Heaven Hanover upsets in $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks

Heaven Hanover (Father Patrick)came from the clouds to score a huge upset in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks in Grand Circuit harness racing action on Saturday afternoon (August 5) at The Meadowlands. Off at odds of 28-1, Heaven Hanover paid $59.40 to win.

After leaving from post 10 and dropping to the back immediately, the winner benefitted from sitting behind some wicked fractions and passed all nine of her rivals to get up on the far outside in a thrilling five across finish in a lifetime-best 1:50.3.

Winning driver Tetrick acknowledged that the trip went his way. “I needed exactly what happened to happen,” he said. “If there was no speed up front, there were just too many lengths too far back. But those fillies got beat up and they got tired, and we had fresh legs and we got it done.”

A keyed up Raillee Something (Yannick Gingras), headed for the lead immediately and made it clear that she was taking no prisoners. Secret Volo also left hard from post nine, but she was forced to take a seat with Righteous Resolve (James Macdonald) having already grabbed the pocket. Railee Something clicked off torrid fractions of 26.0 and 53.2 with little movement to that point.

The flow started up with Walner Payton (Dexter Dunn) moving first-over with Instagram Model (Andrew McCarthy) taking her cover. Bond (Ake Svandstedt) followed third-over and Heaven Hanover at that point had moved out of 10th and last to get into the flow fourth-over. The three-quarters was trotted in a testing 1:21.3.

As the Oaks fillies trotted down the lane and the leader started to tire, it became quickly apparent that the race had been thrown wide-open for an upset. Bond, who reversed tactics and raced from off the pace after tiring in her elimination, trotted up a storm with Heaven Hanover also in pursuit. In a thrilling finish, Heaven Hanover reached up by a neck over Bond. Righteous Resolve was a game third, beaten three quarters of a length and Secret Volo held for fourth.

HEAVEN HANOVER REPLAY

Trained by Marcus Melander, Heaven Hanover is owned by SRF Stables and Amg stable Inc. of Florida and Rick Wahlstedt of New York. In taking third win of 2023 lifted her lifetime earnings to just under $430,000 with the $250,000 winner’s share of the purse. In the end, they don’t ask how when you go to the cashier. “She had to earn it, she got the money and it’s great,” Tetrick said.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink