Amigo Hall rallies down stretch to capture Hambletonian upset

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Amigo Hall scored one of the biggest upsets in Hambletonian history, rallying in the stretch at the Meadowlands Racetrack to capture trotting's biggest race.
With a great drive by Mike Lachance, the 27-1 shot split horses in the stretch and got to the finish line a length ahead of Sugar Trader. It was Lachance's fourth victory in the $1 million race.
Amigo Hall returned $57, $20.20 and $10.40 in winning for the first time since June 12. The victory was the third in seven starts for the son of Balanced Image.
The winning price was the highest in a final since the race moved from DuQuoin in Illinois to the Meadowlands in 1981.
Sugar Trader paid $6.40 and $4.80, while Mac's Crown K was third in the race.
Half of the field of 10 went off-stride early, including the highly regarded Bebop, one of last weekend's elimination winners.
Power To Charm, the 2-5 favorite who was looking to give Hall of Fame driver John Campbell a sixth Hambletonian victory, had the lead at the top of the stretch and faded.
Lachance, who only picked up the drive on Amigo Hall after the eliminations last weekend, pushed the colt to the lead from the No. 6 post position and led the field for almost the first half-mile.
Campbell had Power To Charm well positioned on the backstretch and took the lead before the half-mile power mark.
Power To Charm, who had won his last three starts, looked in control as the field turned for home, but when Campbell asked him for more there was nothing left.
Sugar Trader, driven by Luc Ouellette, moved to the lead on the outside, but halfway down the stretch Lachance moved Amigo Hall between Sugar Trader and the tiring Power To Charm.
Lachance also won this race with Victory Dream (1994), Continentalvictory ('96) and Self Possessed (1999).
Incredible Hulk, who also went on an early break, finished fourth, followed by Power To Charm, Malabar Millennium, Bebop, Penn Pronto, Smooth Glide and Muscle King.
Lachance was given the drive on Allamerican Theory just a week before the $1 million Meadowlands Pace last month -- and won that race, too.