$1.5 Million Dollar Hambletonian Set for Saturday

Manofmanymissions will start Saturday's $1.5 million Hambletonian from post two and was made the 9-5 morning line favorite to win the trotting classic at Tuesday's post position draw and press conference at Meadowlands Racetrack.

The Hambletonian will be televised live from 3-4 p.m. EDT on NBC.

Last weekend, Manofmanymissions won his Hambletonian elimination race by one length over Magnum Kosmos in 1:52.4. The colt is trained by Erv Miller and driven by Miller's brother, Andy. Erv Miller sent out the 2005 Hambletonian favorite, Classic Photo, who finished second to Vivid Photo.

The connections of elimination winners Manofmanymissions and Broad Bahn picked their post positions prior to the draw to set the remainder of the 10-horse field.

"We're going to take the two hole, right beside [Broad Bahn]," Miller said after trainer Noel Daley selected post No. 1 for Broad Bahn. "We don't want to be out too far and don't want to get other horses in between us."

Broad Bahn went wire-to-wire in winning his Hambletonian elimination in 1:53 with George Brennan at the lines.

"We want to be on the lead or close to it," Daley said. "He's got the gate speed. It came down to George, I had to ask him, and I asked [trainer] Chuck Sylvester and he said it was a no-brainer to pick the rail. He's won four of them, so that's good enough for me."

Manofmanymissions was hampered earlier this year by an abscess in his left front foot and has had vet work done recently on his ankles. Since then, the colt has won a division of the Stanley Dancer by 6-1/4 lengths in 1:52.1 at the Meadowlands in addition to capturing his Hambletonian elim.

The winner of last year's Breeders Crown, Manofmanymissions has won seven of 11 career races and earned $567,400.

Broad Bahn, who is 4-1 on the Hambletonian morning line, has won three of seven races this year and seven of 16 in his career. He has earned $404,528. Last year, the colt was sidelined by a coffin bone fracture after winning his Breeders Crown elimination race. Ironically, Broad Bahn's injury opened the door for Manofmanymissions to get into the Breeders Crown field from the also-eligible spot.

Chapter Seven, who was second to Broad Bahn in his Hambletonian elim, drew post four for the final and was made 7-2 on the morning line. He will be driven by four-time Hambletonian winner Mike Lachance and is trained by Linda Toscano, who is bidding to become the first female trainer to win the trophy.

"They always ask me the gender thing," Toscano said. "I don't think there's a person that does this for a living - man or woman - that wouldn't want to get to the Hambletonian. It's not an easy task. Sure, it's fun to be a girl, but I think it would be fun to be a guy in the Hambletonian too."

Slowed by pneumonia earlier this year, Chapter Seven has won one of two races this year.

Pastor Stephen, last season's Dan Patch Award winner as the sport's best 2-year-old male trotter, got the far outside post, No. 10. The colt, which battled a virus in recent weeks, was third in his Hambletonian elim. He will be driven by Ron Pierce. Trainer Jimmy Takter and Pierce combined to win last year's Hambletonian with Muscle Massive.

"I think he's going to race good," Takter said. "The 10 hole - somebody has got to get it and unfortunately it was me this year. We still have to race. I think he can win the race, but it's going to be the hard way."

John Campbell, who was sidelined by a racing accident in late May and just returned to action in last weekend's elims in an unsuccessful attempt to qualify his own Live Jazz, will drive Opening Night in the final. Opening Night is trained by Campbell's brother, Jim. The brothers won the 1995 Hambletonian with Tagliabue.

"I hope so," Campbell said when asked about the possibility of winning another trophy with his brother. "[Opening Night] raced very well in his elimination.

"I raced him previous to getting hurt this spring and summer. He's got a lot of ability and I think he's matured a lot since then. He was a little immature mentally, but he's really settled down. He knows what he's out there for now. He finished up strong (in his elimination) and that's what you look for going into these finals."