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East Rutherford, NJ – Sidelined since a sensational 10-hole score in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks on Aug. 6, Fashion Schooner knocked off some cobwebs Friday night (Sept. 2) at The Meadowlands, easily taking the $30,000 featured 3- the year old. open filly trot.
Fashion Schooner and driver Tim Tetrick were away from the field at the wire of Friday night’s show at The Meadowlands. Lisa’s photo.
Unlike Hambo Day, when the Jim Campbell trainee was sent to the gate at 6-1 odds, this time the daughter of Walner-Broadway Schooner was bet at 1-5 by the punters and she delivered with ease, hitting the wire 2-1 /4 lengths opposite 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 her before the (July 1) Reynolds and she ran a good race (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 the (Oct. 9) Kentucky Filly Futurity. After next week, I think we’ll only have one or two more starts before the Breeders’ Crown (Oct. 29).
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.
Niki Hill reports: Niki Hill, a ninth-winner from 10 starts during 2021, a season that saw her earn $904,557 as she claimed the Three Diamonds, Kindergarten and Breeders’ Eligible on the Stakes crown, going wire-to-wire in 1:52.1 with Dexter Dunn driving.
Last year’s Dan Patch Award-winning 2-year-old is looking to start her 2022 campaign. In her only pari-mutuel start this year, the daughter of Always B Miki-Road Bet made strides to race in a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event at 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 1.”
A bit more: Tetrick finished the night at the top of the driver field with three wins. Campbell had a coaching double.
The all-source handle on the 11-race card totaled $1,736,206.
The race resumes on Saturday at 18:20
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