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USTA/Mark Hall photo |
| Broadway Schooner (4) and driver Brian Sears won a tight photo finish over Raising Rachel (Jack Moiseyev) to win the $783,042 Hambletonian Oaks final at the Meadowlands in 1:54. |
East Rutherford, NJ --- Broadway Schooner squeezed out the last bit of effort to win the $783,042 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands by a very thin nose, holding off a cavalry charge that included a surging Raising Rachel, between horses.
Heading to the first turn, OK To Play was first to the lead in :28, with Elusive Desire right behind her. Those two stayed in that order to the :55.4 half. Broadway Schooner wheeled out to enter the flow just before the 1:25.1 three-quarter-mile marker. She got the lead around the turn and held it all through the stretch, even with a wall of fillies closing in on her in the final steps of the race.
Raising Rachel was just inside of her in second, Elusive Desire was a head back of her in third, followed by Margarita Momma, Jersey As, OK To Play, Moonlight Kronos, Timelesswinner Two and Honorable Daughter. The latter two made breaks soon after the start.
Broadway Schooner is owned by Arlene and Jules Siegel and was bred by them as well. She is by their sire, Broadway Hall.
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USTA/Mark Hall photo |
| Broadway Schooner and his connections in the winner's circle. |
“I thought we got beat at the wire, but this was one of those pleasant surprises that went in our favor,” said trainer Jim Campbell. “We are all just thrilled. Especially proud of this horse is her caretaker, Walter. He’s just on Cloud Nine right now. She went a really tough race, went first over. Brian kept her alive. She definitely earned it today, Brian settled her nice from the gate. He had to move when he did. I thought he might flush a little cover, but he didn’t, he just rode up patiently, kept her alive right to the wire.
“Today was our day. It’s very thrilling and there is nothing like winning a big race here at the Meadowlands. This is home and you can’t beat the excitement this place delivers.”
