EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Sidelined since a sensational 10-hole speed score in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks on August 6, Fashion Schooner (Walner) knocked down some cobra nets Friday night (Sept. 1) at The Meadowlands, easily taking the $30,000 3-year-old open harness racing trot.
Unlike Hambo Day, when Jim Campbell’s trainee was sent to the gate at odds of 6-1, she was bet at 1-5 by the punters and she did easily, hitting the wire 2¼ lengths in front of Lilbitalexis. Yanaba was third.
Fashion Schooner sat three holes down on the start, cleared the rail just before three-eighths, took the lead while parked at the halfway mark and cruised home from there, completing the mile in 1:52.1 with driver Tim Tetrick at the controls.
His thread had been gone for almost a month, but Campbell was confident going into Friday’s race. “I went five weeks off with him before [July 1] Reynolds and she went on a good run [a close second]. She’s very athletic, so it doesn’t take much to keep her in shape.”
Campbell’s star pupil is the likely favorite for next week’s final at the $300,000 New Jersey Classic, an event making its debut this year.
“With only eight games in, there was no elimination tonight, so I wanted to use this as a preparation,” Campbell said. “I didn’t want to race him anywhere else. I just wanted to use this race. The New Jersey Classic is a very good program. It gives us a chance to race these 2 and 3 year olds for good money. And we don’t have to travel, so that’s a bonus. The program provides a good incentive to purchase New Jersey-bred horses.
What’s next for Fashion Schooner?
“We’ll wait and see how things go next week,” said Campbell, who became just the third trainer ever to sweep the Oaks and Hambletonian. [with Cool Papa Bell] on the same day. “Then, maybe [Oct. 9] Kentucky Filly Futurity. After next week, I think we’ll only go one or two more starts before kickoff [Oct. 29] Breeders’ Crown.”
Owned by Fashion Farms, Fashion Schooner increased her lifetime stats to six wins from just 12 starts, good for earnings of $483,462. She returned $2.40 to win.
THE NIKKI HILL REPORT: Niki Hill (Always B Mickey-Road Stakes), a winner of eight from nine starts during 2021, a season that saw her earn over $900,000 as she won the Three Diamonds, Kindergarten and Breeders’ Eligibles ahead of the betting card, going wire to wire to the wire in 1:52.1 with Dexter Dunn driving.
A year ago’s Dan Patch Award-winning 2-year-old is looking to start her 2022 campaign. In her only parimutuel start this year, she made strides in the stretch of a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event in Harrah’s Philadelphia as the public’s 1-5 choice on May 29 and finished eighth.
“She didn’t handle the track that day,” coach Chris Ryder said. “And then she missed some time because she had some problems with her legs. But we are very satisfied with her qualification. She was beautiful and strong. We will qualify again next week and then hopefully race overnight at The Meadowlands before heading to The Red Mile for the Bluegrass on October 1ststr.”
For full race results, Click here.
