1985 The Meadowlands • August 3, 1985 • Purse $1,272,000 Prakas: O’Donnell Gets First Hambletonian Win Hambletonian records were at the mercy of Prakas and Bill stretch, O’Donnell waved his whip at the colt and Prakas opened O’Donnell in 1985. They won the 60th edition of the race in straight up to win by three and a half lengths in 1:551. heats at the Meadowlands, and stopped the clock in 1:543 in the In the final, Flak Bait was again the first to show, Piggvar second heat — snapping the record 1:55 for the fastest heat shared dropped in second and Mark Six was parked to the quarter in :282. by Speedy Somolli and Florida Pro. Prakas, after getting away fifth, challenged and took the lead The first division was captured by Torway and Howard Beissinger past the half in :564 and the three-quarters in 1:252. in 1:552. Torway, a 37-1 shot, had only one win and raced mostly in They turned for home and Prakas’ victory was sealed when New York Sire Stakes prior to the Hambletonian. The record crowd of Mark Six, the biggest threat, started to fade. A tired Prakas drifted 37,652 backed Mark Six, who had captured the Canadian Trotting out as he neared the wire, but had enough left in the tank to set Derby at Greenwood earlier in the year. the record of 1:543. Prakas garnered the title of pre-race favorite by virtue of his six The purse of $1,272,000 was the richest ever for the Hamble- wins and three seconds in nine starts and his track records at Vernon tonian, and Prakas took home $636,000 for owners Hans Enggren, Downs and the Meadowlands, both in 1:56. Iain MacKenzie and Carl Vizzi. Enggren was the breeder of not only When the gate left, Ben Webster and Flak Bait grabbed the lead Prakas, but also Torway, whom he sold as a yearling for $32,000. with a :28.2 first quarter. O’Donnell then pulled Prakas from the two Prakas was trained by Per Eriksson, who arrived from Sweden with hole and carried the field through clockings of :573 and 1:264. In the the father-son team of Soren and Jan Nordin, but had recently struck out on his own. • Co-owner Hans Enggren bred not only Prakas, but also Torway, • It was the first Hambletonian win for the Meadowlands perennial the winner of the first elimination heat in 1:55.2, a track record for leading driver, Bill O’Donnell; Prakas was the fifth horse he’d driven 3-year-olds. in the classic. O’Donnell closed out 1985 with more than $10 million • Prakas reclaimed the 3-year-old standard when he won his elim in in earnings, the first driver to mark that milestone. Two of his regular 1:55.1, then set a new Hambletonian stake record of 1:54.3. drives, Prakas and Nihilator, set single season’s earnings marks that • 23-year-old Per Eriksson became the youngest trainer to win the year. Hambletonian. • Prakas was voted the Trotter of the Year. • The Hambletonian was simulcast for the first time. PRAKAS, b c, by Speedy Crown—Prudy Hanover, by Star’s Pride TIME BY QUARTERS: 1/4 1/2 3/4 MILE Driver: Bill O’Donnell Trainer: Per Eriksson 1st Heat :281 :57 1:261 1:552 2nd Heat :282 :573 1:264 1:551 Owner: Hans G. Enggren, Iain L. Mackenzie, Carl J. Vizzi 2 4 2 3 Breeder: Hans G. Enggren, PA Final :28 :56 1:25 1:54 Groom: Tina Eriksson Sale History: Bid in at $47,000 as a yearling at the Kentucky Standardbred Sale in Lexington, KY., and then sold privately to partners. x 1 1 TORWAY, Speedy Crown-Tori Hanover, by Star’s Pride Driver: Howard Beissinger Trainer: Howard Beissinger Owner: R. Mumma, Arden Homestead Stable and A. Beissinger . 1 x 5 RON B. HANOVER, Super Bowl—Really Noble, by Noble Victory Driver: Jan Nordin Trainer: Soren Nordin Owner: Simon Bonnier and Bjorn Nordstrand . x 3 2 FLAK BAIT, Speedy Somolli—Whims and Wishes, by Noble Victory Driver: Ben Webster Trainer: Mark Webster Owner: Barbara A. Ustin and Ben F. Webster . x 2 4 MARK SIX, Speedy Scot—Franella Hanover, by Star’s Pride Driver: John Campbell Trainer: Soren Nordin Owner: Iain L. MacKenzie and Carl J. Vizzi (Lessees). 