Rebuff Takes Hambletonian Eliminations

July 30, 2022

A pair of fillies dropped into the box of the Hambletonian eliminations to try and become the third to beat the boys in the last five years and the 16th in the history of the event. Focus centered on Marcus Melander pupil Joviality S in the second $100,000 elimination on Saturday (July 30) at The Meadowlands until Jiggy Jog S stole the spotlight in the final yards.

Driver Dexter Dunn hustled Jiggy Jog S towards the lead and yielded for a pocket ride to King Of The North to a :27.4 first quarter. Joviality S, pushing from post 10 as the 4-5 favourite, then swooped to the lead before a :55.2 half. Her stablemate Temporal Hanover took first over to the final turn and pressured the leader to three-quarters in 1:25.2 and appeared as the main threat to Joviality S swinging for home.

Temporal Hanover dug into Joviality S through the lane as the filly held her ground and attempted to counter the challenge. Though suddenly, with second-over Testing Testing faltering, a lane opened for Dunn to fire Jiggy Jog S off the pegs and around the Melander-trained duo to jet home and land a head in front at the end of a 1:52.2 mile. Temporal Hanover took second from Joviality S while King Of The North and Keg Stand completed the top five.

“We did get lucky [to get out],” Dunn said after the race. “She’s such a handy filly. She was great off the gate and sat in a hole beautifully. The pace really was slow coming off the last turn and she was loaded in trot, but we had a lot of horses around us. We got a gap and she really exploded with a fast sprint there to the finish. I knew she’s got speed [but] this definitely was the best she’s felt tonight. There were a ton of really good horses she was [going] past at the end, but she’s a lovely filly.”

Jiggy Jog S recorded her sixth win from 17 starts while pushing her bankroll to $460,556 for owner Jorgen Sparredal Inc. The Ake Svanstedt-trained daughter of Walner secured a protected draw from posts one through five for the $1-million Hambletonian and will have a chance, along with finalist Joviality S, to join the recent ranks of Atlanta in 2018 and Ramona Hill in 2020 on the plaque of America’s trotting classic.

Off at odds of 6-1, Jiggy Jog S paid $14.80 to win.

Driver Tim Tetrick patiently rolled the Lucas Wallin pupil Rebuff to the front and coasted to a 1:52.2 victory as the decisive favourite to win the first $100,000 Hambletonian elimination.

A four-wide prong pushed first the front into the first turn, with Looks Like Moni landing on top to a :27.4 first quarter before pocket-sitting Fast As The Wind circled to the lead into the backside. Rebuff floated onto the rim and advanced steadily to overtake Fast As The Wind after a :56.2 half.

Periculum, part of the first-turn skirmish, pulled first over heading to the far turn and kept in contact with Rebuff to three-quarters in 1:24.2. But Rebuff stayed on the muscle straightening for home, cruising to a 1-1/4 length win over Fast As The Wind as he gave flattening pursuit from second.

“We raced plenty of times as a two-year-old and he’s a nice sized horse and good gaited, so we figured he probably didn’t need so many starts to get him in shape,” trainer Lucas Wallin said of Rebuff’s light sophomore schedule. “And so far the plan has been working pretty perfect.”

The remainder of the field finished tightly bunched, with Cool Papa Bell, Periculum and Looks Like Moni securing the remaining five spots, respectively, to advance to the final.

Rebuff, also earning a protected post draw with the win, remains unbeaten from three starts this season while adding a seventh win to his 14-race resume. He has banked $573,670 for owners Kjell Magne Andersen, Lucas Wallin and Pieter Delis. He returned $2.40 to win.

SEE THE DRAW: The post position draw for both the Hambletonian and the Hambletonian Oaks will take place Tuesday (Aug. 2), at Dr. Patty Hogan’s Hogan Equine Clinic in Cream Ridge, N.J.

For those who will be in attendance, the event begins at 2 p.m. (EDT). The post draws will start at 3 p.m. and will be shown live on both The Meadowlands’ Facebook Live page as well as The Big M’s YouTube Channel.

Big M TV’s Dave Bower, Jessica Otten and Gary DiLeo will be there with commentary and interviews.

