Meadowlands: Nordic Catcher S lowers stakes record in Hambletonian

Ake Svanstedt won his third $1 million Hambletonian Stakes on Saturday, capturing the 100th edition of America's Trotting Classic for 3-year-olds with Nordic Catcher S in a stakes-record 1:50 at the Meadowlands.

Super Chapter finished second, one length behind the winner, followed by 3-2 favorite Maryland in third. The previous stakes record of 1:50 1/5 was set by colt Muscle Hill in 2009 and equaled by filly Ramona Hill in 2020.

Svanstedt, the trainer as well as driver of Nordic Catcher S, won the Hambletonian previously with Perfect Spirit in 2017 and Captain Corey in 2021. He trained and drove both those horses as well. He became the sixth trainer in history to also drive at least three winners.

"It's a great win, for it to be historical, in the 100th Hambletonian," Svanstedt said. "(Nordic Catcher S) has raced better and better each race, and his form was absolutely on top today. Everything was perfect."

Go Dog Go, leaving from post 10 with driver Todd McCarthy, went to the front and reached the opening quarter in 26 1/5, with Super Chapter and Yannick Gingras in second and Nordic Catcher S third.

Nordic Catcher S still was third in the 10-horse field at the race's 54 2/5 midpoint, but Svanstedt was already on the move with the colt in a bid to overtake Go Dog Go. Nordic Catcher S was a first-over second as Go Dog Go hit three-quarters in 1:22 4/5 but had a nose in front at the top of the stretch.

Super Chapter found room to angle to the outside from the pocket nearing mid-stretch but was unable to catch Nordic Catcher S, who was racing without shoes for the first time, as they both came home in 27 seconds.

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It was the third win in five starts this season for Nordic Catcher S, who won his Hambletonian elimination last week in 1:50 3/5.

"I'm impressed with him," said Svanstedt, a Hall of Famer in his native Sweden who has been based in the U.S. since 2014. "He's tough and fast. He's big also, so I think he could be special when he gets older and stronger."

Nordic Catcher S is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc. and Little E LLC., which is Meadowlands Chairman and CEO Jeff Gural. It was Gural's first win in the Hambletonian. Last year, he won the Hambletonian Oaks, the $500,000 filly companion race to the Hambletonian, with Svanstedt trained and driven Warrawee Michelle.

"Truthfully, I've been waiting to give this trophy to myself," Gural said with a laugh during the winner's circle celebration. "There is nobody I'd rather be partners with than Ake and (his wife) Sarah. They've done an amazing job. I give Ake and Sarah all the credit."

Nordic Catcher S, bred by Nordic Horse Farm AB and Joie De Vie Farm, is a son of trotting stallion Six Pack out of the pacing mare That Woman Hanover.

"It was a freak," Gural said. "We all looked at a Six Pack bred to a pacing mare, and it being such a good horse. It's a real thrill."

For his career, Nordic Catcher S has won five of 10 races and earned $813,285.

Runner-up Super Chapter and third-place Maryland are both trained by Marcus Melander, who had four horses in the final. It was the third time in seven years that he finished second and third in a Hambletonian.

Sent off as the 9-2 third choice, Nordic Catcher S paid $11.20 to win.