2 x 8 Also competed: Piggvar x-5-3, Workaholic 3-x-7, Somolli Star x-4-6, Master Willie 4-x-10, Nearly Perfect 5-x-9, JRs Chip, 6-x-ro; Megatrend, x-6-ro; Hots of Waverly, 7-x-ro; Anglers Line, x-7-ro; Collectors Work, 8-x-ro; Another Miracle, x-8-ro; Bon Sport, 9-x-ro. PAYOFFS FIRST HEAT, FIRST ELIMINATION FIRST HEAT, SECOND ELIMINATION FINAL HEAT Torway 76.40 12.40 6.80 Prakas 2.40 2.10 2.10 Prakas 2.60 2.10 2.10 Mark Six 2.80 2.60 Flak Bait 3.20 2.10 Ron B Hanover 4.80 2.10 Workaholic 4.20 Ron B Hanover 2.10 Piggvar 2.10 EXACTA: 232.60 EXACTA: 17.60 EXACTA: 14.00 145 1984 The Meadowlands • August 6, 1984 • Purse $1,219,000 Historic Freight: On the Fast Track Historic Freight, racing in a claiming event with a price tag of largest in the race’s history. $52,500 only weeks before, captured the 59th Hambletonian which Delvin G. Hanover had the ten post and was twelfth at the quarter, featured a record purse of $1,219,000. eleventh at the half, and still tenth with a quarter of a mile remaining. A record number of 26 entries were scheduled to go postward In the second heat, driver Webster rated Historic Freight on the (two divisions of 13 each) but three scratches in the first division re- lead and sealed the heat with a :282 final quarter, winning in 1:573 over duced that event to ten. the fast closing Delvin G. Hanover. In the first elimination, Gentle Stroke, handled by George Sholty, The three winners, Delvin G. Hanover, Gentle Stroke, and Historic used his second tier post 11 to perfection and won the heat in 1:574. Freight, came back for the deciding heat and, once again, Webster Overlooked in the wagering, Gentle Stroke paid $21.40 to win. The 70 gave his trotter a picture perfect drive. to 1 chance, Father Soren, finished second. From the two post, Historic Freight immediately took command In that event, Wholly Arnie took the lead immediately and had and led the field, the opening quarter in :292. With no challengers ma- a four-length lead at the eighth pole, but reminiscent of the 1933 terializing, Webster grabbed hold of his charge, gave him a breather Hambletonian when Brown Berry stumbled while leading, he, likewise, with a second panel in :311, and a third quarter in :303. It was all over went to his knees and wound up fifth, placed seventh. with a final quarter of :282, closing the door on Delvin G. Hanover and In the second division, the 60 to 1 shot Delvin G. Hanover, driven Gentle Stroke. Delvin G. Hanover was disqualified and placed third in by Hakan Wallner, upset his field by defeating pacesetting Historic the final for a lapped-on break at the wire. Freight in 1:562. Delvin G. Hanover’s win price of $126.20 remains the • Third heat race-off in the Hambletonian to determine the winner. • Delvin G. Hanover (driven by Hakan Wallner) was the longest shot • Historic Freight had raced for a $52,500 claiming price only weeks ever to win a heat of the classic winning his elimination at 62-1 before the race. ($126.20). The exacta with Historic Freight paid $1,149.00. Delvin G. • Gentle Stroke, winner of the first elimination of the 1st heat, was the Hanover finished second the second heat and was third with a break only heat winner to subsequently be gelded. in the stretch in the final three-horse raceoff. • Breeders Crown® championship series and Breeders’ Cup™ started. HISTORIC FREIGHT, b c, by ABC Freight—Proper Freight, by Hickory TIME BY QUARTERS: 1/4 1/2 3/4 MILE Smoke 1st Heat :283 :59 1:284 1:574 Driver: Ben Webster Trainer: Skip Lewis 1st Heat, 2nd Div. :29 :58 1:272 1:562 Owner: ABC Stables, Inc., Fort Lee, NJ 2nd Heat :293 :581 1:291 1:573 Groom: Tony Veen . x 2 1 1 Race Off :292 1:003 1:311 1:593 DELVIN G. HANOVER, Super Bowl—Delicious, by Kimberly Kid Driver: Hakan Wallner Trainer: Hakan Wallner Owner: Kurt G. Bertmark . x 1 2 3 GENTLE STROKE, Noble Gesture—Eydie Hanover, by Ayres Driver: George Sholty Trainer: George Sholty Owner: Castleton Farm, Jack Liggett and William Simon . 1 x 9 2 FATHER SOREN, Super Bowl—Mom, by Florican Driver: Hakan Wallner Trainer: Hakan Wallner Owner: Jan Johnson and Joseph Mendelson . 2 x 7 ro BALTIC SPEED, Speedy Somolli—Sugar Frosting, by Carlisle Driver: Jan Nordin Trainer: Soren Nordin Owner: Baltic Farm, Inc. x 4 3 ro Also competed: Super Lamar 3-x-4-ro, Desert Ruler x-3-5-ro, Normandy Lobell 4-x-6-ro, Cornstalk x-5-6-ro, Sandy Bowl 5-x-10-ro, Restless Spirit, x-6-ro-ro; Speed Merchant, 6-x-ro-ro, Keystone Shiloh, x-7-ro-ro, Wholly Arnie, 7-x-ro-ro, Gallant Pro, x-8-ro-ro; Money Hanover, 8-x-ro-ro; Doc Spiegler, x-9-ro-ro, Classic Cast, 9-x-ro-ro; Keystone Tripoli, x-10-ro-ro; Why Not, 10-x-ro-ro; Pathfinder, x-11-ro-ro; Crowning Point, x-12-ro-ro, Giorgio D, x-13-ro-ro; Bold Vigil, scr; Cogee, scr, Socrates Lobell, scr.