Vivid Photo won the first Hambletonian to go for $1.5 million under the terms of a new contract with the Meadowlands. Thought their county fair origins may have been considered humble, Hammer outdrove the best the Meadowlands had to offer. When the trotters turned for home, Hammer floated out and easily overhauled the favorite in the stretch in a lifetime best of 1:52.3. Tight on Classic Photo's tail lurked Vivid Photo, drafting all the way. Northern Ensign elected to battle him first up, which set up perfect cover for Classic Photo to follow in a second-over trip. Hammer instead eased Vivid Photo off the gate, while Strong Yankee bulled his way to the top of the backstretch and led the field into the stretch.
In fact, Vivid Photo had been on top at the half-mile pole in 10 of his 11 races that year, but Hamer had other plans for the Hambletonian. Vivid Photo drew post six and would have to leave hard to get around Classic Photo to the lead, where he was most comfortable. Classic Photo and Hall of Farmer Ron Pierce drew post five in the final and were accorded the favortie's role at 6-5. Vivid Photo went on to win by a neck in 1:53.2, while Classic Photo was flawless in the other elim, coasting to a three-length victory in 1:53.3 and declaring himself the one to beat. The surprise came when Ken Warkentin made his move and at the three-quarter pole and instead of engaging Vivid Photo in the stretch, broke into a gallop with an eighth of a mile to go. It was no surprise that Vivid Photo and Hammer left hard at the start, as their past performances indicated.
He drew post three in the Hambletonian elimination that also featured Ken Warkentin as the heavy favorite. When Vivid Photo arrived at the Meadowlands for the Hambletonian eliminations he had a 1:54.4 world record for geldings at Pocono Downs and won six other races, ranging from a $3,100 event to a $22,000 division of the pennsylvania Sire Stakes. A sophomore campaign that started with a March qualifier, followed by two scratches and a seventh-place finish in a non-winners of two conditioned event did not seem likely to launch horse and river to the Hambletonian winner's circle. Hammer also did something he rarely does and made three-year-old stake payments on the trotter. The colt's rambunctious attitude in the stall, which Hammer was sure caused the leg injury, made the decision to geld him a proper one. Hammer thought Vivid Photo was a very talented two-year-old, though he had just six starts at the county fair level and ended the year with a minor stress fracture. Hammer figured they could earn at least the purchase price back on Vivid Photo since he was eligible to both Pennsylvania and Maryland sire stakes. hammer, known as the "King of the County Fairs" for his domination of the Pennsylvania fair curcuit, and his long-time friend and fellow horseman Todd Schadel bought Vivid Photo as a yearling for $30,000.
Meanwhile, eventual Hambletonian winner, Vivid Photo and trainer-driver Roger Hammer were on a much-less traveled path to the eliminations. Instead, Classic Photo added the Dancer to his list of wins and stamped himself as the one to beat going into the Hambletonian. His 2005 debut was a successful one, but an ill-timed bout of sickness caused him to be scratched from the key prep race for the Hambletonian, the Stanley Dancer Trot. Yet the path for the Jimmy Takter-trained youngster contained several forks in the road.
The focus among the sophomore colt trotting group was rightfully directed on 2004 divisional Dan Patch champion the eponymous colt Ken Warkentin, who was the winter book and media favorite for the division's richest race. The name many expected announcer Ken Warkentin to be calling was, ironically, his own. Vivid Photo and race time favorite Classic Photo finished one-two in the Hambletonian, stamping their sire, SJ's Photo as a force, and Vivid Photo as a horse to be reckoned with for the rest of the year, though he had barely spoken about in the mionths leading up to the Hambletonian. It was indeed a "photo" finish though the margin was three lengths.
"From the Pennsylvania fairgrounds to the Hambletonian winner's circle".so cried announcer Ken Warkentin as Roger Hammer swept under the wire with whip waving triumphantly.