by Kim French, USTA Internet News Editor
Columbus, OH — She is the defending champion of her division and banked $625,642 in only 14 trips to the post, yet when the stage is set for the most heralded contest of her career, the spotlight still fails to shine on Broadway Donna in this Saturday’s (Aug. 6) edition of the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks final.
“This is the race we have pointed for and wanted to win,” said Jim Campbell, her conditioner. “Right from the day she was born we fell in love with her. She was just a perfect foal and is still a big, strong filly. She looked the part of a nice racehorse and when we started to train her down she showed us why we felt so strongly about her. She is always professional. She can be tricky because she does like her own way, but she never gets hot like her mother could do from time to time. She has perfect manners and an excellent mind. The best way to put it is she has it all.”
The regally bred daughter of Donato Hanover and Broadway Schooner will commence her journey to an Oaks crown from post position seven in the 12th race on a nationally televised card (CBS Sports Network) at the Meadowlands. Where she commences her mile is not exactly what Campbell and regular pilot David Miller had envisioned, but this filly, who is the third choice on the morning line (7-2) behind 2015 Breeders Crown victress All The Time (9-5) and 2015 O’Brien Award winner Caprice Hill (5-2), not only possesses all the necessary attributes to triumph, but her presence on this stage appeared to be predestined long before she ever placed a hoof on the ground for those responsible for her birth at Fashion Farms.
Her mother, however, who is by Broadway Hall, would be a tough act for any of her progeny to follow. Broadway Schooner did not capture the adulation of the press in her first season of campaigning, as she only captured one race in seven starts, but the mare stole the show her sophomore season. She proved best in the 2009 edition of the Hambletonian Oaks and also appeared in the winner’s circle in that year’s Breeders Crown. At the end of the season she was honored with the Dan Patch Award for her performances.
Broadway Donna is her second foal. Her first foal, Musclesprinctonian (Muscle Hill, $69,280), is standing stud in Indiana and her younger sibling Wutan (Muscle Hill) sold for $130,000 as a yearling last fall. That kind of lineage is difficult for any horse to live up to, but with this filly, quite possibly, her best is yet to come.
Both Campbell and Miller acknowledged Broadway Donna was not as impressive as they had hoped at the end of her Hambletonian Oaks elimination, where she finished second but was placed third after a late break in stride. But despite the abnormal miscue, this filly should still be attracting attention to win this female classic.
“I really have a lot of respect for her,” Miller said. “It may not have appeared I was pushing on her to win her elimination, but I was. We wanted to be able to select our post position. She just was a little tired at the end of the race and that is uncharacteristic of her. She always does everything on her own and well within herself. The track that night may have had something to with it. It was very hard and you don’t know if it was stinging her feet.
“I do know this is a very competitive race and every advantage you have is going to be important. It will be difficult to win from the seven (post position), but this filly has already impressed with how she can overcome situations.”
Campbell agrees with Miller that this year’s Oaks should not have a clear-cut favorite.
“This is one of the toughest Oaks we have seen in a long time,” Campbell said. “There are five or six fillies in here that can easily win depending on how their trip goes. It is not an easy race and being drawn on the outside of some of these fillies could be the difference. That is racing though and the Oaks is one of those that we really want to win.”
$500,000 Hambletonian Oaks
Race 12 – Post time 4:41 p.m.
PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-Morning Line
1. Caprice Hill–Tim Tetrick–Tony Alagna–5/2
2. Celebrity Eventsy–John Campbell–Staffan Lind–6/1
3. Dream Child–Scott Zeron–Linda Toscano–30/1
4. Side Bet Hanover–Corey Callahan–Jonas Czernyson–8/1
5. Windowshopper–Brian Sears–Ake Svanstedt–40/1
6. All The Time–Yannick Gingras–Jimmy Takter–9/5
7. Broadway Donna–David Miller–Jim Campbell–7/2
8. Wildflower–Ake Svanstedt–Ake Svanstedt–30/1
9. Black Broadway–Brett Miller–Michael Eaton–50/1
10. Double Exposure–Tim Tetrick–Tony Alagna–15/1
- Southwind Frank, Bar Hopping favored in Hambo elims (Monday, August 01, 2016)
Southwind Frank will start from post 5 in the second of two Hambletonian eliminations while Bar Hopping will start from post 1 in the remaining elimination when 18 hopefuls meet Saturday (Aug. 6) at the Meadowlands for the 91st edition of harness racing’s premier event for 3-year-old trotters.
- Iron Mine Bucky’s connections are excited heading into the Hambletonian (Wednesday, August 03, 2016)
When the mare My Foolish Dream gave birth to a colt on Bud Carter’s Delaware farm three years ago, farm assistant Greg Haverstick looked at the foal and told Carter, “There’s something special about him already.” There was no telling what the future held for the horse, or those around him, but it turned out Haverstick was correct. The colt, Iron Mine Bucky, is racing in Saturday’s (Aug. 6) $1.14 million Hambletonian Stakes for 3-year-old trotters at the Meadowlands Racetrack. And he is bringing Carter, Haverstick, and others on the journey of a lifetime.
- Western New York ties in Hambletonian with Tight Lines (Wednesday, August 03, 2016)
It’s a rarity to see a Western New York connection in the Hambletonian but there’s one set for the 2016 edition which is scheduled for this Saturday afternoon (Aug. 6) at The Meadowlands. Buffalo Trotting Association President Bill Richardson along with former Buffalo Raceway regular Jeff Gregory have teamed up along with Jesmeral Stable (Steven Finkelstein) to send the 3-year-old gelding trotter Tight Lines (Yankee Glide-Ilia) into this year’s Hambletonian.
- Don’t count out the ‘other guys’ in Hambletonian (Wednesday, August 03, 2016)
A word of advice concerning Saturday’s Hambletonian: don’t take the “other guys” for granted. Southwind Frank and Bar Hopping will be the clear-cut favorites when the 91st edition of the Hambletonian takes place at the Meadowlands on Saturday (Aug. 6). But there are four talented dark horses that can make things very interesting coming down the stretch. They are Sutton, Milligan’s School, Marion Marauder and Brooklyn Hill.
- Hambletonian Day in Grand Circuit spotlight (Wednesday, August 03, 2016)
Grand Circuit action takes place this Saturday (Aug. 6) at Meadowlands Racetrack with one of the biggest Grand Circuit cards of the season. The afternoon program is led by the $1.14 million Hambletonian, the first leg of trotting’s Triple Crown for 3-year-olds.
- Bongiorno is looking forward to Hambletonian experience (Thursday, August 04, 2016)
Joe Bongiorno is in position to become the youngest driver to ever win the Hambletonian, presented by Mullinax Ford, harness racing’s most prestigious event. That can lead to some pretty anxious moments in the days leading up to the race. But the 22-year-old from Colts Neck, N.J., has a great way of not thinking about it. He just doesn’t give himself the chance. With the 91st edition of the Hambletonian set to take place at the Meadowlands on Saturday (Aug. 6), Bongiorno will be driving 20-1 longshot Make Or Miss out of post three in the first elimination.
- Side Bet Hanover is looking for a little respect (Thursday, August 04, 2016)
After back-to-back wins at long odds, trainer Jonas Czernyson wonders what Side Bet Hanover needs to do to earn some respect. A victory in Saturday’s (Aug. 6) $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at the Meadowlands might do the trick.
- Hambletonian Oaks starter is raising awareness for ovarian cancer (Friday, August 05, 2016)
The color of the day at The Meadowlands on Saturday will be silver, for the glistening Hambletonian and Oaks trophies that are the object of dreams for many. But the complementary color of the day will be teal, for ovarian cancer awareness.