Harness: Hambletonian Day wrap-up

Every Hambletonian Day adventure is a bit unique. I call it an adventure because my travels take me all over the facility and typically the next stop during the day is unknown. Less familiar people - though very relevant - are going to be the theme of this column if you can hang in there for a few paragraphs, as I prefer to zig when others zag.

Traffic to the track was pleasantly light this year, though I ran into a roadblock trying to enter the track as the guard at the door was hesitant to allow me entrance without a hat (having a hat means you paid the $5 entrance fee). I attempted to explain that press passes were available just inside the door and typically that gets me instant access, but he insisted on calling someone for approval. Maybe I simply look sketchy.

Interestingly, once I made it in the door and got my press pass I never took it out of my pocket. That was a first for me as usually some guard somewhere questions my presence. Maybe that means everyone simply knows my face by now after spending quite a bit more time at the Meadowlands in the last few years than in the past.

At this point no one really needs a race-by-race examination of the card. You all saw them. Of note was Best Chip overshadowing his fellow pacers with an eye-popping 1:46 1/5 win in an Open, seconds faster than the 1:48 2/5 and 1:48 3/5 Sam McKee Memorial splits.

"He's a special horse - the best I've ever trained by far," said Joe Bongiorno. "It is so cool how he can win in 1:46 and go in the winner's circle and be so docile. He loves to be loved on."

It's a shame that Best Chip hasn't been eligible to any stakes races this year but his connections are going to put their money on the line going forward.

"We are supplementing him to the Canadian Pacing Derby [eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park on August 29] and hoping to get an invite to the $200,000 Aria Pace at Yonkers on International Trot Day [Sept. 12]. Then he's already supplemented to the Dayton Pacing Derby, and we are thinking about the supplementing to the Breeders Crown," said Bongiorno.

The other notable pacing moment came in the Cane Pace where Sweet Lovin Lou continued the merry-go-round of winners in the 3-year-old colt/gelding ranks. We've now seen Odds On Mr Mamba, Brandon Blvd, Al Papi and Sweet Lovin Lou win the "big" stakes this year. Just when it seemed like Brandon Blvd was going to stamp himself as the clear leader, he came up a bit flat off what seemed like a winning trip. What happened?

If you examine the replay, Brandon Blvd took some awkward steps when driver Dexter Dunn moved him off the pylons on the final turn. For whatever reason he wasn't able to hit top gear again.

"Dex [Dunn] thinks he just got him crooked when he was accelerating. We looked him over and can't find any reason why he did it, so we just have to think it was a freak thing," said trainer Andrew Harris, who added that the Max Hempt on Saturday, August 22 would be Brandon Blvd's next start.

Sweet Lovin Lou was one of three horses on the card (including Oaks winner Nezuko Kamado) and even more on the weekend that won without Scott Zeron, who had to miss his drives due to an on-track accident on August 6 at Yonkers Raceway. You had to feel for him but also respect that he showed up for the Oaks and took pictures in the winner's circle.

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Of course, the reason we all made the trek to the Meadowlands on August 8, or at least tuned in from the comfort of our homes is the Hambletonian. There were compelling reasons to root for most of the horses and connections, but I have to admit to being happy for trainer Marcus Melander. It cannot be easy finishing second in the Hambletonian three of the last four years and now, courtesy of Apex's inch-long record-setting 1:49 2/5 win over Big Ranger, he finally has the monkey off his back. Yes, he gets top quality horses to work with each year, but think of the accomplishment to get them all to the big dance and the disappointment of falling short.

While Marcus is in the spotlight as the trainer with the pressure of performance weighing down, his brother Mattias is a key figure in the operation as well.

"We've been out to get this race for a long time and to win both the Oaks [Nezuko Kamado] and the Hambletonian today, it's amazing," said Mattias, who also spoke about the toll the losses have taken on his brother. "It's been a little rough on him. We've been second so many times now, and it really hasn't gone the way we wanted it to. Eventually it did today, and I think it's a big relief."

Mattias is happy being in the background on "Team Melander" and said he enjoys working with his brother on a daily basis. He admits that they have disagreements at times but said they are rare and typically resolved quickly.

Mattias' ability to get into the bike and drive, especially considering they have mostly 2- and 3-year-olds, makes him a key cog in the operation. While the 30-year-old has only averaged 133 starts per year since 2021, he has an exceptional 17.7% win rate and often rewards his followers with big mutuels.

"Definitely," said Mattias when asked if he felt he has improved as a driver over the years. "When you race against these guys, it's hard not to evolve."

As Apex became the fastest 3-year-old trotter in Meadowlands history and the second-fastest of all time in North America (Six Pack went in 1:49 1/5 in 2018 at The Red Mile), Ohio-bred Big Ranger was on the short end of that very narrow defeat. Despite the outcome, two of the four Madison Global owners in attendance on Hambletonian Day were quite pleased.

"I feel absolutely nothing but pride," said Wes Beachy. "We made it here and finished in the top three. I don't think that I would have dared ask for anything more. Yes, first place would have been great, but we're here."

"I totally agree with Wes," said fellow owner Anthony Miller. "All along I said, I just want to be in the final and I just want the horse to race good. It was an absolutely epic race and I couldn't be prouder of the horse."

Madison Global took plenty of heat on social media leading up to the Hambletonian after they pulled Big Ranger from trainer/driver Ronnie Gillespie back in late May and gave the colt to Anette Lorentzon. When asked about the decision, Beachy said there would be a future time for further explanation but it wasn't on Saturday.

"Today it's all about Big Ranger, it's all about Apex, it's all about the Hambletonian," said Beachy, who has been a broodmare owner for some time but only got into racehorses a couple of years ago. "There's multiple people that helped us get here. I'm super, super thankful."

Interestingly enough, Beachy and Miller sat one table away from Apex co-owner Jeff Snyder and his family. Beachy said he had no idea what the photo would reveal as they waited about four minutes for the results. Snyder felt he had it at the wire but became more confident when he saw a shot of Melander putting the blanket on Apex before the official results went up. Almost an hour after the race, amid all of the hoopla, Snyder still hadn't seen how close the photo was.

Apex will head to the New Jersey Classic eliminations (Sept. 4 at the Meadowlands) and hopefully to the final the following weekend according to Marcus Melander, while Lorentzon relayed that Big Ranger will get a month off and prepare for the Ohio Sire Stakes finals at Scioto Downs on September 12. The owners of Big Ranger also suggested that he will be supplemented to the Kentucky Futurity and that they are looking forward to competing in the Breeders Crown back at Scioto in late October.

Each Hambletonian Day is a bit different and 2026 certainly provided plenty of thrills and storylines that will keep fans of harness racing engaged through the rest of summer and fall months. I'm certainly locked in!