Chocolatier not only has to beat nine other three-year-old trotters to win the harness racing’s greatest prize – the $1.5 million Hambletonian on Saturday at the Meadowlands – he has to defeat history.
Since 1979, only two trotting colts honored as the Dan Patch Award winner as their division’s best two-year-old returned the following season to win the Hambletonian.  They were Mack Lobell, who won the Hambletonian in 1987, and Malabar Man, who won the race in 1997.

Continentalvictory, who claimed the Dan Patch Award as best two-year-old filly trotter, won the Hambletonian in 1996.  That is a total of three divisional champions in 25 years.

Harness racing’s most prestigious event, the Hambletonian for three-year-old colt trotters is carded as race eight on Saturday with a post time of 2:42 p.m.   The race will be broadcast live on CBS-TV from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Gates open at 9:30 a.m. and the first of 15 races is at 11:30 a.m.

Last season, two-year-old champion Ken Warkentin – the horse, not the announcer – went off stride in his Hambletonian elimination race and failed to reach the final. 

Chocolatier suffered that same fate in the final of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 15 at the Meadowlands, but he was on his best behavior in last Saturday’s Hambletonian elim.  Driver Doug [DR] Ackerman eased the colt into the mile, racing in sixth place through the opening half, before coming home strong with a 27.1-second final quarter to finish second behind Here Comes Herbie.  Chocolatier was beaten by one and a quarter lengths, timed in 1:52.1.

“That was very good,” Ackerman said.  “I was happy with second.  I would have liked to have won, but I didn’t get up close enough to the pace, and that’s a very good horse that beat me.  That’s part of the game.

“I figured I’d better take the easier approach and make sure I get in.” he added.  “I didn’t catch much cover flow, but I had plenty of time.  I just couldn’t quite track [Here Comes Herbie] down.  He trotted home very good.  He stroked clean all the way to the wire.  He liked passing horses, and he kept it up all the way to the wire and trotted all the way through as a matter of fact.”

Chocolatier has won 10 of 16 lifetime starts and earned $572,000 for the senior Doug Ackerman, who trains and co-owns the colt with his wife, Ada Jean.  This year Southwind Farm and Lindy Farms of Connecticut acquired a 25 percent interest in the colt in a deal brokered by Preferred Equine, who will manage his stallion career.

Not all of Chocolatier’s 2006 campaign has been sweet.

In four of his losses, Chocolatier has gone off stride.  In the other two, he finished in second place, both times to Here Comes Herbie.

“I thought I had a legitimate big shot [in the Dancer], and he made a break there for no reason,” DR Ackerman said.  “My confidence was a little down, but I’m ready to go now. I like my chances very good. It’s going to be a great race. There’s five horses that are very good horses. Post position is part of it, but that’s just something you’ve got to overcome.”

Chocolatier, who is rated 4-1 in the morning line, will have to overcome post 10.  Ironically, it was the same post drawn by Ackerman’s last finalist in the Hambletonian, Coventry, two years ago.

Ackerman has had five previous Hambletonian drives, with his best finish coming behind Coventry, who was fourth in 2004.  Despite the trouble in the Dancer, he was still confident about Chocolatier reaching the Hambletonian – if not even willing to joke about it.

“I thought I could do really well, but I thought I could do really well the last time, too, and I didn’t do too good,” Ackerman said with a laugh.  “That’s part of the game.  This is very rewarding.  He’s a great horse.

“Southwind Farm and Lindy Farms have been so gracious,” he added.  “They’re just great people to come on board and be a part of this with us.  It’s fun, and I’d really like to do as well as I could for them.”

Gates open at 9:30 a.m. on Hambletonian Day.  First race post time is 11:30 a.m. for the 15-race card that carries $3,877,500 in purses.  Giveaways include a Hambletonian baseball cap for adults and a backpack for children, for paid admissions while supplies last.  Special wagering opportunities include a $100,000 Pick 4 guarantee, $10,000 Choose 6 and Superfecta wagering in every race.