Hambletonian Oaks field set

The field for the $783,042 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies was decided by a quartet of elimination races on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

 

The top two finishers, plus the two third-place fillies with the highest career earnings, advanced to the Oaks Final, the companion to harness racing's most prestigious event, the $1.5 million Hambletonian, on Saturday, August 8.

 

Just a few hours after capturing The Adios at The Meadows with Vintage Master, Dan Dube steered OK To Play to a sparkling wire-to-wire score in the first of the $35,000 Oaks splits. OK To Play posted her first win in nine starts this year with a 1:53.3 mile. It was 4 3-4 lengths back to Jersey AS in second. I Wanted Wings rallied from second-over to finish third and also advance to the final.

 

OK To Play is trained by Marcus Johansson, the son-in-law of Vintage Master's conditioner, Jimmy Takter. The daughter of Yankee Glide-Olympic Light was a $105,000 yearling purchase by Daniel Plouffe and Jean Claude Dessureault of Quebec.

 

Elusive Desire, one of the top fillies of the sophomore class in Canada, continued her winning ways south of the border as she rolled to her fifth straight victory in the second Oaks elim. John Campbell steered the Angus Hall lass to a career best 1:53.2 effort, the fastest of the elim clockings. Moonlight Kronos finished 3 1/2 lengths behind in second. Mike Keeling trains Elusive Desire for Paula Wellwood, Charlie Armstrong and Robert Fasken, all of Ontario.

 

Raising Rachel prevailed in a duel to the wire with the 2008 divisional champion Honorable Daughter in the third Oaks elim. Driven by Jack Moiseyev, Raising Rachel posted her third win in six starts this season with the 1:54.1 score. John Kopas trains the daughter of Yankee Glide for Melvin Hartman, Kr Stable and Doug Millard of Ontario and the estate of George Hempt [Camp Hill, PA].

 

Broadway Schooner made a bold brush to the lead down the backstretch and sailed to a 6 1-4-length victory in the final Oaks elimination. Driven by Brian Sears, Broadway Schooner trotted to a career best 1:53.3. Jim Campbell trains the homebred daughter of Broadway Hall for Arlene and Jules Siegel of New Hope, PA. Margarita Momma and Timelesswinner Two, the respective second and third-place finishers, also qualified for the Oaks Final. (Meadowlands)