Harness racing’s most prestigious mile will be renewed Saturday at The Meadowlands with the historic 100th edition of the Hambletonian. The $1 million classic for 3-year-old trotters tops a card that includes the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and the $260,000 Cane Pace. The Hambo field was set July 26 at The Big M when a trio of eliminations provided berths to the top-3 finishers as well as the fourth-place finisher with the highest career earnings.

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Let’s meet the contenders for the Hambletonian (Race 12), which has a post time of 4:47 pm ET:

#1-MESHUGGAH: Fourth-place finisher in the first of three eliminations earned his way here via the lifetime earnings tie-breaker. Bjorn Goop drives for ever-present trainer Marcus Melander at 20-1 odds in the morning line. Melander has 4 finalists in search of his first Hambletonian.

#2-SUPER CHAPTER: Rolls into the final off 5 straight wins, including a 1:51.1 score in the second elimination. One of those victories came to open the trotting Triple Crown in the Yonkers Trot. Marcus Melander sends out the 5-2 morning line favorite among a fleet of 4 finalists. Super Chapter already has bagged more than $840,000. Driver Dexter Dunn will wait until after final changes to decide between this one and Maryland. Yannick Gingras – who guided Karl to last year’s Hambo title – will have the other drive. Super Chapter is out of 2014 Hambletonian Oaks winner Lifetime Pursuit.

#3 EMOTICON LEGACY-: Winner of the first Hambo elimination in 1:51.4 as the favorite, holding off an onslaught of late challenges by a nose. He’s won 3 straight for Luc Blais, including a Canadian record 1:50.2 at Mohawk in the Goodtimes. Blais found Hambletonian success in 2019 with Forbidden Trade. Louis-Philippe Roy drives the 4-1 morning line third choice who has won 8 of 11 overall and just under $460,000.

#4-MARYLAND: The 2024 Champion 2-Year-Old Trotter hasn’t won yet at age 3 (second in all 4 starts), but came up just a nose short in his Hambo elimination 3 bid vs. Nordic Catcher S. Dexter Dunn, in search of his first Hambo-winning drive, will wait until after final changes to decide between this one and Super Chapter – both Marcus Melander trainees. Yannick Gingras – who guided Karl to last year’s Hambo title – will have the other drive.

#5-MAXIMUS MEARAS S: Runner-up to Super Chapter in the second Hambo elimination, beaten 1-3/4 lengths by the final’s morning line favorite. Three-time Hambo winner Scott Zeron (2016, 2016, 2023) drives and Lucas Wallin trains at 6-1 morning line odds.

#6-NORDIC CATCHER S: Third and final elimination winner took them coast-to-coast from the rail in a lifetime-best 1:50.3, fastest of the elims, and paid $23.80. Trainer-Driver Ake Svanstedt will be back in the bike for the 9-2 fourth choice in the morning line. Svanstedt won this race in 2017 (Perfect Spirit) and 2021 (Captain Corey), driving both as well.

#7-GAP KRONOS S: Third-place finisher in the second elimination behind Super Chapter and Maximus Mearas S. Tim Tetrick takes over for Yannick Gingras in the bike of this Ake Svanstedt trainee who is 20-1 in the morning line. Svanstedt won this race in 2017 (Perfect Spirit) and 2021 (Captain Corey), driving both as well.

#8-BLANK: Third-place finisher in the first elimination behind Emoticon Legacy and Greenma. Andy McCarthy takes the return drive for Marcus Melander at 25-1 morning line odds.

#9-GREENMA: Rallying runner-up by a nose in the first elimination to Emoticon Legacy. Trond Smedshammer drives and trains this 25-1 morning line proposition. He won the 2004 Hambletonian pulling double duty with Windsong’s Legacy.

#10-GO DOG GO: Disappointing third as the 4-5 favorite in the third Hambo elimination, unable to follow up on his Stanley Dancer Memorial victory. Todd McCarthy – who piloted Cool Papa Bell to victory here in 2022 – drives the Carter Pinske trainee, who is lined at 10-1 odds. McCarthy’s victory on Cool Papa Bell produced a Hambo-record $106 payout.