqline, debuts her soph season, as do two others in the field, Murderers Row and Allerage Star.

Last week in a Lady Suffolk split on the Freehold half-mile, we picked up top place-and-show prices ($19.00 and $7.00) with Southwind Cartier. She raced well and did not have to take advantage of the fact that the two top choices broke early. She lost by a nose to a 22-1 shot that got that far due to the breaks.

We will take “Cartier” back in this race, where she gets two less turns to negotiate.

Cartier should have a very good season. She looks like one of the smoothest youngsters D.R. Ackerman has had in a while (she is by Muscles Yankee). She may not be dismissed as easily this week as she was last week, since Showy Starlet has won two already, Riley’s Dream has been in the mix in all three starts and Shaqline is a Jimmy Takter product.

At Monticello on May 11, three colt divisions for New York-bred soph trotters are among the track’s highest purses of the season from the New York Sires Stakes program.

In the first split ($30,450), the one Hambo eligible should prevail over the six others. Tom Fanning’s Fashion Creditor is one for one and accepts the challenge of Commentary (two for three) and could be a steal as the second choice.

Habitat returns from his Dexter Cup win to meet only two Hambo-targeted colts and will be a prohibitive favorite in this $30,450 mile. Credit Creation (an eligible) could punch the exotics up a bit, as he debuts and has all to gain by finishing next best to Habitat.

The triptych ends with three more eligible colts fighting for $31,050 in an eight-horse field. Eligible Mythology Bluechip has been sharp in six starts already and should get a lot of action, while Wings Of Royalty debuts at three with a Hambo-winning bloodline. For a price, however, take Apostles Creed from post 8. He won the “Dexter” elim and raced well against Habitat in the final and Jimmy Takter’s colt could benefit from the outside with good cover as the others strain their speed.

The racing of classic divisions—soph-colt-and-filly trotters—on their quest to the Hambletonian and “Oaks” finals continues its exclusive, extended coverage from TwinSpires and the Hambletonian Society.

Recaps of races covered in this blog can be found at the archive section of the web’s home for the Hambletonian Society