Tue Jul 31 23:55:11 2007

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Donato Hanover favored in 82nd Hambletonian

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East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - Donato Hanover, winner of 12 straight races, is the even-money favorite for Saturday's $1.5 million Hambletonian, harness racing's signature event. The three-year-old trotter will take on nine rivals, including one filly.

Donato Hanover will be driven by Ron Pierce in the one-mile trot at The Meadowlands. The pair will start from post two after trainer Steve Elliott picked the slot as part of Tuesday's draw. Connections of the three elimination winners chose their own post position before the regular selection.

Robert Bergh, the trainer and driver of Adrian Chip, selected post three and trainer Jimmy Takter chose post four for the filly Pampered Princess. Adrian Chip is 5-1 in the morning-line and Pampered Princess is 3-1.

Donato Hanover has won 12 of 13 career races for owners David Scharf, Golden Touch Stables and Steven Arnold. This year he is perfect in four starts for $295,000 and has earned $957,587 overall.

"Have we seen him extending? No, not at all," Pierce said after Donato Hanover's elimination victory. "We stretched him out a little bit today but maybe we should have gone a little more. He'll be fine."

Pampered Princess will be driven by Tim Tetrick, who leads the nation in wins and earnings this year. The filly has won her last five starts and is 15 of 18 in her career for more than $1.1 million.

"She's awesome. She's a machine," Tetrick said. "Every foot goes in the right spot, she just trots so good and nice. She's just a great horse; really a great horse."

Pampered Princess was last year's champion two-year-old filly trotter and can become the first female to win the Hambletonian since Continentalvictory in 1996.

"Pampered Princess is a sweetheart. She's a great filly," Pierce noted. "She's going to have her hands full and we're going to have our hands full."

Adrian Chip will try to become the second Swedish-owned horse in six years to win the most prestigious event in harness racing. In 2001, Scarlet Knight followed the same path to Hambletonian glory.

Owned by pro hockey player Peter Forsberg, Adrian Chip has won 10 of 15 lifetime starts for $329,553.

Here is the complete field for Saturday's Hambletonian: Don't Blink Twice, Cat Manzi 30/1; Donato Hanover, Ron Pierce even; Adrian Chip, Robert Bergh 5/1; Pampered Princess, Tim Tetrick 3/1; Too Salty, David Miller 15/1; Great Success, Mike Lachance 15/1; Laddie, Paul MacDonell 15/1; Xactly Hanover, Andy Miller 12/1; Please Poppy, Brian Sears 30/1 and Flirtin Man, John Campbell 8/1.

The Hambletonian has a scheduled post-time of 4:15 p.m. (et) and will be broadcast on NBC.