Eleven 3-year-old trotters will go postward in Saturday afternoon's $1,006,125 Hambletonian at the Meadowlands, the first time in the classic's 89-year history that the race will be contested in a single heat. Although the race conditions call for same-day eliminations, with just 11 entered no elims were needed.

Post positions were drawn Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at the Meadowlands and the three Jimmy Takter trainees were listed the morning-line choices. The 4-5 favorite is Father Patrick, who drew the outside post 10 with Yannick Gingras driving. Trixton, with Takter in the sulky himself, is second choice at 7-2 from post 7, while the John Campbell-driven Nuncio is the 9-2 third choice. Datsyuk and... more...

Cowgirl Hall made it look easy in Wednesday’s $18,000 Filly & Mare Winners Over $10,000 Life/Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows, zipping to the lead for Dave Palone and scoring in 1:53.2 without a serious challenge.

In her last outing, Cowgirl Hall was a good second to her stablemate, Tall Cotton, when he set an all-age Meadows trotting record of 1:51.3. But in against mares Wednesday, the spotlight was hers, as she defeated In Your Room by 4 lengths, with Vixy third.

Ron Burke trains Cowgirl Hall, a 5-year-old daughter of Cash Hall-Centerfield Hall who now boasts... more...

Mario Mazza figures he has always been a lucky guy. He hopes his luck is on full display in Saturday's $1 million Hambletonian at Meadowlands Racetrack.

Mazza owns JJ Alex, who will start from post two at morning line odds of 50-1 in the Hambletonian. The colt, trained and driven by Francisco Del Cid, is winless this year and has one victory in 15 career starts. Like everyone else, JJ Alex will be chasing Father Patrick, one of three Jimmy Takter-trained horses in the race. Father Patrick has won 15 straight starts and is the 4-5 morning line favorite despite starting from the unenviable No. 10 post.

Mazza bought JJ Alex privately on Aug.... more...

Designed To Be, one of three Julie Miller-trained starters in Saturday's $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks at the Meadowlands, drew post position one, but she will have rival Shake It Cerry directly behind in the trailing post 11 position. With 11 three-year-old filly trotters entered, no elims were needed and all advanced directly to the final.

Shake It Cerry is riding a three-race win streak heading into the Oaks, and the Jimmy Takter trainee has five wins in six starts this year as she hopes to defend her divisional title from last year. But because of the trailing post position, Meadowlands oddsmaker Darin Zoccali made her the 5-2 second... more...

Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs have announced a new format for the 2014 Drivers' Championship, scheduled to take place on a pair of marquee race days at both New York courses. Past years have seen the six top money-winning drivers in North America and a sponsor's exemption join the leading driver from both Tioga and Vernon, but the 2014 Drivers' Championship will implement a new means to compile the nine-driver field.

The first round will take place at Vernon Downs on Friday, August 29, along with the $200,000(Est.) Crawford Farms Open Trot and the Zweig Memorial Trot for 3-year-olds. The second round is slated for Monday, September 1--three days later--at Tioga Downs, where the Drivers' Championship will share the... more...

Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc. (SHRI) and Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) announced they have executed a binding term sheet and are close to finalizing a five-year management contract wherein CDI will manage Saratoga Casino and Raceway in Saratoga Springs, NY and Saratoga Casino Black Hawk in Black Hawk, CO. Once finalized, the management contract will become effective as soon as CDI obtains necessary licenses and approvals in New York and Colorado.

Should CDI and SHRI be successful in their joint bid to build Capital View Casino & Resort, a proposed world class destination resort casino in East Greenbush, NY, CDI will also manage that facility. A binding term sheet for such management agreement was included with... more...

The field is set for the $300,650 John A. Cashman Jr. Memorial Trot, part of the great Hambletonian Day card at the Meadowlands Saturday. The elimination winners for the Cashman, Sebastian K and Archangel, earned the right to select their post position, with the Sebastian K team getting the first pick and taking post 1.

Here is the field, drivers and morning line: 1—Sebastian K (Ake Svanstedt), odds 3-5; 2—Your So Vain (Mike Lachance)—20-1; 3—Arch Madness (Brian Sears), 20-1; 4—Archangel (Yannick Gingras), 4-1; 5—Uncle Peter (David Miller), 15-1; 6-Appomattox (Brett Miller), 50-1; 7—Mister Herbie (John Campbell), 20-1; 8—Intimidate (Ron... more...

The Hugo Åbergs Memorial, held Tuesday at the Jaegersro track in Malmo, Sweden, was dramatic this year. The favorite Un Mec D'Heripre crossed the finish line first, but was disqualified. Instead, the Robert Bergh-trained Ed You got the win. The time of the race was 1:52.4 for the 1,609 meters (about one mile). Also on the card was the final of the new Breeders Course for 3-year-old colt trotters.

After the race, the judges decided to disqualify Un Mec D'Heripre due to getting out despite not having enough racing room. Un Mec D'Heripre, driven by Franck Nivard, trotted three-wide to get position outside of the leader. Commander Crowe soon... more...