Huge ‘Hambo’ double for In Range

In Range Tr 3, 1:51.8 ($793,037), a brilliant Stakes-winning grandson of Muscle Hill whose frozen semen is available to Australasian breeders for the first time this season from Yabby Dam Farms, Ballarat, had a red-letter day at The Meadowlands, New Jersey on Saturday night (August 1).

The young stallion left the fastest winner of the three $100,175 eliminations for The Hambletonian for three-year-old trotting colts in Big Ranger (1:50) and the winner of a $50,175 elimination for the Hambletonian Oaks in Setyoursightshigh (1:53.2).

Shooting for his fifth consecutive win, Big Ranger assumed control at the half-way point and proceeded to hand his nine chasing rivals a trotting lesson. He prevailed by four lengths after reeling off a blistering 26.6 seconds final quarter.

Boasting a 3 x 3 cross to Muscle Hill, Big Ranger has won 12 of his 14 starts to date and more than $500,000 in stakemoney.

He will be among the leading fancies for the Grade 1 $1 million The Hambletonian on Saturday (August 8).

After settling down in second position, Setyoursightshigh, the 2025 USA 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year, led for the final three fractions and staved off a flurry of rivals to prevail by a neck.

Out of a Cantab Hall mare, Setyoursightshigh has won 10 of her 17 starts for a hefty $823,997 in stakes. She will be a worthy contender for the Grade 1 $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks next Saturday.

Standing to a full book at the prestige Hickory Lane Farm, Ohio, In Range has so far sired the winners of $4.5 million from only two racing crops and is ranked fourth on this season’s two and three-year-old sires’ premierships behind only Chapter Seven, Captain Corey and Walner.

In Range’s frozen semen is available in Australia and New Zealand for $8,000 plus GST.

His progeny are eligible for the new Yabby Dam Farms 2YO Trotters Classic with $75,000 finals for colts and fillies, the NSW Breeders Challenge, NZ Sires’ Stakes and other mare based schemes.

 

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink