It was “Chip Chip Hooray” shouted in the winner’s circle by the connections of the three-year-old trotting colt that captured the million-dollar Hambletonian yesterday afternoon at The Meadowlands.
Trained by Chuck Sylvester and driven by Eric Ledford, Chip Chip Hooray ($12.60) held off a fast- closing Like A Prayer by a neck in a lifetime-best 1:53.3. This was Sylvester’s fourth Hambo victory and Ledford’s debut.
The speedy Taurus Dream, driven by Mickey McNichol, went to the lead, followed by Likely Lad and 3-5 shot Andover Hall. As John Campbell was trying to settle Andover Hall into the three hole, the favorite appeared to get too close to the sulky in front of him and went offstride. Andover Hall cut his left hind leg during the break and did not finish.
“I knew McNichol would leave, but I didn’t know what Cat Manzi’s horse [ENS Snapshot] would do and he ended up parked,” said Sylvester. “I had wanted to follow Andover Hall to the stretch, but that changed.”
As the field passed the three-quarter pole in 1:23.2, Taurus Dream had a 21/2-length lead on the parked out ENS Snapshot. Then Chip Chip Hooray, who had been sitting fourth, moved off the rail to make his bid.
“During the early stages, I was hoping I had enough horse to get by them late,” said Ledford. “But they picked it up pretty good, so we bided our time and let them race it out.”
In the stretch, Ledford put away the pacesetter but had to hold off a late charge from Like A Prayer and Ron Pierce. Duke Of York was third.
“We changed Chip Chip Hooray’s bridle and pulled his hind shoes and used a different race bike. He trained super so I decided to go with that,” said Sylvester. “It takes so much luck to win this race.”
The last 24 million dollar races held at the Big M (11 Hambos, 10 Meadowlands Paces and 3 Breeders Crown Trots) have been won by either the post time favorite or second choice.
Windylane Hanover upset 2-1 favorite Cameron Hall while taking the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks in a stakes record 1:53.
The 25-1 shot and driver Ron Pierce left for the lead before yielding to Cameron Hall and Mike Lachance approaching the quarter. Cameron Hall stayed on an unchallenged lead past the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.
Campbell made a move turning for home with 3-1 second choice Lissome Hanover but went off stride in the stretch.
Pierce pulled Windylane Hanover out of the pocket in mid-stretch and powered by Cameron Hall to win by two lengths. Pepi Lavec finished third.
“I followed Cameron Hall until the head of the stretch and my filly had a ton of trot,” said Pierce of his first Oaks victory. “I was thinking that I was going to get to Cameron Hall easily enough. She came home in :27 flat and I just had to sit there. I only tapped her one time with the whip.”
Trained by Brett Bittle, Windylane Hanover returned $52.20 to win.