Pinkman wins the Hambletonian

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Brian Sears lucked out after some last-minute driver reshuffling and guided Pinkman to victory in the 90th edition of the $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands Racetrack on Saturday.

Sears landed in the sulky after the horse's usual driver, Yannick Gingras, chose to guide Mission Brief, the only filly and the 3-5 favorite. Pinkman, trained by Jimmy Takter, beat Mission Brief by three-quarters of a length and won in 1 minute, 51 seconds, making him Takter's second straight Hambo winner and fourth overall.

The 3-year-old gelding paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 second choice.

Another Takter-trained horse, Uncle Lasse, finished third. Jacksons Minion, co-owned by Philadelphia attorney Howard Taylor, finished fifth.

Sears, now a three-time Hambo winner, drove Wings of Royalty through the race's elimination round. But he found his bike behind a new horse after a moment in the paddock with Takter just before the warm-up.

"It was pretty interesting," Sears said. "In the paddock, Jimmy looked at me and said, 'You're driving my horse in the Hambo.' I said, 'That's all right.' "

A joyous Takter didn't hide his disbelief that Gingras went with a horse other than Pinkman, but he was relieved to have Sears.

"Yannick has been driving this horse every start, and of course I understand that it was a tough decision," Takter said. "But I was very, very surprised that he chose the filly, because to me this horse looked stronger and better than her in the first heat. But that's how it is."

Sears held Pinkman patiently in the three-hole for the first quarter before moving first-over and taking the lead by the half-mile mark.

Just as Pinkman settled into the lead, Mission Brief made her move, challenging the eventual winner through the three-quarter mark.

The gelding out-trotted the fierce filly, pulling away to a 21/2-length lead before Mission Brief closed late to narrow the final margin. But by then, it was too late.

"I knew I didn't have enough at the top of the stretch," Gingras said. "You have to give it to Pinkman. He's a great horse and he's a winner."

Takter also landed in the winner's circle in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old fillies with trainee Wild Honey ($4.60), driven by Gingras.