Yannick Gingras and Jimmy Takter do it All The Time

by Lou Monaco

Gingras rallied in the stretch with All The Time in 1:52.1 to win by three and three quarter lengths over Caprice Hill to capture the 91st edition of the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in race 12 of the 16-race card during Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Gingras won his third straight and hall-of-fame trainer Takter won his third straight and sixth overall Hambletonian Oaks.

“I was hoping to follow Brian Sears (with Windowshopper), I thought his filly was one of the fillies to beat, and they had a little bobble on the backstretch,” said Gingras. “She felt so strong and she was able to catch the gap really quickly. I was just hoping not to be first up around the last turn. I figured John (Campbell) would come (with Celebrity Eventsy) and when he did it, it made my job really easy.”

Fractions for the 7-2 third betting choice were 28.1, 55.4, 1:24.0 and the final time of 1:52.1.

The 2-year-old Breeders Crown champion paid $9.20, 4.40 and 3.00 for the win as Gingras won for the third time in 12 races on the day. Caprice Hill, the 5-2 favorite with Tim Tetrick aboard, finished second paying $4.40 and 3.00 and Celebrity Eventsy, driven by John Campbell and the fifth choice at 5-1, rounded out the top three paying $3.60 for show.

“She was really sharp today. She had a good week and the timing had to be perfect. I know I had a ticket that was very strong with a couple good fillies. We pulled the front shoes on her, which I think might have kicked her up a little bit. It was the first time she ever did that,” said Takter. “There were three horses in the race that I had tremendous respect for. We were the lucky ones.

Broadway Donna, the 2015 Dan Patch and Jim Doherty winner, with David Miller aboard finished fourth to complete the superfecta.

Tetrick took the lead at the stretch, but Gingras had another gear and was able to cruise to the finish line as All The Time improved to 11-for-19 all-time, snapping a two-race losing streak.