Meadowlands: Hambletonian eliminations in the books

The finalists for next week's 100th edition of the $1 million Hambletonian for 3-year-old male trotters are now set after Emoticon Legacy, Super Chapter and Nordic Catcher S won their respective $83,550 eliminations on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Emoticon Legacy (Louis Roy) followed a brushing Monserrate (David Miller) past the 27 1/5 quarter in the opening elimination and worked his way around that rival beyond the 55 1/5 half. From there, Emoticon Legacy hit three-quarters in just 1:24 1/5, setting up a sprint for home. A host of challengers came at him to the wire, but Emoticon Legacy was just able to hold on, winning by a nose over a rallying from second-over Greenma (Trond Smedshammer) in 1:51 4/5. Blank (Andy McCarthy) was third and Meshuggah (Scott Zeron) would be the fourth-place finisher from the three eliminations with the highest lifetime earnings, securing his spot in next week's Grade 1 final.

"Right now, he's perfect to drive. Even in the post parade today he was a perfect horse. We always have the hopples at the same length [but] I got a new bike here - I don't know if it's the bike or the surface, [but] the hopples seem a little tight on him. I don't know if we're restraining him in his gait, but it might be another plus next week if he gets a little looser in there."

A homebred Walner colt for Serge Godin's Determination stable and trained by Luc Blais, Emoticon Legacy has a summary of 8-0-0 from 11 outings, has put away $459,371 and paid $4.20 to win as the favorite.

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In the next elimination Onajetplane (Andy McCarthy) cut the quarter in 27 second but yielded to a challenge from favored Super Chapter past that point. Super Chapter was able to back down the middle-half to just 56 2/5 and 1:24 4/5, then came home in 26 2/5 to win by a length and three-quarters in 1:51 1/5. Maximus Mearas S (Zeron) kicked out a 26 second last panel from third-over and was second, followed by Gap Kronos S (Yannick Gingras).

"He was super last year," said Mattias Melander from the Marcus Melander stable. "He's impressed us enough this year that we can't be more impressed."

Marcus Melander trains the victorious Hanover Shoe Farms-bred colt by Chapter Seven for owners Jeff Snyder and Art Pronti. Now five-for-five in 2025, Super Chapter has ten wins, three seconds and a third from 16 starts overall, has banked $844,765 and returned $2.10 to win.

10-1 shot Nordic Catcher S (Ake Svanstedt) pulled the lone upset in the final elimination as he led through fractions of 27, 55 3/5 and 1:24 1/5, then came home in 26 2/5 to hold off a first-over Maryland (Dunn) by a nose in 1:50 3/5. 4-5 favorite Go Dog Go (Todd McCarthy) followed Maryland from second-over but couldn't gain and had to settle for third.

"He performs better and better, and I was not afraid of showing high speed [on the lead]," he said. "Maybe pacer blood (Nordic Catcher S is out of a Somebeachsomewhere mare) makes him a bit tougher."

Svanstedt also trains and co-owns Nordic Catcher S, a colt by Six Pack, with Little E LLC. Bred by Nordic Horse Farm Ab and Joie De Vie Farm LLC., Nordic Catcher S made his fourth appearance in the winner's circle, has now earned $313,285 and paid $23.80 to win.