‘GEERS’ TO THE MAXES: After finishing second in The Meadowlands Pace in his last start, Mad Max Hanover was sent to the gate as the 1-2 favourite and delivered with a sensational 1:47.4 lifetime-best effort in the $61,800 Tompkins-Geers Stakes for pacing three-year-old colts and geldings. Tim Tetrick drove for trainer Jake Leamon.

Mistletoe Shalee champion Max Contract upped her winning streak to three after taking the $52,400 Tompkins-Geers split for three-year-old pacing fillies. The 6-5 public choice was driven by Andy Miller and trained by Andy’s wife, Julie. The winning time was 1:49.1.

ATLANTA PROVES ‘VERSATILE’: Atlanta worked out a perfect pocket trip on the way to a 1:50 score in the $40,000 fourth leg of the Miss Versatility for open mare trotters. The lifetime earner of over $3.4 million won for the 34th time from 70 starts with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Ron Burke. As the 3-1 second choice, she returned $8 to win. Bella Bellini failed in her quest for a fifth straight win, finishing third as the 1-2 public choice.

HEAVY-HANDED HANDLE: Betting on the 14-race card totalled $3,430,642, keyed by the two races that began the Pick-4 wagers.

Wagering on the seventh race totaled $388,760, with $87,114 on the Early 50-cent Pick 4. The 11th race saw $311,894 pushed through the windows, with Late Pick-4 betting at $87,464.

The Late 20-cent Pick 6, which began with a carryover of just over $7,000, saw $41,735 in “new money” poured into the pool for a grand total of $48,842. Those who had all six winners on their tickets cashed in for $2,749.86.

There have been 59 race cards contested this year at The Big M, and on 17 occasions betting has gone past the $3-million plateau.

A LITTLE MORE: Andy Miller led the driver colony with three winners on the program. Ron Burke had a training double to finish the weekend with five winner’s circle visitors.

Next week is the final week of racing at the Championship Meet, and there will be an additional day of live action. Racing will take place Thursday (Aug. 4) and Friday (Aug. 5) with a first-race post time of 6:20 p.m. before the grand finale Hambletonian Day on Saturday, Aug. 6, when the first race will head to the gate at noon.

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First foal out of Jiggy Jog S arrives at Hunterton

May 22, 2026

This Tactical Landing filly, the first foal out of the tremendous, $3 million-winning mare Jiggy Jog S, arrived on April 18 at Hunterton Farm in Kentucky. Jiggy Jog S, the Dan Patch Older Trotting Mare of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, won the $1 million Yonkers International in 2024 and Breeders Crown finals in 2022 and 2023, among other stakes wins. Jiggy Jog S posted a lifetime record of 24-10-2 in 41 starts and had a mark of 1:49.2. She will be bred next to Captain Corey.

Three Times Bettor wins $100,000 KYSS Final

May 16, 2026

Hunterton Consigned & Bred Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn) persisted through a methodical first-over push in a quick tempo to score a track-record-equalling 1:48.3 win in hand in the KYSS final for pacing mares at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel. Dunn tipped his charge out of third after following a clip of :25.4 and :53.1 and inched towards pacesetter Odds On Chesapeake (Todd McCarthy) rolling to three-quarters in 1:20. As Odds On Chesapeake began to tire, Three Times Bettor grabbed the lead and scooted away confidently for a length win over pocket-sitter Aintnothingucando (Scott Zeron), who zipped up a seam at the pylons for second. Unreasonable (Jason Bartlett) followed the winner's cover to take third. Brett Pelling trains Three Times Bettor , a mare by Bettors Delight-Three Times A Lady, for owner Thaddeus Wier. The win was her seventh straight in a streak dating back to last season. She took her 12th win from 20 career starts and raised her bankroll to $365,068. The win price was $2.50. Her 1:48.3 clocking matched the track record for aged pacing mares set in 2022 by Blue Diamond Eyes.

