by Chris Tully, for the 2011 Hambletonian

Goshen, NY — The multiple stakes winner and betting favorite, Jezzy, found herself in an unenviable position this past Saturday (July 30) in her Hambletonian Oaks elimination. As the starting gate rolled down the stretch, she had spotted the field nearly 15 lengths and was trying to play ‘catch-up.’

Miraculously, and despite being dead last at the half and back 12 lengths, the tough filly with the big engine powered down the stretch passing horses and finished fourth, beaten just five lengths. For her tremendous comeback effort she earned a post position in the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks final on Saturday (August 6) at the Meadowlands. Unfortunately, it is post 10.

Jezzy’s actual race time in the Oaks elim was listed as 1:54.3, with an individual last quarter in :27.4. However, her breeder and co-owner Jeff Gural proclaimed that she probably trotted in 1:52.

“I looked back in horror, I was in a state of shock,” explained the man who is also credited with saving the Meadowlands. “She has never made a break, but the hopeless reality was that she was back 15 lengths.”

Ironically, Gural’s Little E LLC, the stable name he utilizes for his breeding operation, is now the only breeder with a finalist in both the Hambletonian Open and Oaks events this year.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Jezzy has won 18 times in 20 lifetime starts, with earnings of $616,330.

Before Saturday night, Jezzy was the leading money-winning 3-year-old trotting filly in North America. After the elims, her 2011 seasonal earnings of $353,192 places her in a very respectable second place, just $4,000 shy of Crys Dream.

Jezzy’s road to the Hambletonian Oaks has been a fun, yet grueling journey for the swift daughter of Credit Winner-Ladylind. Prior to last Saturday, in a 10-week span she had won a perfect eight out of eight starts — all of which were stakes races. In fact, she tied the stakes record in the $237,714 Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers in 1:56.3h, and took a new record of 1:55s at Vernon while winning the $238,225 Empire Breeders Classic. The talented lass also won the Simpson, Coaching Club Trotting Oaks, and two New York Sire Stakes — all from post position seven!

It all started when the filly sold for $70,000 to Ray Schnittker at the 2009 Lexington Selected Sale. When approached by Schnittker to keep a quarter, Gural gladly agreed.

“We have had some horses together before and always got along good,” noted the successful conditioner.

Jerry Silva and Ted Gewertz rounded out the yearling’s partnership. Since then, Schnittker has called Jezzy “the second best horse I have ever had.”

“She was very, very good the first three weeks we broke her,” explained Schnittker, between training trips at his home base at Goshen Historic Track. “Then she got sick like most colts and fillies do. She had an allergic reaction to the SMZ’s (antibiotics) we were giving her. She had no platelet count so we took her to Cornell (University Veterinary Hospital). I thought she had cancer, I never thought we would see her again.

“Then all of a sudden they figured that out, which is very rare, and three months later she came around again. That is why she was not staked to too much at two.

“She had some knee issues last year so her regular mid-week routine is to swim and be turned out all night long with two other fillies. Sometimes she will be ridden. I have had some good luck with my older horses and of course Dewey (2008 Hambletonian winner Deweycheatumnhowe) with this, and it seems to work for (Jezzy) also. When I get one that I think is above average and I think it can help them, I do that.”

Above average indeed.

As a 2-year-old the filly posted 10 stakes wins in 11 starts. Her only defeat came in the New York Sire Stakes final, where she finished second, beaten just one length at the wire after cutting the mile.

When questioned about any training adjustments for this week, Schnittker remarked, “She is kind of a nervous, high-strung filly like most Credit Winners are. She does not need much work, she’s coming right back. We don’t do much with her. She has only trained once this year, so I may or may not train her a slow mile this week. She just raced so she is fit and tight. I may just ride her one day.”

Following the Oaks elim, there was plenty of added attention surrounding the filly’s demeanor behind the gate.

“She has done this before, she got a little pacey,” Schnittker said. “You have to keep her closer to the gate; Tim (Tetrick) has not driven her that much. He has driven her a few times. I think if he had her up closer to the gate she would have been perfect. She has always been good like that for me. I don’t think we will have any problems (this) week.”

An inquiry into what makes this filly so special evoked the following response from Schnittker.

“She has a great mouth, nice to drive, very comfortable and easy to drive. She can come from behind and when she sees another horse in front of her she wants to get her.”

About her future plans as a 4-year-old, the optimistic conditioner offered, “Hopefully we will race her at 7 or 8. She will be around for a while I think!”

Below is the field for the Hambletonian Oaks:

PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer-ML
1-Iron Lady-Michel Lachance-Fredrik Persson-5-1
2-Crys Dream-Luc Ouellette-Henrik Hollsten-7-5
3-Seducedbychocolate-David Miller-Jonas Czernyson-20-1
4-Lady Rainbow-Rick Zeron-Rick Zeron-10-1
5-Bold And Fresh-Ron Pierce-Doug Miller-12-1
6-Sashay-Ron Pierce-Bob Stewart-15-1
7-Hey Mister-Brian Sears-Ross Croghan-4-1
8-Wincinnatti-Yannick Gingras-Brett Bittle-15-1
9-Martiniontherocks-Trevor Ritchie-Dustin Jones-15-1
10-Jezzy-Tim Tetrick-Ray Schnittker-6-1