Hall of Famer Jimmy Takter has trained plenty of equine stars, but apparently he also has trained some human ones.

Marcus Melander, Per Engblom and Nancy Johansson, all former Takter assistants, have contenders that comprise nearly half of the 16-horse field in the eliminations for the $1 million Hambletonian on Saturday at the Meadowlands.

“It’s something I take pride in,” said Takter, a four-time Hambletonian champ.

Melander sends out four colts in the race for 3-year-old trotters, including Gimpanzee (2-1) and Greenshoe (4-5), who are the favorites, respectively, in each of the two eliminations.

“I think I’ve got the best one in Greenshoe and I think I’ve got the second best in Gimpanzee, but it’s horse racing and a lot can happen,” Melander said.

Melander worked for Takter in 2014, the year that featured Takter’s trio of Father Patrick, Trixton and Nuncio in the Hambletonian Final.

“A lot of things happen in that race. There’s no guarantee to win the race even if you have the best one. I was pretty sure that Father Patrick would win the Hambletonian and fortunately, I had two other ones — Trixton and Nuncio — that finished first and second,” Takter said.

Johansson, Takter’s daughter, trains Don’t Let’em, who is co-owned by Takter and is the morning-line 4-1 second choice in the elimination with Greenshoe.

Engblom has two horses: Super Schissel (10-1), also in with Greenshoe; and Osterc (15-1), co-owned by Takter, in the elim with Gimpanzee.

Depending on what happens in the eliminations, Takter plans to do more than just watch the Hambo Final from the sidelines.

“You never know. I might just step out on the stage when it’s time for the big one,” Takter said. “I own two horses and if both get to the final I’m going to drive one of them.”

First post on the stakes-laden Hambletonian Day race card is noon. The Hambo, with an estimated post time of 5:14 p.m., will be featured as part of a live broadcast on the CBS Sports Network from 4-5:30 p.m.