Three Times Bettor cruises in Oak Grove Open

May 10, 2026

Oak Grove, KY — The pair of $30,000 Open events at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Sunday (May 10) had starkly different payoff outcomes, but saw dominant performances from both Burnout and Three Times Bettor , who scored in the Open Pace and Fillies and Mares Open Pace respectively. A few races later, 1-9 favorite Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn) tightened the screws for her $100,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final on Preakness Saturday (May 16) with a 1:50.1 jog in the co-featured $30,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace. Dunn, flying into town for only two drives on the day, circled the Brett Pelling trainee to the top after a :26.4 first quarter and gradually quickened while peeling away from the competition. She clocked a :55 half and 1:23.1 three-quarters and widened all the way to a 5-1/4-length win under wraps over Yankee B Something (Geremy Bobbit), who gave pursuit from a pocket ride in second. Bonitas Best Bet (Brandon Bates) saved ground to take third and Lyin’ Eyes (Joey Putnam) folded from a first-over push into the last turn for fourth. Thaddeus Weir owns Three Times Bettor, a 4-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Three Times A Lady. The mare won her 11th race from 19 starts and has now banked $213,814 in her career. She paid $2.22 to win.

Drink Up Drink Up Bounces Back In Open Trot Win At Hoosier

May 10, 2026

Anderson, IN — Finding another gear late, Hunterton Born, Raised and Sold, Drink Up Drink Up driven by Brandon Bates for trainer Walter Haynes Jr. returned to winning ways downing the $22,000 Open Trot at Hoosier on Saturday (May 9). Starting the race competitively, the field moved four wide as the trotters fought for the lead. Eventually from his assigned post four, Drink Up Drink Up found the rail in third as Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) beat out Cs Flying Co-pilot (Marcus Miller) to lead the field at the first quarter in :26.2. Trotting down the back stretch, the field grew stagnant in a single file line through the halfway mark in :55.3. Content with their position at this point in the race, the six-horse field remained unchanged to the three-quarter pole, led by Ponda Jet in 1:25.1. The first bit of action since the start of the race came from Finite (Trace Tetrick) in fifth, who broke the silence first-over before flushing Drink Up Drink Up. Heading into the stretch, Drink Up Drink Up glided past Cs Flying Co-pilot, leaving only Ponda Jet in his way of a winner’s circle visit. Continuing that momentum, Drink Up Drink Up chugged along the outside to beat out the post time favorite Ponda Jet by a length to the wire in 1:53.1. Ponda Jet settled for second, while Famous Father got up for third. The Trixton gelding, Drink Up Drink Up, is owned by Adam Friedland and Brian Carsey. Drink Up Drink Up added his fourth win of the season to increase his lifetime earnings to $421,058. Drink Up Drink Up paid $11.60 to win.

‘Diablo’ scores at Big M as Ahle sweeps co-features

May 9, 2026

East Rutherford, NJ – Frattina Diablo S and Create Escape emerged victorious in the Friday night (May 8) co-features at The Meadowlands in a pair of $20,000 high-end conditioned trotting events for 3-year-olds with Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks dreams. In the split for fillies, the Tony Alagna-trained Frattina Diablo S, sent to the gate as the 4-5 favorite, sat a three-hole down the backside before making her way towards leader Caviart Queen Emma, who set the pace at the quarter and half in :28.3 and :57.3, respectively. “Frattina” was surging on the outside in second as the “Queen” clicked three-quarters in 1:25.4, but through the stretch, Frattina Diablo S, a daughter of Captain Corey -Lindy Strong, trotted away from her foes, hitting the wire 3-1/4-lengths clear of second-place finisher Che Bella in a lifetime-best 1:53.2. Chant was third. “We were very high on her last year and (owner) Steve Stewart and I decided to stop after Lexington to give her extra time to grow up since she was such a big filly last year at 2 and she came in Jan. 1 a different animal,” said winning trainer Alagna. “We have high hopes for her.” Driven by Johnathan Ahle, Frattina Diablo S returned $3.80 after winning for the second time in seven lifetime tries. Ahle completed a driving sweep of the marquee events after guiding Create Escape to victory lane for trainer Ake Svanstedt in the division for colts and geldings. The colt by Gimpanzee -Final Countdown completed the mile in 1:55. Practical Man, the 7-5 favorite, was gunning for a second straight score, but after going parked for the first seven-sixteenths-of-a-mile before clearing the lead, he didn’t have it in the stretch, failing to hit the board, finishing fourth. Create Escape vacated the pocket with an eighth-of-a-mile to trot and eased his way to a confident score, holding off the late-charging Sevenato by a half-length. Read The Room was third. “He qualified well last week and felt good the whole way,” said Ahle. After going off as the 3-1 third choice, Create Escape paid $8.80 to win.

