DID YOU ALL ENJOY THE TRIPLE CROWN?


THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!

I CAN'T WAIT!


BUT WAIT! -- THERE'S MORE!


WE'RE NOT DONE YET WITH THE TRIPLE CROWN!


HARNESS TRIPLE CROWN IS COMING UP NEXT!


HARNESS? -- ARE YOU KIDDING ME [you might say] ?



Did I say that I'm a horse racing junkie?

Yes, that is right: I like harness horse racing, too.



IS IT GREAT TO BE A HORSE RACING JUNKIE OR WHAT?


First: Australian Triple Crown (March and April)

Second: American Triple Crown (May and June)

Third: Harness Triple Crown (July and August)



I repeat: IS IT GREAT TO BE A HORSE RACING JUNKIE OR WHAT?



Not only that, there is a "Summer Classic", also known as the Travers Stakes in last week of August.

After that, in the months of September and October, there are Breeders Cup prep races from coast to coast.

Then the first week of November, another anticipated event called the Breeders Cup.

Then in Mid-November there is another anticipated event called the Breeders Crown for harness.


That is not all: There are two series called the "Stars of Tomorrow" -- one in last week of November and another in last week of December.

Before you barely catch your breath, the Derby/Triple Crown Trails are right around the corner.


Music to my ears!


IS IT GREAT TO BE A HORSE RACING JUNKIE OR WHAT?



Talk about music to my ears, there is another Triple Crown looms.


Next up is the harness triple crown: The Hambletonian (August 3, 2024) where Karl is a standout and the likely winner of the Hambletonian.

The Hambletonian is the Kentucky Derby of harness horse racing to be held in the first Saturday of August of each year.

This year we have a standout in Karl who emerged victorious in his most recent race, a Hambletonian Prep Race - the $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds on the trot Friday night (May 31, 2024) at the Meadowlands.

Karl was his usual dominant self - yes, that is right: DOMINANT - crushing his foes by seven widening lengths in a 1:51 lifetime-best clocking in the split for colts and geldings to complete a three-race sweep of the NJSS.

He has been an absolute monster, dominating his rivals in all of his races this year thus far, and as well as most of his prior races with a lifetime stellar record of 12 wins from 13 starts.

In the $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes, he took the lead from Tony Adams S, who trotted the opening panel in 28 1/5, in methodical fashion just after the three-eighths.

Karl sailed past the half in 56 1/5, but as he neared the three-quarter-mile marker, Pantoran was using a big move to go after the leader, and was right at Karl's throat as they hit the three-quarter mile in 1:24.

The eventual winner (Karl) – as well as his driver, Yannick Gingras – were unfazed by the challenger, shrugging off Pantoran at the top of the stretch on the way to the easy score.

Benny J was second with Tony Adams S holding third.


"He's been super so far," said winning trainer Nancy Takter.

"I'm really happy with him. He's been well within himself every time he's raced. So, so far, so good.

"[When Pantoran challenged] It was the first time this year that somebody was really that close to him, but I was pretty confident and it looked like Yannick had him well in hand and I knew that he was going to finish well. I knew there was plenty left in the tank and I wasn't really that worried about it."


Karl is now going to take a few weeks to rest up for what lies ahead.

The Hambletonian is on Saturday, August 3, 2024.



"I think that a little break is going to be good for him," said Takter.

"You know, he's got a tough summer coming up and a tough schedule ahead of him.

So, just a couple of weeks kind of to recoup and he's had a couple of tough races.

He's gone fast times, and it's important that you give the horses a little time to recover so they can race the entire season.

I mean, he's going to race all the way into November, probably, so hopefully, knock on wood."



Karl, a son of Tactical Landing-Avalicious, returned $2.10 for third time in as many starts this season while upping his lifetime numbers to 12 wins from 13 starts, good for earnings of $1,191,977 for owners Christina and Nancy Takter, Black Horse Racing, Crawford Farms Racing and Bender Sweden Inc.




A SIDE NOTE FOR FRIDAY'S CARD (May 31, 2024):

Gingras finished the night with five wins on the card to become the first driver at The Big M this year to do that twice.

Jason Bartlett (on Jan. 19, 2024) and Andy McCarthy (Feb. 24, 2024) are the only others to record five-baggers during 2024.

Gingras did it for the first time on May 3, 2024.

All-source handle totaled $3,178,707 on the 14-race program.


SEE YOU ALL AUGUST 3, 2024!