EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - Mr Pine Chip was hoping
to keep intact his perfect record this year. Glidemaster
trotted away with the race and track records.
With Mr Pine Chip nowhere to be found, Glidemaster made a late
charge on the outside to overtake Chocolatier and win Saturday's
$1.5 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands.
In giving driver John Campbell his record sixth Hambletonian
victory, Glidemaster covered the mile in 1:51.1, two-tenths of a
second faster than the record set by Self Possessed in 1999.
The time also matched his personal best, also set here July 21.
Taking the 81st running of harness racing's most prestigious
race for 3-year-old colt trotters, Glidemaster paid $14, $6 and
$3.20. Chocolatier held on for second, paying $6.40 and $4.20,
and Blue Mac Lad showed for $4.80.
"I thought my colt was great today," Chocolatier driver D.R.
Ackerman said. "In the last 1/8, the other horse sprinted away
from me. I didn't leave with him because I didn't feel I had
enough speed off the gate, but I followed Glidemaster the whole
way and I couldn't have gotten a better trip."
A 7-5 favorite, Mr Pine Chip was seeking his seventh win in as
many starts in 2006. But the winner of 11 of 19 lifetime starts
was not a factor and was placed last in the 10-horse field
after violating the breaking rule.
"They told me he didn't have the best of weeks this week, that
maybe he was a little sick, and it was just bad timing," driver
Brian Sears said. "He's maybe not as strong today. He's not a
big horse, and that takes its toll on him."
Here Comes Herbie, who started at 9-2, grabbed an early lead and
held it until the final turn. However, the Hambletonian
Elimination winner faded and Chocolatier moved in front before
Glidemaster made his burst.
"When I saw (driver Cat Manzi) leave with Berto Primo, I wanted
to get on (Sears') back and follow Mr Pine Chip because I knew
he'd be up in the race," Campbell said. "I was third over.
Ideally, you'd like to be second over, but he was close enough,
and when they bunched up around the last turn, (Glidemaster) was
full of trot and I knew he was going to pass somebody when I
asked him because he was really full of himself at the head of
the stretch."
Trainer Blair Burgess, who also helped Amigo Hall win the
Hambletonian in 2003 despite odds of 27-1, had full confidence
in Glidemaster.
"I always thought this horse had a really good chance, but you
never know until the race is run," Burgess said. "The trip
looked tough most of the way, but around the last turn, it was
shaping up. I know a lot of bettors get nervous when they see
horses intentionally race off the pace. But very often, it's
the best thing, it's your best chance to win. I thought the
race played out like I thought."
Here Comes Herbie faded to sixth.
Glidemaster, who suffered a foot injury earlier in the week, has
finished first or second in each of his seven starts this year.
Along with Mr Pine Chip and Blue Mac Lad, he was one of three
entries for trainer Trond Smedshammer, who won the 2004
Hambletonian and trotting's Triple Crown with Windsong's Legacy.
"It's just amazing what he went through," Campbell said. "He
had a nail in his foot. They weren't sure if he was going to be
able to race last week. We got through last week. They had
him at the top of his game. That's really difficult to do.
Besides the soreness and the stress factor, to get a horse back
at this level and set a track record, all the credit goes to
(Burgess and wife Karin)."
"He made a quick recovery from the hoof injury," Burgess added.
"It's a good thing that's all it was. Soft tissue problems are
not bone problems, so it was something we could fix."
Earlier Saturday, Passionate Glide extended her winning streak
to eight races by capturing the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks.
The 2-5 favorite, Passionate Glide returned $2.80, $2.20 and
$2.10. The three-year-old filly, who has finished first or
second in 17 of her 18 career starts, covered the mile in
1:54.3.
Emantee was second and paid $3.20 and $3. Celebrity Sweedie
came in third and returned $3.80.
Like Glidemaster, Passionate Glide also overcame an injury to
stand in the winner's circle.
"Last week, she was a little shaky, but (trainer Jimmy Takter)
did a great job of getting the kink out of her," driver Ron
Pierce said. "I'm just very, very happy right now. ... It's
really an honor to win with this filly today."