Believe it or not, the 100th Hambletonian is now just six weeks away. With most of the likely contenders having finally made at least one appearance on the track, this seemed like the perfect time to put together my top contenders list. Before I run down my top 10 and the critique and discussion begins, I consider this to be a very much fluid list based solely on what we have seen on the track so far and maybe my thoughts on latent ability. Ask me to put together the same list in three weeks and the horse names could be jumbled in a completely different order. That said, I welcome your insights. Feel free to email me at dgiwner@drf.com or reach out on social media. One certainty is we’ll know more by July 3 as most on this list are targeting the Harry M. Zweig Trot at Vernon Downs that day. The race offers an estimated $300,000 purse for the top nine money winners (lifetime) and $50,000 consolation events (seven horses required per consolation for race to be guaranteed). 1-Emoticon Legacy Absolutely crushed his foes by more than three lengths in the Goodtimes at Woodbine Mohawk Park (June 14) in a Canadian record 1:50 2/5, a mark he now shares with three older horses – Alrajah One It, Atlanta and Gaines Hanover. At the end of the mile he was clearly pulling away from Gap Kronos S (who appears on this list) and it stamped this son of Walner as the current leader of the division. Trainer Luc Blais after the Goodtimes win: “I know he has lots of speed. He just has to control his emotions.” What’s next: Zweig on July 3 at Vernon Downs 2-Maryland Dan Patch winner from 2024 didn’t have the smoothest road to his first start of the year in the Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs on June 13, but he certainly seemed to be back on track finishing second in 1:51 1/5. Son of Chapter Seven posted a final quarter in 26 2/5 and clearly had something left in the tank as driver Dexter Dunn just tracked Super Chapter home knowing he couldn’t beat him due to a rated 58 middle half. Trainer Marcus Melander on both Maryland and Super Chapter: “I was very happy with both of them [in the EBC]. They looked great and finished in-hand so I couldn’t be happier with the race. Both of them came out of it good.” What’s next: Zweig on July 3 at Vernon Downs 3-Go Dog Go Greenshoe-sired colt got big checks in races like the Breeders Crown and Valley Victory last year. His 2025 campaign started out with a powerful 4 3/4 length win in 1:52 3/5 over a track listed as sloppy at The Downs at Pocono. That effort certainly stamped him as a top contender if he wasn’t already firmly cemented on the list. Trainer Carter Pinske on Go Dog Go’s debut: “I was very pleased with the debut. He went better than expected considering the weather and it being his first start.” What’s next: Reynolds Memorial on June 28 at The Meadowlands 4-Super Chapter Kentucky champion from 2024 has comes back sharp this year and just reeled off a 1:50 4/5 Empire Breeders Classic win at Vernon Downs to improve to two-for-two. Some will say that EBC win over Maryland should place him above that foe but I’m not there quite yet. A huge plus for this guy will be an easy race likely next time as the Yonkers Trot won’t require elimination races and he’ll only have to face four – Hard Seven, Happy Jack B, Chat Room and Variegated – in the final. What’s next: Yonkers Trot at Yonkers Raceway on June 27 5-Onajetplane Like Maryland, this guy had a slow start to the year but was certainly dialed in when the real racing started. He blew away the competition in 1:52 1/5 in the second leg of the NJ Sire Stakes and wasn’t embarrassed at all closing to be second in the final behind a well-rated Hildago on June 13 at The Meadowlands. Trainer Noel Daley on his NJSS race: “He was a little flat. [I thought he was] much better the week before.” What’s next: Zweig on July 3 at Vernon Downs 6-Mr Walner Fashion Jim Campbell trainee seemed to be moving in the right direction with hobbles added until a late-stretch break in the NJ Sire Stakes final at The Meadowlands on June 13. You can certainly make the case that he was going to zoom past Hidalgo for the win when he rolled into a break. The talent is there if he can behave. Campbell on the break: “[I was] very disappointed in the break and still have to tweak some things with him.” What’s next: Probably Reynolds Memorial on June 28 at The Meadowlands 7-Gap Kronos S Son of Face Time Bourbon was the co-fastest 2-year-old on 2024 with a 1:51 4/5 win. He came up flat in his seasonal debut before some equipment changes in the Goodtimes final really perked him up. Trainer Ake Svanstedt pulled the shoes and went from an open to a blind bridle, resulting in a solid second behind Emoticon Legacy while being clocked in 1:51. Assistant trainer Sarah Svanstedt on the benefit of the equipment changes: “There was a big difference in his focus with the closed bridle. He did race barefoot once last year. His performance was five stars considering it was only his second of the year.” What’s next: Reynolds Memorial on June 28 at The Meadowlands 8-Hidalgo Former $600,000 yearling purchase has been a bit of a project but finally seems to be putting it all together at perhaps the perfect time. Trotting hobbles went on three starts back and the results have been great, with a NJ Sire Stakes victory on June 13 the biggest win of his career. Best of all, driver Yannick Gingras was able to push his charge in the lane and he kept to task without making a break. Yannick Gingras on the NJSS win: “Today he did [dig in for the win]. I’d still like him better off a helmet, I think he’d go faster and beat better horses. Today [being on the lead] worked but I don’t think it will work against the best in the world.” What’s next: Zweig on July 3 at Vernon Downs 9-Monserrate Chapter Seven colt took some time finding himself as a 2-year-old before closing out his year with a 1:52 1/5 win in the Valley Victory at The Meadowlands. He finished second behind Super Chapter to start the year and third most recently behind Hambletonian contenders Chat Room and Variegated in the Empire Breeders Classic. The ability is there and maybe he’s just a slow starter each year. Trainer Andrew Harris on first two starts: “In his first race he wasn’t getting ahold of the track so Dave [Miller] had to nurse him around the last turn and Super Chapter got away from him. [In his last start] he had cover that stalled and he had to tip three wide too early in the turn and couldn’t get his momentum going.” What’s next: Zweig on July 3 at Vernon Downs 10-Maximus Mearas S This guy is the only horse on the list who we haven’t seen yet this year. He was second in the Breeders Crown to close out 2024, so you know the talent is there. The question is whether trainer Lucas Wallin has enough time to properly prepare him with only six weeks until the Hambletonian. Trainer Lucas Wallin on whether his horse will be ready for the Hambletonian: “Absolutely. I’m very confident. We had to do some vet work on him but nothing major. We didn’t want to push anything with him.” What’s next: Will qualify June 28 if everything goes smoothly EVEN MORE CONTENDERS TO CONSIDER There are obviously more than 10 contenders for the Hambletonian on August 2. Others on the right path are Chat Room, Meshuggah, Mountcastle, Top Gun Hanover and Variegated, to name a few.