Trainer Jimmy Takter told harnessracing.com Friday morning that Ariana G will start in Saturday night's Hambletonian Oaks eliminations and then he will decide by 9:00 a.m. next Tuesday morning, Aug. 1, when the box closes for the Hambletonian, if he will instead enter the filly against the colts in the double-heat classic on Aug. 5.
Following Thursday's announcement by trainer Linda Toscano that the top-ranked Walner had suffered a slight leg injury and would not race in the Hambletonian, speculation began to swirl about Ariana G -— the dominant filly in her class last year and thus far in 2017 —- being scratched from the $500,000 Oaks and entering the $1 million Hambletonian.
"We decided to see how she does on Saturday (in the Oaks elims) and if she looks like she did when she won the New Jersey Sire Stakes final (in 1:51.1 on June 2 at the Meadowlands), it's a very big possibility we will go up against the colts," said Takter.
The entry fee for the Oaks is $7,500, and if Ariana G now heads to the Hambletonian, it will cost owners Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld another $16,250: the $15,000 entry fee and $1,250 to make up the difference in sustaining payments between the fillies and colts.
Ariana G has four wins in five starts this year, with her lone blemish a third-place finish against the colts in the $500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial on July 1 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Takter said no matter how Ariana G performs in her Oaks elimination, he won't make any quick decision on which race the filly would race on Aug. 5 -— the Oaks final or the Hambletonian.
"I have until next Tuesday (Aug. 1) and I don't have to make any decision until then," said Takter. "Now, with this situation, there may be other horses that now want to take a shot in the Hambletonian. Now the Hambletonian is wide open. Who is going to be the favourite?"
Takter said he will likely enter Victor Gio IT and Rubio in the Hambletonian, and he also has Thats All Moni and Feed Your Head in the second Oaks elim away from Ariana G on Saturday. He considers both fillies contenders, especially Feed Your Head, who won the Reynolds on July 22 at the Meadowlands in 1:52.1.
"Yes, especially Feed Your Head, who is in super form," said Takter. "She was fantastic last time with a :55 last half and :27 at the end. I really like her."
Takter said he commiserates with his peer Toscano and her disappointment in not being able to race Walner in the Hambletonian.
"Everybody in the sport knows how bad Linda must feel," he said. "I've been there, everybody has, and we know how she is feeling. It's good though that Linda put it out there but it's too bad as I love to see great horses on the track."
(harnessracing.com)