Cranbury, NJ – When Hambletonian morning-line favorite Super Chapter went through the auction ring at the 2023 Standardbred Horse Sale, he looked like he could be a champion and fetched a $300,000 price.
“He had it all as far as pedigree and his looks go,” said Jeffrey Snyder, who shares ownership of Super Chapter with Arthur Pronti and Hanover Shoe Farms. “His mother (Lifetime Pursuit) did win the Hambletonian Oaks, and he did have class about him.”
In training with Marcus Melander, Super Chapter quickly returned dividends on Snyder’s investment. He was second in his career debut on June 24, 2024, in a $78,700 leg of the New York Sire Stakes at Saratoga behind the Ake Svanstedt trained, steered and favored Mr Mouton.
Jeff Snyder (left of Super Chapter) in the Meadowlands winner’s circle with the Hambletonian morning-line favorite.
Super Chapter broke his maiden in his next engagement at Vernon Downs on July 4, 2024, prior to collecting his second victory at Yonkers Raceway on July 25. Melander then shipped his charge to compete in the Kentucky Championship Series at The Red Mile, where he collected his third consecutive triumph in a second $80,000 leg of that event on Aug. 5.
The colt came home third in as the favorite in the third leg of that series on Aug. 18 with regular pilot Dexter Dunn at the controls. He then finished seventh in the $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final for his age, gait and sex on Sept. 7 after making a break behind the gate.
Upon his return to the Bluegrass, Super Chapter rebounded with a triumph over Go Dog Go, who he will face again Saturday in the Hambletonian, in a convincing 1:52.1 performance.
Super Chapter then collected another victory in a $60,000 division of the International Stallion Stake over fellow Hambletonian competitor Maximus Mearas S in 1:52. That foe turned the tables on Super Chapter in their $25,000 Breeders Crown elimination at The Meadowlands on Oct. 18. The colt would finish fifth in the $700,000 final the following week, with David Miller in the bike, behind champion 2-year-old Maryland, Maximus Mearas S, Go Dog Go and Blank – all of whom he will face again in the Hambletonian.
Super Chapter concluded his freshman campaign with a second to Monserrate as the favorite in the $447,000 Valley Victory final on Nov. 30 at The Meadowlands. For his 2-year-old season the colt possessed a resume of 11-5-3-1 and banked $521,260.
Did he require a little time off to grow into himself for his sophomore campaign? Maybe so, as Super Chapter is a perfect five-for-five this season, including a victory over stablemate and New York champion, Variegated, in the $300,000 MGM Yonkers Trot, the first leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, on June 27, a $119,500 division of the Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 12 in a lifetime best 1:50.3, and his $83,550 Hambletonian elimination last week while never seriously challenged.
A New York City resident, Snyder has been involved in harness racing for decades at an elite level and is primarily known for his ownership of pacers. In fact, Snyder has collected trophies for many of the harness racing’s most prestigious events while owning and breeding some fabulous horses.
The list includes: Rocknroll Hanover ($2,754,038), Well Said ($2,569,342), Cam’s Card Shark ($2,498,204), Royal Flush Hanover ($2,153,893), Michael’s Power ($1,908,226), Village Jolt ($1,634,220), Dealt A Winner ($1,526,583), Michelle’s Power ($1,287,371), Mac’s Jackpot ($1,008,229), and Red River Hanover ($965,426).
Cam’s Card Shark and Rocknroll Hanover were Dan Patch Horse of the Year winners and Michael’s Power was an O’Brien Horse of the Year honoree.
Stakes wins include four North America Cups, three Meadowlands Paces, three Little Brown Jugs, three editions of the Adios, two Metros Paces and number of Breeders Crowns.
Snyder, however, has recently been focusing his purchasing power and selective eye on trotters. Naturally, he has a solid foundation for that decision.
“I met trainer Jerry Riordan several years ago,” he said. “Jerry is an American trainer based in Europe that has enjoyed great success, primarily in Italy and Sweden, for my son Michael. Michael really enjoys European racing, and I understand why, as horses seem to have much more longevity there.
“We have a horse, Aetos Kronos, who earned $1.37 million in Europe, and we have brought him here to race. We are very excited to see how he will perform, and we really enjoy the fact trotters possess a much greater audience world-wide.”
Snyder also continues to invest in the future as he owns Apex (Walner-Mission Brief, $525,000 2024 Standardbred Horse Sale) and Spencer Hanover (Chapter Seven-Secret Passion, $450,000, 2024 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale). Apex is the 3-1 second choice in Saturday’s New Jersey Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old male trotters at The Meadowlands.
The Hambletonian is the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, followed by the Kentucky Futurity in October at The Red Mile.
“We’ll just take it one race at a time,” Snyder said. “Simply being in the Hambletonian is so thrilling with Super Chapter. I can’t imagine how exciting it would be to win a Trotting Triple Crown. These are the kinds of races you dream about winning when you become involved in this industry. The horses are what makes those dreams come true.”
The Hambletonian is race 12 with a post time of 4:47 p.m. (EDT). Racing begins at noon. The stakes-laden card, including the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks (Race 10, 3:37 p.m., will be shown on FOX Sports from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For free program pages, visit The Meadowlands website here.