ALLEGIANT, ‘ELISTA’ AND ‘MELINA’ VICTORIOUS IN HAMBLETONIAN OAKS ELIMINATIONS

By Ray Cotolo, for Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks now has its 10 finalists following three $50,000 eliminations on Saturday night (July 27) at The Meadowlands, from which Allegiant, Elista Hanover and R Melina clinched gold and post protection.

Vernon Beachy pupil Allegiant uncorked a slight surprise winning the first Hambletonian Oaks elimination as the third choice with an authoritative 1:51.4 mile.

Scott Zeron hustled the daughter of Tactical Landing out of post 6 and to the top, where her peers left her to her own devices. Movement launched after Allegiant clocked a pedantic :56.4 half, but the footsteps followed with fury and futility. Allegiant scooted away from the field to post a four-length victory over 3-5 favorite French Champagne, who marched first over to grab second. Paulina Hanover rallied from last to snag the last berth, finishing third.

“We had luck a couple years ago with one and we wanted to try a New Jersey bred again and we ended up with this one, which has been a blessing,” Vernon Beachy said. “She’s been a really nice filly from day one. We were unlucky [in previous starts], but were prepping her for some of the bigger stuff. That’s what we’re shooting for.”

Winning her eighth race from 17 starts, Allegiant – out of the Yankee Glide mare Too Good For You – upped her bankroll to $427,997 for owner Ryan Smith of Dennison, Ohio. She returned $11.60 to win.

Elista Hanover will now risk a 10-race win streak in the Hambletonian Oaks final after she swept away her rivals to a 1:51.3 win in the second elimination.  

In her class test, Elista Hanover left the gate with David Miller and abandoned a pocket trip to grab command to a :57 dawdle to the half. The 3-5 favorite then faced a far-turn blitz from Buy A Round, who rushed up the rim out of fifth and even put a head in front of Elista Hanover by three-quarters in 1:25. Elista Hanover remained resilient through the challenge and held her ground into the stretch. She rebuffed a flattening Buy A Round and edged away to win by 1-1/2 lengths at the beam. Drawn Impression fanned off a pocket ride to the center of the track to take second while Warrawee Michelle slid up the pylons to grab third. Buy A Round, the richest of the fourth-place finishers from the three eliminations, earned the last spot into the final.

“It feels like I’m living a dream right now,” trainer Annie Stoebe said after winning the elimination. “She’s just amazing. I’m comfortable with how she is coming into this big race.”

Elista Hanover entered Saturday’s eliminations with nine wins in a row, including a 1:53.1 romp in a Tompkins-Geers division on July 20 at The Meadowlands. The daughter of International Moni-Evermore has now won 11 times from 20 starts and amassed $216,358 for owners R. Lynn & Philomena Curry and Annie Stoebe. She paid $3.20 to win.

R Melina stayed flat and overcame the outermost post of the octet to win in the third Hambletonian Oaks elimination in 1:51.4.

Todd McCarthy floated R Melina forward through a tepid :28 first quarter and strolled at a methodical, but consistent speed all while few challengers loomed. By three-quarters in 1:24.1, R Melina had yet to see any other horse and finished the mile without seeing another, crossing the line first and one length better than pocket-chaser Miss I La in second. Date Night Hanover, the 4-5 favorite, got rolling just past the half but only managed to finish third in her closing surge.

“This is as good as we’ve seen her be,” winning trainer John Butenschoen said. “She tries. It doesn’t matter where we’re at, what happened, what she does… she’s tried every start we’ve ever put her in. Hopefully we come away with a decent journey next week and see what happens.”

A daughter of Chapter Seven from the Explosive Matter mare Goodtogo Hanover, R Melina notched her 12th win from 20 starts and has now earned $606,889 for owners M&L Of Delaware LLC and Alabama Harness Associates LLC. She paid $5.80 to win.

By winning their eliminations, Allegiant, Elista Hanover and R Melina have earned the privilege to draw from posts 1 through 5 for the Hambletonian Oaks final, which serves as the companion feature to the $1-million Hambletonian next Saturday (Aug. 3) at The Meadowlands.