Sister Sledge "Geers" Up For Oaks
By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
Photos By Lisa Photo
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – 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.
In the lone dash for colts and geldings, 10-1 chance Rome Pays Off (Muscle Hill-Order By Wish), driven by Mattias Melander for his brother Marcus, scored in a lifetime-best 1:52.3, possibly punching his ticket to take a shot in The Hambletonian. Play Trix On Me, the 3-2 favorite, was 2¾ lengths behind at the wire to finish second.
