By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations

Elista Hanover maintained her standing as the early favorite for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks on Aug. 3 with another powerhouse performance Saturday night at The Meadowlands, taking the first of three $30,800 divisions of the Tompkins-Geers Stake for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

After finishing third in her seasonal debut, which was at The Big M on March 22, the daughter of International Moni-Evermore has reeled off nine straight victories. On June 29, she won a division of the Reynolds at The Big M in a lifetime-best-equaling 1:52.3. The Annie Stoebe trainee has come back huge as a sophomore after a 2023 that saw her win just once from nine tries.

On Saturday, driver Dave Miller had Elista Hanover sitting fourth to the half before marching up towards leader St Pauli Girl at the five-eighths while first-over. ‘Elista’ still had two lengths to make up while third at three-quarters, which St Pauli Girl reached in 1:26.1, then seized the top at the head of the stretch before powering clear of her foes by 5¾ lengths at the wire in 1:53.1. Miss I La finished second with Kinesiology third.

“Elista never ceases to amaze me,” said Stoebe. “She is possibly the happiest horse I have ever trained. She does have more starts coming in than I would prefer, but quoting Dave [Miller] ‘she just keeps getting stronger’. I couldn’t be more excited to go into the Oaks next week, especially with the confidence both Elista and Dave have.”

As the 1-5 favorite, Elista Hanover returned $2.40 to win while lifting her lifetime earnings to just over $190,000.

In the second T-G split for females, Honey’s Sweet rolled in 1:52.1 after making the lead before the half as the 3-5 favorite for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Tony Alagna. The daughter of Chapter Seven-Corazon Blue Chip hit the wire 2¼ lengths in front of runner up Sambuca Hanover to earn her sixth career victory from 16 tries and earnings of just over $190,000.

The third division was taken by Upallnight Hanover for Dexter Dunn and Ake Svanstedt in a lifetime-best 1:53.1. The daughter of Bar Hopping-Upfront Ob’s Janet raced in the four-hole to the half, went first-over heading to three-quarters while providing a live tow for even-money favorite Spy Coast but dug in to hold off that foe by a half-length at the finish as the 2-1 second choice, returning $6.40 to her backers. She’s now four-for-13 lifetime, good for earnings of just over $147,000.

Railee Something looks like a Hambo Oaks player after making it five wins from seven seasonal tries after taking the first of two $41,650 divisions of the T-G for 3-year-old trotting fillies for Gingras and Burke, prevailing over a stubborn Angelpedia by a neck in 1:52 as the 1-5 public choice.

Each of the two defeats that the daughter of International Moni-Railee Priti has endured were at the hands of the Ake Svanstedt standout Bond.

Blonde Bombshell, another with Oaks aspirations, took the lead at the half and held off a late charge from 1-2 favorite Walner Payton to take the other female split -by a neck in 1:53.2 for Dave Miller and Nifty Norman. The daughter of Walner-Hey Blondie, sent to the gate as the 8-5 second choice, ended a seven-race losing streak.

“She finally got her stakes win,” said Miller. “I was happy with the way she raced. She dug in really hard.”Item description

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Mon Cheval (Jimmy Takter) won the first of two Geers splits for fillies (for a purse of $35,750) after stopping the clock in a lifetime-best 1:52. The daughter of Father Patrick-Shake It Cerry is trained by Nancy Takter. As the even-money choice, Mon Cheval returned $4.20 to win.

Gracelynn Hanover (Callahan) had to go parked out for the final half-mile before prevailing in determined fashion in the other $36,250 division for fillies in 1:52.3 for John Butenschoen. The daughter of Walner-Gatka Hanover returned $27.40 to win after going to the gate as the 12-1 fourth choice in the wagering.

Both Mon Cheval and Gracelynn Hanover are Hambletonian Oaks eligible.Item descriptiontion

The 31-year-old Dunn, fresh off a Friday night that saw him guide seven to victory lane, also piloted the winners of both $46,450 Tompkins-Geers divisions for sophomore trotting fillies.

Adirondack (Father Patrick-Mission Brief) did not go the best of trips but reigned supreme nonetheless in her split, vacating the three-hole just past the half before grinding away at leader Hot As Hill on the way to a determined half-length score in 1:52.2 after poking her head in front with an eighth of a mile to go. Miss Vet Hanover and Awesome Trix were second and third, respectively.

“She’s really developing into a nice racehorse,” said winning trainer Takter. “She was very wound up as a 2-year-old. I think she’s going to have a really nice fall.”

As the 8-5 favorite, Adirondack returned $5.40 after winning for the third time from 10 lifetime starts.

Eazy Pass (Muscle Hill-Livininthefastlane) pulled off a big upset at 18-1 in the second division for trainer Nifty Norman, returning $38.40 to win after scoring in a lifetime-best 1:53.3.

All eyes were on 2-5 public choice Piper Hanover, who was seeking her fifth win in a row, but she faltered after cutting out rated fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26.1 on the front end.

When Piper Hanover weakened in mid-stretch, the pocket-sitting Dutiful – who was 49-1 – appeared to be going on to victory, but Eazy Pass, who sat a three-hole trip, caught that one nearing the wire to win by a half-length. Piper Hanover finished third.Item description

Sister Sledge "Geers" Up For Oaks

Sister Sledge threw her hat into the ring as a big-time contender in the August 8 Hambletonian Oaks with a dominant performance in one of three Tompkins Geers divisions at The Meadowlands Saturday night.

In the second of two splits for 3-year-old filly trotters, driver Yannick Gingras was patient early with Sister Sledge, vacating the three-hole after the quarter and clearing the top at the half in :55.4.

The daughter of Father Patrick-Behindclosedoors sailed home as much the best from there, hitting the wire in 1:51.2, lowering her previous lifetime best by one-and-four-fifth seconds. It was 4¾ lengths back to Ms Savannah Belle. Dubai Princess was third.

The Ron Burke trainee, who paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 public choice, upped her lifetime stats to 11 wins in 16 starts, good for earnings of $622,058.

Caviart Eva pulled off a big upset at odds of 30-1 in the first filly division, gunning down 2-5 favorite Next Level Stuff by a nose in 1:52.1, a lifetime best for the Trixton-Caviart Elle product, who was driven by Andy McCarthy for trainer Nancy Takter.Item description