Apex and driver Dexter Dunn proved to be top dogs in the $368,950 Peter Haughton Memorial at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday (Sept. 12). The ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the Breeders Crown highlighted a 15-race card with nearly $1.5 million in purses, which also featured the $464,400 Jim Doherty Memorial won by Atlantic Summer by the narrowest of margins on the stakes-filled night.

Apex was made the 2-5 favorite by the bettors, leaving from post two in a scratched down field of nine rookie trotting colts. Dunn landed Apex in the third position on the first turn while Magic Punk (Ake Svanstedt) hustled off the wings to grab command with Mr Big Spender (Mike Wilder) in the pocket through a quarter of :27.2. The tempo slowed on the backstretch with Magic Punk left alone to a half of :57.1 when Dunn had seen enough and tipped the Marcus Melander trainee off the cones. Apex moved into second on the final turn, racing at the leader’s wheel as Magic Punk got to three-quarters first in 1:26.1.

The sprint was on in the stretch, with Magic Punk briefly getting away from Apex at the top of the stretch, allowing Apex to tuck back into the pocket briefly before looking to slingshot by late. Motoring home in :27.1, a refreshed Apex took aim late and surged in front of Magic Punk in the final stages by a half-length to score in 1:53.3. Mr Big Spender held for the show position, with Hawt Yoga (Ricky Macomber Jr.) rounding out the super at 99-1.

“He really couldn’t have done it any easier,” Dunn said in the Winner’s Circle. “He just keeps getting better and better through experiences like this, he got out of the gate really well, took a helmet, moved out, was able to tuck back in, and then he finishes the miles so impressively.”

A winner now in five of seven lifetime, Apex has yet to miss the board in his career while banking $456,575 for owners Jeffrey Snyder, S R F Stable, and Steve Stewart. The royally bred colt by Walner out of the world champion mare Mission Brief was bred by Mission Brief Stable and sold for $525,000 at last fall’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale.

The victory was the second consecutive for Dunn and Melander in the Peter Haughton Memorial, having teamed up with Maryland to take the 2024 edition.

Driver Dexter Dunn made his way to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, Sept. 13 and swept the two richest races in the state of Indiana, taking the $390,000 Peter Haughton Memorial with Maryland, before Champagne Problems scored in the $305,000 Jim Doherty Memorial.

The two-year-old trotting colts stepped into the spotlight first in the Haughton, with Maryland sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field of 10.

Leaving from post eight, Maryland and Dunn found themselves the widest of a four across battle for the lead going into the first turn, with Father TJ (driven by Tyler Buter) first to the quarter on the inside in :27.1. Hidalgo (Yannick Gingras) pressed on to the lead briefly before Maryland assumed command and slowed the tempo to the half in :57.4. The top trio remained in straight alignment on the final turn, with Maryland leading the field to three-quarters in 1:27.

Maryland began to assert himself at the top of the stretch, trotting clear by three lengths midway through the lane with Hidalgo fending the others off for the minor spoils. Sprinting home in :27.1, Maryland crossed the wire 3-1/4 lengths clear, stopping the clock in 1:54.1. Hidalgo held for the place position, with Eugene The Genius (Mike Oosting) beating out Father TJ for show.

“Quite a few sprinted out of there which you expect in a race like this,” said Dunn in the winner’s circle. “ Once we got to the front, we got things pretty cheap and he sprinted home and felt great tonight.”

Trained by Marcus Melander, Maryland entered the Peter Haughton off of a 17-1 score upset score in the $425,500 William Wellwood in a career best 1:53.4. Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, the son of Chapter Seven-Crucial is owned by Courant Inc., Pcw Racing LLC., Holly Lane Stud East LTD., and Sstewartrthorn Stable. Now a winner of three of six, Maryland sports a career bankroll of $425,378.

“He’s been such a good horse from the start,” said trainer Marcus Melander. “He felt like a good horse when we trained him down, he’s classy and did it easy tonight.”

“We gave him a little bit of time off this summer but feel like he’s coming into the fall extremely sharp.”

Driver Dexter Dunn hinted that Maryland will have his sights set on another major prize next weekend, as the star rookie will head back north of the border for The Mohawk Million. In addition, Maryland secured his spot in the $700,000 Breeders Crown Final and a starting gate position between one and five with the victory in the Haughton.

