Troubador, Lobell Favored in $1.34-Million N.J. Race

Royal Troubador, last year’s 2-year-old trotting colt of the year, and Embassy Lobell, another star in Lou Guida’s stable, have been named early favorites for the two divisions of Saturday’s $1.34-million Hambletonian.

Ten horses were entered in each of the divisions of the most prestigious trotting event in harness racing, and both Royal Troubador and Embassy Lobell drew favorable post positions for the highlight of the Meadowlands Racetrack season.

Embassy Lobell, who will be looking to give Guida his third Hambletonian winner in four years, drew the No. 4 post position in the first division, while Royal Troubador, the winner of the Yonkers Trot, drew the inside No. 1 post in the second division.

The top five finishers in each division will return for a third heat. If that race is won by either of the winners of the opening two divisions, then that horse is the Hambletonian winner. If a third horse wins the third division, then the three winners compete in one more race, with the winner capturing the Hambletonian.

Embassy Lobell, who is the 8-5 favorite in his division, scored an impressive victory in capturing the $401,500 Budweiser Beacon Course Trot here last weekend, winning in a lifetime best performance of 1:56 3/5.

“I’m not saying he’s going to win the Hambletonian, but he should be good competition,” driver Mike Lachance said.

Royal Troubador has started just six times this year, winning two, finishing second twice, and third twice for Carl Allen, the colt’s breeder, owner, trainer and driver.

Royal Troubador’s wins have been big ones, coming in the Dexter Cup and the Yonkers Trot, the first leg of the trotting Triple Crown where Royal Troubador was a length the better of King of the Sea.

Not only did Royal Troubador draw well for Allen, but so did Jeanne’s Somolli, who drew the inside rail post position in the first heat. The colt will be driven by Rod Allen, Carl Allen’s son.

“This could not have been any better,” Carl Allen said after the draw. “Things are falling in line. There will be a lot of prayers between now and Saturday.”

Jeanne’s Somolli, who won an elimination in the Beacon, is the 6-1 third choice in the opening division of the Hambletonian. Armbro Iliad is the 5-1 second choice with Ron Waples.

The field for the opening division with horse, driver and odds is:

Jeanne’s Somolli, Rod Allen, 6-1; Remus Hanover, John Simpson Jr., 10-1; Backstreet Guy, Ben Webster, 12-1; Embassy Lobell, Lachance, 8-5; Meadowbranch Eddy, Per Erikkson, 8-1; The Devil, Lorenzo Baldi, 15-1; Crown Bones, Berndt Lindstedt, 5-1; Roughing It, no driver announced, 30-1; Armbro Iliad, Ron Waples, 5-1, and I’m Impeccable, Lachance also listed to drive, 30-1.

The second division field is:

Royal Troubador, Carl Allen, 5-2; Harmonious, John Campbell, 7-2; King of the Sea, Stanley Dancer, 8-1; Kosar, Per Henriksen, 4-1; Antwerp Hanover, Waples, 15-1; Peddler Yorktowne, Mike Saftic, 30-1; Cheyenne Spur, Richard Stillings, 8-1; Star Mystic, Jan Johnson, 9-2; Meadowbranch Elmer, Richard Silverman, 40-1; and Grundy’s Rambo, Jan Nordin, 15-1.