Once again, Hambletonian will warm up with heats

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The $1.2 million Hambletonian is reverting to a single-day heat format, and the head of trotting's most prestigious race hopes the change creates more excitement and betting.

"We definitely wanted to create a better experience for the fans," Hambletonian Society president and chief executive Tom Charters said on Thursday. "We were unanimous on that. This is a spectacle like no other in sports, and with the information we have now, I think we can maximize the wagering opportunity both on-track and off."

The return to heat racing certainly got owners and trainers interested.

Twenty-three 3-year-olds were entered on Tuesday. They will compete in three heats early on Saturday's card. The top three finishers in each heat and the fourth-place finisher with the most earnings will advance to the final, where it is winner take all.

Royalty For Life, Wheeling N Dealin, and Corky have been made the favorites in the three eliminations.

Charters said the Hambletonian Society will reevaluate heat racing after the race at the Meadowlands, but he clearly favors it.

The Hambletonian switched to a single dash for the championship in 1996, deciding to hold eliminations a week earlier to determine the field of 10 for the final.