Kilmister remains perfect with Haughton score

by Mike Farrell, Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kilmister extended his undefeated streak to four with a potent rally to win the $337,000 Peter Haughton Memorial, the first step on the unofficial “Road to the 2023 Hambletonian,” on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 6) at the Meadowlands.

The Haughton, for 2-year-old trotters, provides an early clue — and establishes a long-range favorite — for next year’s trotting classic, contested over this same track. While it is a long 12-month journey to next year’s Hambletonian, a Haughton win is an early indication of class and talent.

Kilmister has displayed both in abundance. Starting from the rail, Kilmister and driver Brian Sears took a brief early lead before yielding to Carter Michael Deo, who in turn let Oh Well dictate the pace.

On a day when speed seemed golden, Sears let Kilmister bide his time in third before unleashing the colt in the lane. He surged to a four-length victory over stablemate Oh Well, giving Marcus Melander a one-two finish. Melander almost completed a clean sweep as his third entrant, Upstaged, finished third but was disqualified to fourth for a break in the lane.

“We could have been first, second and third,” Melander said. “They raced very well, all the horses. Sadly, one of them made a break right before the finish line.”

That was the only blemish on an otherwise sensational stable performance, topped by Kilmister, named for the late founder and lead singer of Motorhead.

Kilmister was a $170,000 purchase at Lexington last fall for Courant Inc.

“This one was quite expensive,” said Courant Inc.’s Anders Ström. “I like this horse’s attitude. He likes to chase them down. He never uses excess energy and I hope he has more energy to use in the future.”

... a future that might include a return to the Meadowlands one year from now.

Kilmister trotted the mile in 1:53.3, paying $7.00 to win as the 5-2 second choice and giving Sears his sixth win in the Haughton.

Carter Michael Deo was elevated from fourth to third with the disqualification of Upstaged.

King Of The North rules supreme in Peter Haughton Memorial

Aug 8

by Jay Bergman

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — King Of The North ruled supreme in Saturday's (Aug. 7) $293,450 Peter Haughton Memorial Trot, for 2-year-old colts and geldings, at The Meadowlands, remaining undefeated through five starts with a 1:53.4 win for driver Mark MacDonald.

King Of The North got away near the rear of the field as Global Pandemic and driver Joe Bongiorno sprinted to the front on the first turn and parked Temporal Hanover through a :26.3 opening quarter before yielding. Temporal Hanover and David Miller didn’t have the lead for very long, as second choice Robertsin and driver George Brennan moved quickly to take control well before the half and were able to back down the pace to a relatively comfortable :56 half-mile clocking.

Mark MacDonald appeared to be in a very compromised position at the half, as Fast As The Wind and Dexter Dunn pulled to the outside but failed to move aggressively, instead waiting for Letsdoit S and Brian Sears to pull and provide cover. Sears accommodated the outer flow, but was in a grind as Brennan — behind Robertsin — continued to apply the brakes, waltzing to three-quarters in 1:25.2 and appearing to have the race pretty much at his mercy.

When the field fanned wide, King Of The North quickly made up ground on the leaders, but, in mid-stretch, the son of Walner got a bit rough gaited, forcing MacDonald to collect him and otherwise lose momentum at a crucial time. The Ray Schnittker trainee regained his composure, and MacDonald urged him forward to gain the lead in deep stretch. Scott Zeron and Classic Hill appeared to be a menacing threat, weaving through traffic and rallying to the inside of King Of The North, but would not pass. King Of The North arrived home on top with Classic Hill second and Fast As The Wind third. S I P rallied wide to finish fourth.

"He overcame it," MacDonald said of the treacherous trip. "It was maybe a little too far back than I would have liked. I should have used him a little bit more early, but when the gate opened, everybody was kind of going hard, so I just retreated. I got a cheap middle half, but he's such a good little horse (that) he just runs them down."

King Of The North was bred by Steve Jones and Ray Schnittker and is owned by Schnittker Ward, Arden Homestead Stable, Nolamaura Racing and Steve Arnold.

Sent off as the 1-2 favorite, King As The North returned $3.00 to win. King Of The North is out of the stakes star Check Me Out, who won the Merrie Annabelle in her 2-year-old season.