EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Apex gained the $1 million Hambletonian Stakes for 3-year-old trotters Saturday on the Meadowlands, holding off favourite Large Ranger by a nostril in a stakes-record 1:49.2.
Minoan was third, 4-1/4 lengths behind the highest two finishers.
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Apex gave coach Marcus Melander and driver Dexter Dunn their first Hambletonian wins. Melander had completed second in America’s Trotting Traditional 4 instances, together with three of the previous 4 years.
Two races previous to the Hambletonian, Melander-trained Nezuko Kamado S gained the filly companion race, the Hambletonian Oaks, by a neck over Carve. Melander turned the fourth coach to win the Hambletonian and Oaks in the identical yr, becoming a member of Jimmy Takter (twice), Jim Campbell and Jan Johnson.
Dunn turned the primary driver since Mike Lachance in 2003 to win the Meadowlands Tempo (in July with Brandon Blvd) and the Hambletonian in the identical yr.
Within the Hambletonian, after a prolonged photo-finish assessment, Apex’s No. 3 lit the highest spot on the tote board. Along with a stakes document, the ultimate time of 1:49.2 set the monitor document for a 3-year-old trotter and was solely one-fifth of a second off the world document.
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“Thank God we acquired there,” Melander mentioned. “It was tight. He has the need to win, and he put his nostril first. I did not assume he held on, however he is an enormous fighter. He fights all the way in which to the end line.”
Apex, the 2025 Dan Patch Award winner for finest 2-year-old male trotter, has gained 10 of 14 profession races and earned $1.61 million for house owners Jeff Snyder, S R F Secure and Steve Stewart.
Despatched off because the 5-2 second selection, Apex paid $7.80 to win.
___ AP sports activities: https://apnews.com/sports activities
