Trenton, NJ — A little less equipment and a little more politeness and patience has R Melina at the top of her game entering Saturday’s $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old female trotters at The Meadowlands.
A daughter of Chapter Seven-Goodtogo Hanover, R Melina is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line behind Elista Hanover at 9-5. Todd McCarthy drove her to a stress-free victory in a time of 1:51.4 in her elimination last Saturday.
“This was as good as we’ve seen her be,” trainer John Butenschoen said after the race.
It has taken some patience and work to get R Melina this good, as she struggled with breaks earlier this season.
“We’re trying to keep her happy,” Butenschoen said. “We took her back to the farm and we treated her just like a baby. We put her behind the starting gate, jogged her behind the gate, made her mind her manners.
“Then we changed her rigging just a little bit in her bridle. She wants to get kind of aggressive, and I think I might have had her over-rigged, and I might have been (ticking) her off. (In the elimination) Todd was really happy with how she was scoring down, behind the gate, and said when he got to the front, he could do whatever he wanted with her. I was real happy with that.”
The trainer noted that her breaks at MGM Yonkers Raceway and Vernon Downs both occurred behind the gate from post position one.
“She was just getting anxious and keyed up,” Butenschoen said. “And having the rail (at those tracks), it’s pretty difficult to get away; you almost have to time the gate. It was like she wanted to charge up in there and got herself kind of flustered.
“But she’s put everything back together and we’re in it.”
They sure are.
R Melina, who will go off from post three, is the highest money-winner in the 10-horse field with $606,889 in career earnings and $232,484 this season. She has hit the board in six of eight starts, with five wins during the 2024 campaign. In 20 career races R Melina has 12 wins and 16 top-three finishes.
She also is the fastest filly in the Oaks final, with a mark of 1:51.1.
“She’s been racing really well,” said Doug Paul, whose family’s M And L of Delaware stable owns the horse with Alabama Harness Associates. “She’s just been a great filly for us. She’s had a couple hiccups, but other than that, every time she puts her nose on the gate she goes forward and never disappoints.
“This filly is not mean, she’s always playful, but she’s not the sweetest to be around. She’s not a pet, she’s a tough filly. Most of our better fillies have been that way. She was a very good 2-year-old. She’s not the biggest filly in the world, but a lot of the Chapter Sevens aren’t. We didn’t know how she would stack up coming back as a 3-year-old and she’s exceeded our expectations.”
A key trait is R Melina’s desire to do well.
“She tries,” Butenschoen said. “She shows up every week. It doesn’t matter where we’re at, what happens, what she does; she’s tried every start that we’ve ever put her in. Hopefully, we come away with a decent journey (in the final) and we’ll see what happens.”
Paul knows there will be at least one fan providing encouragement from up above.
R Melina sold for $110,000 under the name Good To Go Chapter at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. She was renamed in honor of Abe Stoltzfus’ daughter, who was killed a number of years ago by an impaired driver. Stoltzfus, who had a long relationship with the Pauls and helped the family select yearlings, passed away unexpectedly last October in Lexington.
“He loved this filly and asked if it could be named after his daughter,” Paul said. “I’m sure Abe will be watching.”
The Hambletonian Oaks and $1.05 million Hambletonian are part of a stakes-packed card Saturday at The Meadowlands. Following is a brief look at the remaining six Grand Circuit events on the card.
$248,000 Cane Pace for 3-year-old male pacers (Race 2)
Legendary Hanover returns to action for the first time since his stakes-record 1:46.3 win in the Meadowlands Pace on July 13. He will leave from post three in a field of five with James MacDonald in the sulky for trainer Anthony Beaton. He is the 4-5 morning-line favorite.
$101,000 Shady Daisy for 3-year-old female pacers (Race 5)
Caviart Belle, coming off a win in a division of the Tompkins-Geers Stakes on July 27, is the 5-2 favorite in a field of 11. She will start from post two with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Nancy Takter. Rocket Deo, another Tompkins-Geers division winner, is the 3-1 second choice, leaving from post seven for driver Andy McCarthy and trainer Brett Pelling.
$220,000 Sam McKee Memorial for older male pacers (Race 8)
Abuckabett Hanover is the 2-1 favorite in a field of 11, leaving from post two with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Andrew Harris. The 6-year-old stallion enters off wins in the Dave Brower Memorial on June 29 and William R. Haughton Memorial on July 13.
$160,000 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial for older female trotters (Race 10)
Defending champion M-M’s Dream is the 2-1 favorite for driver David Miller and trainer Ron Burke. She won a leg of the Miss Versatility Series last week and starts Saturday from post one. Her rivals include the Ake Svanstedt-trained duo of Bond, who is 5-2, and Special Way, who is 3-1. Tim Tetrick will drive Special Way from post three, Svanstedt will drive Bond from post seven.
$282,000 John Cashman Memorial for older trotters (Race 11)
Jiggy Jog S, unbeaten in two races this season and starting for the first time since her victory in the Six Pack on June 29, is the 2-1 favorite. The lone female in the 11-horse field will leave from post three with Dunn driving for Svanstedt. Defending Cashman champ and recent Spirit of Massachusetts winner It’s Academic is the 3-1 second choice followed by Crawford Farms Open champ Southwind Tyrion at 7-2. It’s Academic goes from post four with Miller driving for Burke. Trainer Svanstedt will handle Southwind Tyrion from post six.
$146,000 Lady Liberty for older female pacers (Race 15)
Twin B Joe Fresh brings a five-race win streak to the event and is the 2-1 favorite. Dunn will drive the 4-year-old mare from post seven for trainer Chris Ryder. Sylvia Hanover is the 3-1 second choice after getting her first win of the season in the Clara Barton at Plainridge Park on July 21. Tetrick will drive from post three for trainer Mark Steacy. Defending champ Silver Label is 4-1, leaving from post one with Scott Zeron in the sulky for Nick Gallucci.