Tarapasta topples favorites in MGM Ursula McIntyre Series final

May 8, 2026

Yonkers, NY – Hunterton Sold Tarapasta looked hopelessly boxed in coming into the homestretch, but Matt Kakaley was able to find a seam at the head of the stretch, and the 6-year-old Downbytheseaside mare kicked into overdrive to capture Friday’s (May 8) $456,000 Grade 2 MGM Ursula McIntyre Series final at MGM Yonkers Raceway at a stunning 25-1. Tarapasta, trained by Travis Alexander for owner Greg Luther Racing LLC., completed the mile and a quarter distance in 2:23, winning by a length over Coastal Babe N, with 1-10 favorite Louies Girl N settling for third. Kakaley had Tarapasta energized early, leaving strongly ahead of Louies Girl N on the opening bend. Coastal Babe N, with Yannick Gingras, left hard and needed nearly the first quarter before supplanting Tarapasta in a :28.2 opening fraction. Jason Bartlett wanted no part of a three-hole, and he moved Louies Girl N on the second turn, assuming control at the half in :56.4. After Louies Girl N had the top, she cut three-quarters in 1:25.2 and was put to some pressure when Millwood Bliss N moved without cover on the backstretch for the final time. Still, Louies Girl N looked to have control of the race past the mile marker in 1:54 and entering the final turn with Coastal Babe N locked along the pylons and Tarapasta sitting third without room. When Seaside Diva, with Scott Zeron, struggled to keep with Millwood Bliss N coming into the stretch, Kakaley seized the opportunity and quickly angled Tarapasta wide. The rest was history as Tarapasta overpowered a struggling Louies Girl N and won going away. Tick A Loch A rallied wide for the fourth spot. Tarapasta returned $52.72 to win and keyed a $169.94 exacta and a $340.78 trifecta. “Travis has done a superb job with her,” said Kakaley. “She’s been super. I’ve been along for the ride.” In the $100,000 McIntyre consolation, favored Walkin On Sunshine and driver Scott Zeron were up in the final strides for the victory in 2:23.3 for the added distance. A 6-year-old by Always A Virgin, Walkin On Sunshine just nailed second choice Bath Bomb with Andrew McCarthy driving. Zeron had Walkin On Sunshine away quickly from post five and out-sprinted Bath Bomb into the opening turn. Following a soft :29.1 opening quarter, McCarthy moved Bath Bomb to the front. Once in control Bath Bomb stayed in front through a half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:27.3. With Turn The Page N and Ron Cushing beginning an outer flow at that point, followed by Rocket Deo, Bath Bomb picked up the pace noticeably with a 28 second fourth quarter, reaching the mile in 1:55.3 and making it a virtual two-mare race. Zeron tipped Walkin On Sunshine from the pocket late on the final turn and needed a solid drive to narrow the gap and eventually overtake a determined Bath Bomb. Rocket Deo and Todd McCarthy rallied late for the third spot, with Fearless Ginger fourth across the wire. Walkin On Sunshine is owned by Maynard Miller, Daniel Lehman and Michael Yoder and is trained by Brett Pelling. As the favorite, Walkin On Sunshine returned $3.86 to win and keyed a $7.36 exacta and a $41 trifecta. Walkin On Sunshine won for the 30th time in her racing career and pushed her lifetime earnings above $705,000.

Crack Shot wins again!

