Sweet Sixteen Enter $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks; Two Eliminations Needed
Sixteen fillies entered today for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, the filly division of the Hambletonian. Hambletonian week kicks off on Aug. 1 with two $35,000 eliminations to narrow the field to 10 for the $500,000 Oaks Final on Hambletonian Day, Sat., Aug. 8, at The Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ.
Sixteen fillies entered today for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, the filly division of the Hambletonian.
Hambletonian week kicks off on Aug. 1 with two $35,000 eliminations to narrow the field to 10 for the $500,000 Oaks Final on Hambletonian Day, Sat., Aug. 8, at The Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ.
The connections of Mission Brief, defending Dan Patch champion and Zweig Filly winner, have opted to race in the Hambletonian against colts but Zweig runners-up Wild Honey and Magic Marker have entered the Oaks. Entries for the Hambletonian close at 9:00 a.m. on Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands race office.
Del Miller Memorial winner Spirit To Win, and third place finisher Livininthefastlane are also among the entrants.
The 16 fillies entered in alphabetical order are Bright Baby Blues, Classical Annie, Cocoacabana, Gatka Hanover, Katniss, Lady Winona, Livinthefastlane, Lock Down Lindy, Magic Marker, Rules Of The Road, Sarcy, Smexi, Smokinmombo, Speak To me, Spirit To Win, Wild Honey.
With 16 Oaks entries, the format calls for two fields of eight fillies to race and the top five finishers to advance to the final on August 8. The winner of the final on Aug. 8 is the Oaks winner, regardless of elimination finish on Aug. 1.
Post positions for eliminations will be drawn today and disseminated when final.
Post positions for the $500,000 final will be drawn and morning lines assigned on Monday Aug. 3, at the Hambletonian Press conference and post position draw, at 2:00 p.m. in Victory Sports Bar at The Meadowlands.
The $300,000 John Cashman Jr. Memorial, $400,000 Cane Pace, $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and $1 million Hambletonian will be featured on a live 90-minute broadcast on CBS Sports Network from 4-5:30 p.m. [EDT] on Aug. 8.
Hambletonian Day is closing day with a post time of 12:00 noon, and the zenith of the Championship Meet. Fans can follow the next two action-filled weekends atmeadowlandsracetrack.com and on Twitter at #Hambo15.
