East Rutherford, NJ (My Sportsbook) - Deweycheatumnhowe, 2007 champion two- year-old, led most of the way Saturday in winning the $1.5 million Hambletonian at The Meadowlands. The three-year-old trotter captured harness racing's premier event in a time of 1:52 for one mile,
Deweycheatumnhowe, driven by trainer and co-owner Ray Schnittker, was 2-5 in the morning-line and at post-time. He took the lead entering the clubhouise turn and never relinguished the lead.
Up the backstretch Schnittker kept his colt in front with Crazed in second, Big Apple Deli racing third and Velocity Hall in fourth. Heading into the far turn Deweycheatumnhowe had a two-length lead as Velocity Hall and Crazed battled for second.
The favorite kept his advantage heading into the stretch as Crazed shook off Velocity Hall to move into second. Crazed, with driver Tim Tetrick, rallied down the stretch but was unable to catch the leader who won by a half-length.
"Dewey is the champion until someone dethrones him," Tetrick said. "It seems like no one can even get to his wheel and he's just overpowered all the other three-year-olds."
Finishing third in the 10-horse field was Make It Happen, also trained by Schnittker, with Celebrity Secret gaining fourth. Rounding out the order of finish in the 83rd Hambletonian was Clerk Magistrate, Velocity Hall, Big Apple Deli, Kajan Kooker, Atomic Hall and Pine After Pine.
Deweycheatumnhowe becomes the seventh trotter over the past 62 years to be unbeaten at age three: Donato Hanover (2007), Scarlet Knight (2001), Malabar Man (1997), Mack Lobell (1987), Sharp Note (1952) and Titan Hanover (1945).
The colt is perfect in 15 career starts, 11 in 2008. Saturday's victory was worth $750,000 to bring Deweycheatumnhowe's lifetime bankroll to $1,953,246.
Deweycheatumnhowe retuned $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Crazed paid $3.40 and $2.60, and Make It Happen paid $8.00 to show.
The Hambletonian is the second leg of trotting's Triple Crown. The first leg, the Yonkers Trot, was taken by Napoleon who did not qualify in last week's elimination races.
The final jewel in the Triple Crown is the Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile on Saturday, October 4.
In Saturday's companion Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old fillies, Creamy Mimi posted a one-length victory over Lantern Kronos in the $750,000 event. Driver Andy Miller guided the filly through the one-mile race in 1:53 4/5 on the good track.
Trained by Trond Smedshammer, Creamy Mimi improved her 2008 record to five wins in nine starts. She collects $375,000 with the win to give her $625,000 this year.
Sent off as a 12-1 longhsot, Creamy Mimi paid $27.60, $6.20 and $4.20. Lantern Kronos returned $7.60 and $2.20, and Stage Show paid $3.40 to show.