May 5, 2026

Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Crack Shot (Doug McNair) delivered a snug 1:51.3 win at 1-9 odds in the first KYSS division for pacing males. McNair circled the heavy favorite to the lead after a :27.1 first quarter and strolled through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.3 before wrapping up the mile an easy winner by 1-1/2 lengths. Somelousomewhere (Tim Tetrick) closed first-over for second with Captain Arturovico (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallying off a ground-saving trip for third and pocket-sitter Delray Beach (Todd McCarthy) tiring to fourth. Winning in his seasonal debut, Crack Shot collected his 12th victory from 25 starts and has now earned $563,733 for co-owner Gregg McNair, who also trains the son of Bettor’s Delight-Beautyonthebeach, and partners Dale Hunter, Frank Brundle and George Kerr. He paid $2.18 to win.

Unreasonable scored the faster win of the two KYSS splits for 4-year-old pacing mares with a 1:49.1 effort

May 5, 2026

Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Unreasonable (Dexter Dunn) vaulted off a helmet to score the faster win of the two KYSS splits for 4-year-old pacing mares with a 1:49.1 effort as the 3-5 favorite. Dunn bided his time while Duration (David Miller) sped to the point and cut quick fractions of :26, :54.2 and 1:21.1 before slowing for home. Odds On Chesapeake (Todd McCarthy) pulled off the pylons from third moving to the final turn and reached for the pacesetter while Dunn, perching onto her cover, launched three wide through the last turn and hit her best stride into the lane. Unreasonable pushed past her rivals and crossed the line 1-1/4 lengths better than Odds On Chesapeake while Champagne Room (Yannick Gingras) shook free from a locked-pocket trip for third. Duration held fourth. Andrew Harris trains Unreasonable, a daughter of Huntsville -Roaring To Go, for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. She won her 13th race from 28 starts, earning $771,634 in her career, and paid $3.44 to win.

Endurance added another Oak Grove track record to his resume with a fierce 1:51.3

May 5, 2026

Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Chris Beaver pupil Endurance (driven by Andy McCarthy), who set the track record for 2-year-old trotting colts last year, added another Oak Grove track record to his resume with a fierce 1:51.3 effort in his seasonal debut, muscling first-up for the win in the third of three $50,000 eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby. McCarthy waited in third with the 1-2 favorite while Big Ranger (Ronnie Gillespie) hustled to lead in a :27.1 first quarter and continued through a :56 half, at which point Endurance angled off the pylons and built his momentum in the backstretch. Endurance hit his best stride after three-quarters in 1:23 and collared Big Ranger coming off the final turn before spurting away for a 1-1/2-length win over AI (Yannick Gingras), who popped off a pocket trip for second. Nix Nacken (Dexter Dunn) earned the last berth into the final in third and Big Ranger tired to fourth. Lowering the previous track record set last year by Yannick G Kemp of 1:52.3, Endurance added a seventh win to his card from nine starts and has now earned $582,450 for owners Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming and Mark Moger. The colt by Captain Corey -Love Session paid $3.18 to win.

Yo Tillie Equals Oak Grove Track Record

May 5, 2026

Oak Grove, KY – Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel carried the fervor from a historic running of the Kentucky Derby into a jam-packed day of harness racing stakes on Monday (May 4) that saw a pair of track records established in the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks and Oak Grove Trotting Derby as well as a day of betting that annihilated the previous handle record for the Southwest Kentucky track. Yo Tillie (Todd McCarthy) emerged the top performer from the seven divisions of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) second preliminary on the Monday undercard with a track-record equaling 1:51.4 mile to win the lone $50,000 division for 4-year-old trotting mares. She worked past a revved Winnpanzee (Yannick Gingras) to the lead in a :26.3 first quarter and continued at a solid clip of :55.1 and 1:23 all while Winnpanzee followed intently from second. R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) mounted a first-over bid but plateaued into the lane, locking Winnpanzee in the pocket until the final sixteenth. She attempted a late attack on Yo Tillie but came calling too late as McCarthy crossed the line a measured winner by three-quarters of a length. R Dutchess held third and Best Friends Girl (David Miller) finished fourth. Equaling the track record for aged trotting mares set three years ago by Yanaba, Yo Tillie won her 21st race from 26 starts, earning $1.33 million. Andrew Harris trains the daughter of Tactical Landing -Consolidator for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. She paid $2.62 to win.