ZERON, WALLIN CHASE HAMBLETONAIN-OAKS HISTORY
A trainer has won both the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks on the same day on four occasions, and a driver has accomplished the feat three times, but never have a trainer and driver done it together. Lucas Wallin and Scott Zeron are among those who have the chance Saturday to become the first ...
HIGHTSTOWN, NJ -- July 31, 2025 -- A trainer has won both the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks on the same day on four occasions, and a driver has accomplished the feat three times, but never have a trainer and driver done it together. Lucas Wallin and Scott Zeron are among those who have the chance Saturday to become the first.
Zeron will drive Delaney Hanover for trainer Wallin in the $500,000 Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks, for 3-year-old female trotters, in the 10th race Saturday at The Meadowlands. About an hour later, he will get behind Maximus Mearas S for Wallin in the $1 million Grade 1 Hambletonian, the 100th edition of America’s Trotting Classic for 3-year-olds.
Already a three-time Hambletonian winner at the age of 36, Zeron is seeking his first Hambletonian Oaks trophy. Wallin has appeared in one Hambletonian final, finishing sixth in 2022 with Rebuff, and three Oaks finals, with a best finish of fourth in 2022 with Manon.
Delaney Hanover won one of last week’s three Oaks eliminations and is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line for the final. Maximus Mearas S was a fast-closing second behind Super Chapter in his Hambletonian elimination and is 6-1 on the morning line.
“Both horses are capable of winning,” Zeron said. “If they don’t win, I can imagine them being very close.”
Delaney Hanover, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Danielle Hanover, out of the family of 2007 Hambletonian winner Donato Hanover, finished third in her seasonal debut in the Reynolds Memorial on June 28 at The Meadowlands. Two weeks later, she was a parked-out fifth from post nine in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial prior to her Oaks elim. She won the elim by 1-1/4 lengths over Champagne Problems in 1:52.3.
She will leave from post five in Saturday’s Oaks final.
“Delaney was very good,” Zeron said. “I really, really like her. She’s big and strong. She’s very capable of carrying speed a long way, and she’s kind of just hitting her best form. She did it with ease last week.”
Wallin owns Delaney Hanover with Wiesman Farms and Shermay Stables. The filly has hit the board in six of 10 lifetime races, winning three and earning $158,185. Last year, she started her career with two wins and second before battling sickness the remainder of the campaign and being shut down after the Breeders Crown in October.
“We’ve aimed for the Oaks since then,” Wallin said. “It’s worked out pretty good so far. We know if the trip works out that she’s very fast.
“(The final) is going to be wide open. It’s a tough race and it feels like anyone can win. But I wouldn’t trade my horse for anyone in the final, that’s for sure. It feels like she’s getting into top shape at the right time.”
Maximus Mearas S, who saw his return to action this year delayed while Wallin worked out some minor kinks, came the last quarter of his Hambletonian elimination in :26 to finish 1-3/4 lengths behind Super Chapter in 1:51.1. It was his second start of the season, following a fourth-place finish in a division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 12 at The Big M.
For his career, the son of Chapter Seven-Darling Mearas S has four wins and three seconds in eight races. Last year, he closed his campaign with a second-place finish behind Maryland in the Breeders Crown final for 2-year-old male trotters, missing by a neck.
He will leave from post five in the Hambletonian final.
“I was extremely happy with him,” Zeron said about the colt’s Hambletonian elim. “We were a little bit far back, but he closed really well. He’s a true professional. Last year, in the races he didn’t win, he was extremely close to winning. He’s just a really talented horse.
“He might have a lack of starts this year, but that also makes him pretty fresh. He’s extremely nice to handle. Lucas told me he trained great. If the race sets up, there is no doubt in my mind that he can win.”
Zeron is among 11 drivers in history to win the Hambletonian at least three times. The other 10 are all in the Hall of Fame. A fourth victory would put him in a tie for second most ever, joining Ben White, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, and Mike Lachance. The only driver with more Hambletonian trophies is John Campbell, with six.
Marcus Melander-trained Super Chapter, unbeaten in five races this year, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Hambletonian final, followed by stablemate Maryland at 3-1. Emoticon Legacy and Nordic Catcher S, who joined Super Chapter as elimination winners last week, are 4-1 and 9-2, respectively, for trainers Luc Blais and Ake Svanstedt.
Nordic Catcher S won his elim in 1:50.3, making him one of four finalists with a sub-1:51 victory this season. The others are Emoticon Legacy (1:50.2), Super Chapter (1:50.3) and Go Dog Go (1:50.4). Maryland, who was voted the best 2-year-old male trotter in both the U.S. and Canada last year, has trotted faster than 1:51 in his two most recent races without winning – finishing second by a neck against Go Dog Go in a Dancer division and second by a nose to Nordic Catcher S in their Hambletonian elim.
The stakes record of 1:50.1 is shared by Muscle Hill (2009) and filly Ramona Hill (2020).
“I feel like there are a few horses that can go sub-1:50 in that field,” Zeron said. “You never know how the fractions will set up, but it’s an extremely talented bunch of horses.”
Go Dog Go will start the Hambletonian final from post 10 for trainer Carter Pinske and driver Todd McCarthy. The Pinske-McCarthy tandem also will send out Aperfect Annie from post seven in the Hambletonian Oaks. Go Dog Go is 10-1 on the morning line; Aperfect Annie is 20-1.
In addition, trainer Trond Smedshammer will drive a horse in both the Hambletonian (Greenma) and Hambletonian Oaks (Walspea). To read more about Smedshammer’s finalists, click here.
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.
Trainers to win the Hambletonian / Hambletonian Oaks (with drivers) on the same day:
1988: Jan Johnson – Armbro Goal (John Campbell) / Nan’s Catch (Berndt Lindstedt).
2014: Jimmy Takter – Trixton (Takter) / Lifetime Pursuit (Yannick Gingras).
2015: Jimmy Takter – Pinkman (Brian Sears) / Wild Honey (Gingras).
2022: Jim Campbell – Cool Papa Bell (Todd McCarthy) / Fashion Schooner (Tim Tetrick).
Drivers to win the Hambletonian / Hambletonian Oaks (with trainers) on the same day:
2009: Brian Sears – Muscle Hill (Greg Peck) / Broadway Schooner (Jim Campbell).
2011: George Brennan – Broad Bahn (Noel Daley) / Bold And Fresh (Doug Miller).
2013: Brian Sears – Royalty For Life (George Ducharme) / Bee A Magician (Nifty Norman).
