Apex remains #1 on Road to the Hambletonian Week 3

Rank

Horse

Driver, Trainer, Owner

Ken Warkentin’s Comments

1

Apex

(Walner)

Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander. Jeffrey Snyder, S R F Stable, Steve Stewart

Dan Patch Award winner, money leader ($871,798), won NJSS & NJ Classic Finals, Peter Haughton Memorial & Mohawk Million in 1:51.4, trained @ Big M May 8, post 5 in qualifier 2 @ Big M May 22

2

Spencer Hanover

(Chapter Seven)

Jason Bartlett, Marcus Melander, Jeffrey Synder, Arthur Pronti

Won Big Apple Trot Final, also Breeders Crown elimination & final, second in Valley Victory, earned $649,889, dominated Oak Grove Derby elim in 1:53.4 in 3YO debut, rallied past roughed up favorite Endurance to equal 1:51.3 track record in final, Bartlett: “He loves to track horses down. I was trying to get the right one to follow and today it worked out for sure.” Not in to go

3

Endurance

(Captain Corey)

Andrew McCarthy, Christopher Beaver, Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, Mark Moger

4

Diabolic Hill

(Muscle Hill)

Todd McCarthy, Annie Stoebe, Mario Mazza, AC Crawford Racing Stable

Won Breeders Crown elimination in 1:53.1, close second in final, turned the tables on Spencer Hanover in the Valley Victory in 1:53.3, banked $506,636, won Big M qualifier in 1:53.3 on May 8, makes 3YO debut from rail in Race 14 NJSS division May 23

5

AI

(Chapter Seven)

Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc, Weaver Bruscemi LLC

Won NYSS Final, second in Kindergarten Final, banked $395,073, in 3YO debut second (1:51.4) in Oak Grove Derby elim, fourth (1:52.1) from post three in Final, not in to go

6

Big Ranger

(In Range)

Ronnie Gillespie, Madison Global

2025 Ohio Horse of the Year went seven-for-seven, track records @ Scioto Downs & Dayton, broke in 3YO debut April 23, faded to fourth in Oak Grove Derby elim, then wire-to-wire in Silver consolation in career best 1:52.3, not in to go

7

Nix Nacken

(Muscle Hill)

Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, Courant Inc.

Won NJ Classic Conso (1:55) & INSS division (1:52.2), second by a nose in Bluegrass division, third in Valley Victory, earned $187,186, third (1:52) in 3YO debut, broke/finished eighth in Oak Grove Derby Final, post four in Race 7 NJSS division May 23

8

Magic Punk

(Wishing Stone)

Ake Svanstedt, Magic Punk Inc.

Runner up in the Wellwood & Peter Haughton, third in Kindergarten Final, banked $220,878, rallied to 1:53.1 stakes record Dexter Cup in 3YO debut, not in to go

9

American Power

(Walner)

Dexter Dunn, Marcus Melander, M Biasuzzi Stable Inc

Won an INSS division in 1:53.1 & earned $68,860 at two, beat Spencer Hanover in 1:55.3 qualifier May 16, rallied in :26.3 again to win a Garden State division May 16, post three in Race 14 NJSS division May 23, gives Melander four in our Top 10

10

Ardonne

(Tactical Landing)

Scott Zeron, Megan Scran, Philip Steinberg

Date

Stakes

Site

Winner

Driver

Trainer

2nd Horse

3rd Horse

Time

May 2

Dexter Cup

M

MAGIC PUNK

Ake Svanstedt

Ake Svanstedt

Southwind Alamo

WHO’S EYES BLUES

1:53.1

May 4

Oak Grove Elim

OG

SPENCER HANOVER

Jason Bartlett

Marcus Melander

Geologic

IMPOSSIBLE BI

1:53.4

May 4

Oak Grove Elim

OG

Silverstein

Dave Miller

Matthew Burkholder

REQIUEM

KINGMEN

1:52.3

May 4

Oak Grove Elim

OG

ENDURANCE

Andrew McCarthy

Christopher Beaver

AI

NIX NAKEN

1:51.3

May 8

PASS 1^st Leg

Mea

Captain Vodka

Ridge Warren

Robert Baggitt, Jr.

GREENARROW HANOVER

HAMLET HALL

1:54.3

May 8

PASS 1^st Leg

Mea

Fineline Hanover

Ridge Warren

Ron Coyne, Jr.

Dilly Hanover

R TOMMY COLLINS

1:53.2

May 16

Battle of Bunker Hill

PR

NEBBIOLO

Sarah Svanstedt

Ake Svantedt

MIDWIND CHIMP

Water Slide

1:54.2

May 16

Oak Grove Derby

OG

SPENCER HANOVER

Jason Bartlett

Marcus Melander

ENDURANCE

REQUIEM

1:51.3

May 18

PA Allstars

Poc

MR PENNER

Ake Svanstedt

Ake Svanstedt

MINOAN

Captain Vodka

1:52

May 18

PA Allstars

Poc

HIGHLAND DESTINY

Scott Zeron

Nancy Takter

JIM BEAM

DOLLAR DRAFT

1:52.2

May 18

PA Allstars

Poc

Fineline Hanover

Todd McCarthy

Ron Coyne, Jr.

NEIGHVER PUNT

Confident Volo

1:52.2

May 23

NJSS 1^st  Leg

M

May 25

NYSS 1^st Leg

Ver

June 5

NYSS 2^nd Leg

TD

June 5

NJSS 2^nd Leg

M

June 5

Goodtimes Elim

MO

June 5

Goodtimes Elim

MO

June 6

PASS 2^nd Leg

Poc

June 12

NJSS Final

M

June 12

EBC Division

Ver

June 12

EBC Division

Ver

June 13

Goodtimes Final

MO

June 19

Yonkers Trot Elim

Y

June 24

NYSS 3^rd leg

Buf

June 26

Yonkers Trot Final

Y

June 26

Currier & Ives

Mea

July 4

Reynolds

M

July 4

Reynolds

M

July 11

Stanley Dancer

M

July 11

Stanley Dancer

M

July 19

Zweig Memorial

V

July 23

NYSS 4^th Leg

Y

July 25

Tompkins-Geers

M

July 25

Tompkins-Geers

M

Aug. 1

Hambo Elim

M

Aug. 1

Hambo Elim

M