Nordic Catcher S Makes History at the 100th Hambletonian Stakes
Nordic Catcher S stormed into history at the 100th Hambletonian Stakes, delivering a stakes-record 1:50 mile at The Meadowlands last weekend. Dr. Gregory Beroza, aka HorseDoc ‘Talking Horses,’ caught it all.
Photo by GBeroza.
The 2025 $1 Million Dollar Hambletonian Stakes marked the 100th anniversary celebration of America’s greatest harness racing event of the year. The day included the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for fillies and as well as many other prominent stakes races.
Special attention was paid in the Hambletonian to two favored competitors, both trained by Marcus Melander who had four of the ten entries. Super Chapter, the 5:2 favorite, was driven by last year’s Hambo winner Yannick Gingras. Maryland, the second favorite at 3:1 odds, was driven by Dexter Dunn. Dunn quailed both horses into the finals and unexpectedly chose to drive Maryland over Super Chapter in the Stakes Final.
Nordic Catcher S. Photo by LisaPhoto.
Nordic Catcher S was the fourth betting favorite at 9:2 odds. He is owned by New Meadowlands Racing Chairman and CEO Jeff Gural, a Harness Horse Hall of Fame Member. This was Gural’s first Hambletonian Stakes win for his Little E, LLC ownership. Last year was Gural’s first Hambletonian Oaks win, the filly companion race to the Hambletonian, with Svanstedt — trained and driven Warrawee Michelle.
This year, Nordic Catcher S stole the spotlight to win the Hambo and set a new track record of 1:50, which hadn’t been broken since Muscle Hill won in 2009 and equalled by his fill daughter Ramona Hill in 2020. Nordic Catcher S has won five of 10 races. He now has lifetime earnings of $1,124,113.
Muscle Hill. Photo by GBeroza.
In the Winner’s Circle, Gural laughed and stated, “Truthfully, I’ve been waiting to give this trophy to myself.” “I give Ake and (his wife) Sarah all the credit.” Svanstedt said, “This was one of the greatest moments in my life.”
Ake Svanstedt is trainer and driver of the 2025 Hambletonian Winner Nordic Catcher S. The win was the third in five starts this season for Nordic Catcher S, who won his Hambletonian elimination last week in 1:50.3. Svanstedt previously won the Hambletoian with Perfect Spirit in 2017 and Captain Corey in 2021. He trained and drove both those horses as well. He is the sixth trainer to have driven three winners of the Hambletonian.
Trainer Ake Svanstedt with Nordic Catcher S. Photo by GBeroza.
Super Chapter trailed Nordic Catcher S by 1-1/4 lengths. Maryland took a close third, followed by ground-saving Gap Kronos S driven by Hall of Famer Tim Tetrick.
THE HAMBLETONIAN OAKS ($500,000 for Fillies):
The $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for fillies preceded the Hambletonian Stakes and saw its own upset. Conversano finished the Oaks in first place with a time of 1:51/2. Juan Cano trained the initial third favorite, who went in with 9:2 odds. The Muscle Hill daughter was driven by James MacDonald. The Oaks wasn’t on MacDonald’s radar until a week ago. Juan Cano needed a driver for Conversano when driver Andy McCarthy opted to remain with Hambletonian Oaks elimination winner and 5:2 odds favorite, Miss Belmar for the final. Walspea was second, Delaney Hanover third, and Deja Blu fourth.
Trainer Juan Cano with Conversano and John Campbell. Photo by GBeroza.
MacDonald stated, “It’s just a case of right place, right time.” The Ontario-based MacDonald said he was shocked. “Any time you can pick up a winner, it’s unbelievable.” Conversano is now a nine-time winner, with $513,636 in earnings from 17 starts.
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Dr. Gregory A. Beroza, DVM, DACVS, DABVP has been a practicing veterinarian and consultant for 42 years; and HorseDoc® ‘Talking Horses’® media host, author, and consultant since 2007. Dr. Beroza is a multimedia host and broadcasts his productions, including a new Podcast, via his WuzUpDoc Media website: www.WuzUpDoc.com. He can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other social media sources.
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