In The Money Media’s Harness Players’ Podcast hosts Ray Cotolo and Mikee P sit to look over the post position draws for Hambletonian 2026 and Hambletonian Oaks 2026, which will take place this Saturday (Aug. 8) at The Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J.
This year’s Hambletonian has gathered an intense three-pronged matchup inside of the 10-horse field with Ohio sensation Big Ranger earning morning-line favoritism at 2-1 following a 1:50 romp in his elimination for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Anette Lorentzon. The colt, who spurred controversy when the ownership opted to switch trainers ahead of the Hambletonian, will face his toughest test to date as he confronts the 1-2 finishers from the other elimination Apex and Endurance, who together tussled through a long ways off of the pylons to finish noses apart in a 1:50.4 mile. Apex, by generational sire Walner and out of world champion mare Mission Brief, is listed as the second choice on the morning line at 5/2 while Endurance, the gutsy Chris Beaver-trained son of Hambletonian 2021 winner Captain Corey, is listed as the third choice on the morning line at 5-1.
Below are the fields for the biggest races in harness racing, the Hambletonian Oaks 2026 and Hambletonian 2026:
$500,000 Hambletonian Oaks No. 56 FINAL | 3YO Filly Trot
(PP-Name // Driver-Trainer // Morning Line)
1-Busy Miss Lissy S // Ake Svanstedt-Ake Svanstedt // 4-1
2-Nezuko Kamado S // Scott Zeron-Marcus Melander // 2-1
3-Custom // Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom // 8-1
4-Setyoursightshigh // Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander // 6-1
5-Lainey W // Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander // 12-1
6-Carve // Andy McCarthy-Noel Daley // 7/2
7-Leading Lady // Matt Kakaley-Nancy Takter // 10-1
8-Storybook Love // Todd Ratchford-Matt Bax // 25-1
9-Frattina Diablo S // Tim Tetrick-Tony Alagna // 25-1
10-Madam Cheval // Tim Tetrick-Nancy Takter // 25-1
$1,000,000 Hambletonian No. 101 FINAL | 3YO Trot
1-Minoan // TBA-Noel Daley // 25-1
2-It Could Be Worse // Scott Zeron-Linda Toscano // 8-1
3-Apex // Dexter Dunn-Marcus Melander // 5/2
4-Big Ranger // Tim Tetrick-Anette Lorentzon // 2-1
5-Captain Naughty // Jason Bartlett-Per Engblom // 15-1
6-Ai // Yannick Gingras-Ron Burke // 12-1
7-Endurance // Andy McCarthy-Chris Beaver // 5-1
8-Magic Punk // Yannick Gingras-Ake Svanstedt // 15-1
9-Spencer Hanover // Jason Bartlett-Marcus Melander // 20-1
10-American Power // James MacDonald-Marcus Melander // 10-1
