Hambletonian: Zeron happy for a chance at another trophy

Scott Zeron was left without a drive in Saturday’s Hambletonian Stakes following last week’s eliminations, but the three-time winner of the event didn’t have to wait long for that to change. Zeron picked up Bella’s Musclehill, giving the driver the opportunity to become the first back-to-back winner of the sport’s premier race for 3-year-old trotters in 36 years.

Bella’s Musclehill finished second in his Hambletonian elimination, which was won by Karl in 1:50 3/5, to advance to Saturday’s $1.05 million final at The Meadowlands. David Miller drove Bella’s Musclehill for trainer Nifty Norman, but the door was left open for Zeron when Miller piloted T C I into the final with a 1:50 4/5 victory two races after Karl’s score.

Miller will drive T C I in the final, leaving from post four. T C I is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line behind Karl, the 6-5 favorite, who will leave from post one with driver Yannick Gingras.

Zeron and Bella’s Musclehill will go from post six, the most advantageous starting spot at The Meadowlands, with a 15.5-percent win rate. The son of Muscle Hill-Barn Bella is 15-1. Zeron will be driving him for the first time.

The most recent driver to win the Hambletonian in consecutive attempts was John Campbell, with Mack Lobell in 1987 and Armbro Goal in 1988.

“I’m happy to be part of the race,” Zeron said. “I wish I knew my horse very well, but I’ll do some homework and figure out the best way to go about it. We do it on a daily basis, learn as we go. So, I’ll learn as I go.”

Last year, Zeron, at the age of 34, became the 11th driver in history to win the Hambletonian at least three times. The other 10 are all in the Hall of Fame.

A fourth victory would put Zeron in a tie for second most ever, joining Ben White, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, and Mike Lachance. The only driver with more Hambletonian trophies is Campbell, with six.

Zeron captured last year’s Hambletonian with Tactical Approach, trained by Nancy Takter. He won from post 10, the least advantageous starting spot at The Meadowlands, at 12-1 odds. His previous wins came in 2018 with Atlanta, trained by his father Rick, and in 2016 with Marion Marauder, trained by Paula Wellwood.

Atlanta was the first female trotter since Continentalvictory in 1996 to win the Hambletonian. Marion Marauder went on to capture the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity to sweep the Trotting Triple Crown.

“I think last year, the expectations weren’t that I was going to win from the 10-hole,” Zeron said. “This year, everybody has said Karl’s already won it, so I can go in there with an open mind and just run a nice pressure-free race.

“(Bella’s Musclehill) has been kind of peaking. You’ve got to hope you get a little lucky and hope your horse is good on that given day.”

Unraced as a 2-year-old, Bella’s Musclehill has hit the board in seven of 10 races, winning two and earning $69,943 for owners Pinske Stables and Curly Tall Curly Small. Tagliabue, in 1995, was the most recent Hambletonian winner who didn’t race at 2.

“He was just a big, raw horse last year; he needed time,” said Norman, a three-time Hambletonian Oaks winner looking for his first Hambletonian trophy. “He’s turned into a nice horse, he’s just green. It was a good run (in the elim). He’s just been getting better and better all the time.

“We’re in the final. That’s all I wanted. Give us a chance. Anything can happen. We’ve seen it before.”

The $1,050,000 Hambletonian will be race 12 with a post time of 4:45 p.m. (EDT) and air nationally on Fox Sports. The companion $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks is race 14 and will go at 6:06 p.m. and air on FS2.

Racing begins at noon.