Heat racing in the Hambletonian

[jimnancy]

What does everyone think about heat racing returning to the Hambo.

The main differance with the way they are doing it this year and years in the pass horses only need to win the final to win the cash. Before a horse would need to win twice and there could be the posibilty of 3 heats.

Now the eliminations are being run on the same day as the final. This year there are 3 elims and the top 10 return for the final latter that day.

Does anyone know do the winners of the elims get to pick a post in the final? If not drivers would try to just get in the top 3 to make the final, saving the horse for the final.

Looking forward to a big day of racing at the Big M

Thank You Jeff Gural for saving this day

[Ray2000]

Thx Sea, the program kinda answers the final draw.

Jim
in the 3 elims the program says....
The first 3 in the official order of finish plus the fourth place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings will advance to the final. ... Elimination winners draw 1-5


What happens to the others? I don't know :confused:

[wilderness]

What happens to the others?

It's an open draw, just like most other races.

[wiffleball whizz]

Heat racing is awesome......it's when they come out for the 3rd time it's as good as it gets......tnrw will be a awesome card

Might see a race go in 45 tnrw

[precisionk]

Absolutely for having heat racing. It's how it should be. Horses are horses. Race em!

[jimnancy]

The elimination winners drawing inside should make the 3 elims better races.

[LottaKash]

The elimination winners drawing inside should make the 3 elims better races.

I agree JN, I like the current format.....It should prove interesting to see the final outcome of the Hambo....I mean ya gotta try in both of the heats, if you want to winitall...Everyone will be trying in both heats...They gotta...:jump:

[Sinner369]

I agree with most......the heats take post position draw out of the equation.

Imagine if you are the heat winner and by luck you draw post position 10..........then luck would place an important factor in the race.

[pandy]

Today the winners of the eliminations picked their posts from 1 through 5 and the rest of the horses had an open draw. I like the return to heats but I prefer an open draw for all races except handicap races.

[forced89]

Many, many years ago I used to go to the DuQuoin State Fair to watch the Hambletonian. My recollection is that only heat winners competed in the finals. Thus no other horses to get in the way.

[pandy]

Here is an excerpt from a column I wrote, I think in 2010, about the Hambletonian with a little history of the heat racing.



But when it comes to great trotting races for American-bred horses, it's all about The Hambletonian. The race is named after Hambletonian 10, as he was registered. Hambletonian was a great grandson of the imported English thoroughbred Messenger, who is the founding sire of standardbreds. The lineage of nearly all American trotters and pacers can be traced to Hambletonian and his sons. Famous descendants of Hambletonian include Dexter, Lou Dillon (the first two minute trotter), Maud S., Billy Direct, Greyhound, and the 1995 Hambletonian winner, Tagliabue.


Hambletonian was born in 1849 in Orange Country N.Y. The first Hambletonian Stakes was raced in 1926 at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, and had the richest purse in history, over $73,000. Over the years, The Hambletonian has also been raced at Goshen, home of the Harness Hall of Fame, where it was held for 26 years; DuQuoin, a state fair where it was held for 24 years, and of course at The Meadowlands.
The Hambletonian at DuQuoin was run in heats, and the winner had to win twice. Trotters who won the Hambo in two straight heats include Ayers, Nevele Pride, Lindy’s Pride, Super Bowl, Speedy Crown, and Green Speed. But the Hambletonian races that I remember the most are the ones that went to 4 heats, which only happened 6 times.

In 1975, the 50th Hambletonian, the race was broadcast on nationwide TV (CBS) for the first time. The race featured 2yo champion trotter, Bonefish, a son of Nevele Pride, who raced for Stanley Dancer. But on that hot and dusty Southern Illinois summer day, Bonefish appeared not at his best and lost the first two heats. Since both heats had a different winner, Bonefish got another chance and came through to win the 3rd heat. This set up a dramatic 3 horse finale between Bonefish, Noble Rogue, and Yankee Bambino. It was an amazing race. Bonefish gutted out a nose victory over a brave Yankee Bambino. It was the first time that a horse won the Hambletonian after failing in the first two heats. The combined final times set a world record for 4 heats. Unfortunately, the grueling 4 heat victory took its toll on Bonefish; the great trotter never raced again. He was named 3yo trotter of the year and went on to become a great broodmare sire both here and in Sweden. After watching Bonefish win that 4th heat by a nose, I thought to myself, “This is most likely the gamest effort I’ll ever see.” It still is. I say this with no hyperbole; I don’t know how Bonefish was able to walk off the track that day.

