In a five-horse sprint to the wire, Heaven Hanover closed from the clouds to best Bond and pick off Canadian hopeful Righteous Resolve to win the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday, Aug. 5 at The Meadowlands.
Starting from post 10, Heaven Hanover and driver Tim Tetrick weren't part of the early speed. In fact, they were at the back of the pack as Railee Something (Yannick Gingras) hammered out fractions of :26, :53.2 and 1:21.3. Pocket-sitter Righteous Resolve (James MacDonald) looked to be the most serious threat to the tempo-setter, and took a serious shot in the stretch. Railee Something still had something and made Righteous Resolve show some serious resolve down the lane, and the Canadian champion started to edge clear of that rival in deep stretch. But a few key members of the backfield were absolutely flying in the stretch — Bond with Ake Svanstedt and Heaven Hanover with Tim Tetrick, both four-wide around the far turn.
As Righteous Resolve lunged for the line, Heaven Hanover hustled hurriedly and hit the line before Bond with the mile timed in 1:50.3. Righteous Resolve nosed out Secret Volo (Brian Sears) for the show spot.
The win makes it back-to-back Oaks wins for Tetrick — his second straight from the outermost starting spot.
"I needed exactly what happened to happen," said Tetrick. "You know, if there's no speed up front, we're just too many lengths too far back but those fillies got beat up and they got tired and we had fresh legs so we got it done.
"I still had to make up 10 lengths, I was fourth over turning for home," continued Tetrick. "She had to earn it and she got the money, and it's great."
Now a five-time winner in her career, Heaven Hanover (Father Patrick - Hillarmbro) is owned S R F Stable and AMG Stable Inc. of Lighthouse Point, Fl., Rick Wahlstedt and Heights Stable of New York, N.Y. The winner's share of the purse puts her lifetime bankroll over $428,000. Her trainer is Marcus Melander, a first-time Hambletonian Oaks champion.
The removal of shoes is certainly something that has helped the filly excel, according to her conditioner.
"She's been racing good all year, to be honest, in Pennsylvania and then we brought her here and took her shoes off for the Delvin Miller and she really stepped up. We've been racing her barefoot ever since."
Heaven Hanover paid $59.40 to win. None of Tetrick's four Oaks winners (Danae, 2007; Bar Slide, 2010 and Fashion Schooner, 2022) have been favourites.
Click on the following link for coverage of the 2023 Hambletonian and a replay of the day's stakes events.