SMEDSHAMMER DUO SET HAMBLETONIAN, OAKS CHALLENGES
Trond Smedshammer has won both the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks during his career ...
HIGHTSTOWN, NJ -- July 31, 2025 -- Trond Smedshammer has won both the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks during his career – one of 12 trainers to accomplish that feat – and he will have the opportunity to add to his trophy collection Saturday when he sends out a horse in each of those trotting classics for 3-year-olds at The Meadowlands.
Smedshammer captured the 2004 Hambletonian with Windsong’s Legacy, who went on to complete the Trotting Triple Crown by adding the Yonkers Trot and Kentucky Futurity. The colt, who was driven by Smedshammer, was the first horse to collect all three jewels since Super Bowl in 1972 and the seventh trotter overall to accomplish the feat. Glidemaster and Marion Marauder later added their names to the list.
On Saturday, Smedshammer will drive Greenma in the 100th edition of the Hambletonian Stakes at The Big M. The gelding finished second in his Hambletonian elimination last week, missing by a nose against Emoticon Legacy in 1:51.4.
He drew post nine for the $1 million Grade 1 final and was made 25-1 on the morning line.
Smedshammer also will drive Walspea in the $500,000 Grade 1 final of the Hambletonian Oaks for sophomore female trotters. She finished third in her Oaks elim, one length behind 1:52.3 winner Miss Belmar. Walspea drew post eight for the final and was made 12-1 on the morning line. Smedshammer’s Oaks triumph came in 2008 with Creamy Mimi, who was driven by Andy Miller, and triumphed at odds of … 12-1.
Greenma heads to the Hambletonian final having hit the board in all nine of his races this season, including four wins and four second-place finishes. It was after a second-place effort behind Meshuggah, another Hambletonian finalist, in a June 8 division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs, that Smedshammer told owner Wanda Polisseni of Purple Haze Stables the son of Greenshoe-Ma Was Right was a Hambletonian prospect.
“He was able to close when he shouldn’t have been able to up there, three-wide in :26.4,” Smedshammer said. “That’s just real difficult. I told Wanda after that start that I think we’ve got a Hambo horse if he continues to race like he did that day.
“He’s still very green. He got real excited up there Saturday night (for the Hambletonian eliminations), he was a real handful, but he almost pulled it off. But we’ve got an uphill battle this Saturday.”
Smedshammer, of course, looks back fondly at his time with Windsong’s Legacy in 2004.
“That was something else,” Smedshammer said. “I can’t believe it was 21 years ago already. He was a cool horse, no doubt.
“He usually got beat in the eliminations, but in the finals, he showed up.”
Walspea, whose family includes 1995 Hambletonian Oaks winner Lookout Victory, has won three of seven races this year and added a second and two thirds. In her start prior to the Oaks elim, she finished third behind Yo Tillie and Lady Landia in a division of the Del Miller Memorial at The Meadowlands. The daughter of Walner-Speak To Me is owned by Purple Haze Stables and M3 Racing Stable.
“She’s real handy, so quick and so good gaited,” Smedshammer said. “It’s just a shame that she doesn’t try a little bit harder. But she raced good (in the elimination). We came the last quarter :27 flat, and most of these trotters can’t go too much more than that.”
Two of the Oaks eliminations were won in 1:52.3 and the other was won in 1:52.4.
“(Walspea) can do that,” Smedshammer said.
Racing begins at noon (EDT) on Saturday at The Meadowlands. The Hambletonian Oaks is race 10, with a post time of 3:37 p.m.; the Hambletonian is race 12, with a post time of 4:47 p.m. Coverage of Hambletonian Day will air on FOX Sports from 3-6 p.m.
For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.