As much excitement and drama heat racing created, it was too tough on the horses. The year after Bonefish’s stirring victory, the Hambletonian once again went to 4 heats and was won by Steve Lobell, trained and driven by Bill Haughton. In the second heat, Nevele Thunder, the champion 2yo son of Nevele Pride, who had been syndicated for a record 1.5 million, broke down. After the third heat, Bill Haughton tried to talk the owners into scratching Steve Lobell. They said no. In the 4th heat, Haughton won the race with Steve Lobell, but the colt collapsed afterward and almost died. He was voted Trotter of the Year. But that race in 1976 marked the end of heat racing in the Hambletonian.

The Hambletonian was moved to The Meadowlands in 1981 and there have been many memorable moments during that tenure. As had the previous venues, the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands has showcased some of the great stars of the modern era: Prakas, Mack Lobell, Armbro Goal, American Winner, Muscles Yankee and last year’s impressive winner, Muscle Hill. Self Possessed's 1999 Hambo win, a world record in 1:51 3/5, was at the time the fastest trotting race in the long history of the sport. A particular favorite of mine was the historic deadheat between Park Avenue Joe and Probe in 1989. There were also victories by fillies, Duenna in 1983, and Continentalvictory in 1996. In 1997 amateur driver Mal Burroughs scored a thrilling win with his home-bred Malabar Man before an audience that included another amateur, 1948 winner Harrison Hoyt.

[jimnancy]

Speed was the rule in the elimination (no surprise). It looked like the horses following the leader just wanted to protect there position and make the final.

In the last elimination Possessed Fashion was 3rd on the rail and came first over and didn't make the final. Lauderdale then became the only horse to come off the pace and make the final.

And then the best horse Royalty For Life took them down the road in the final and the 2nd and 3rd place horses followed him around the track.

A good day and like Pandy says speed rulled.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Total handle was $6.9 mm vs. $7.8 mm a yr ago. I don't know how much of that decline was due to the Hambo race itself, but I'd guess it was a decent portion of it. Heat racing doesn't work when you're reliant on off-track handle for 80% to 90% of your total handle.

[wilderness]

Aug 4, 2012 Results (http://web.archive.org/liveweb/http://rds.ustrotting.com/viewfile.ashx?n=188FE89B-0E2E-9896-C265BE78691A344D)

Aug 4, 2012 handle—Total Handle: $7,602,616

[botster]

I can't make enough negatives to ever out weigh the positives on the Hambo going back to the elims on the same day of the final. The winner showed today that the breed can go two durable fast miles and still have something left in the tank.

The betting card will always be sub par because the quality of horses racing but being there in person will always take the place of me scrutinizing over a program, watching the horses, and the board. It's one day I get to see teenagers, small children and their families, and novice people in attendance everywhere!!

The eats were very good again...me and the guys enjoyed the personal pizza (corned beef with sauerkraut and cheese) for only 5.75!! Sausage and peppers for the same price along with a hearty philly cheese steak sandwich. They didn't have the New England chowder which was a thumbsdown in our review. They had an amazing assortment of beers today..Ales, dark, also a nice sweet hard Cider too!

My buddy bought a real sharp looking Hambletonian sweater from a finland based tack company who had a tent near the stage where the live band was playing ($53.00)...those fin girls were as sweet as the cider and real nice on the eyes. :eek:

Speaking of the live band they were real good (The Nerds). They broke out into Enter Sandman (Metallica) and mixed the music up for everyone to enjoy.

Hambo is a day unlike any other for me at a racetrack...it's a special treat.