Trainer Jimmy Takter will send out an imposing armada of performers in Saturday morning's qualifiers at The Meadowlands, and included among those horses is a seasonally-debuting trotting filly with 'grande' expectations.
Dan Patch and O'Brien Award winner Ariana G returns on Saturday and makes her sophomore debut in the second qualifier of the morning. Owned by GTA-based breeders Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz, Ariana G banked more than $804,000 as a freshman in 2016 -- the most of any two-year-old pacer or trotter in North America.
Standardbred Canada Director Richard Veilleux makes the O'Brien Award presentation for Ariana G to owners-breeders Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz. (L-R): Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz, Rachel Libfeld, Richard Veilleux, Lynn Katz, Aisling Brewer.
Campaigned by trainer Jimmy Takter, Ariana G wintered at his New Jersey-based farm and started back in early January. Takter told Trot Insider that she looked "awesome" when she came back in, "as good as I could hope" but not much different than her two-year-old self. Takter remarked that unlike her famous namesake Ariana G is rather unspectacular looking but makes up for looks with extraordinary on-track performance.
"I wish she would have grown a little bit more," said Takter. "She's not the prettiest thing, she's simple looking but has a heck of a way of going."
According to Takter, that was also the case with Ariana G's stakes-winning sibling All The Time. In comparing the two, Takter admits he has a ton a respect for what All The Time accomplished as a racehorse but quickly points to the younger sibling as the most talented of the two to this point.
"I loved All The Time, she was game, she overcame a lot," said Takter referring to All The Time's recovery from colic surgery to not only survive and live but race and win. "It was amazing what she did."
With a litany of amazing performers over the past 30 years, Takter placed Ariana G above all that came before her, stating "Ariana G is the best two-year-old trotting filly I've ever had."
Fans looking to keep tabs on Ariana G will need to focus on The Meadowlands after Saturday's qualifier as her early stakes schedule is mostly based in New Jersey with NJSS events. That schedule is described as mostly since there's a possibility Takter can race her against male counterparts in the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at Mohegan Sun Pocono, with elims slated for June 24.
"I nominated her for that because it's actually six or seven weeks between the Sire Stakes final and the Delvin Miller," said Takter. "I'll see if I put her in against the boys at Pocono."
On paper, Ariana G certainly looks like she belongs and deserves that kind of respect and opportunity. Her rookie season placed her within the top 10 of two-year-old trotting filly earnings and the 1:51.4 speed badge is the fourth fastest winning mile ever trotted by a two-year-old, with only Mission Brief (1:50.3), Cooler Schooner (1:51.3f) and Walner (1:51.3) faster.
“Yannick said that he shut her down through the whole stretch," said Takter after that victory. "If he would’ve let her go a little bit and pick up a gear for the record, he said she would’ve trotted way under 1:51.”
Can Ariana G go with the likes of Walner?
"I definitely think so, I think this filly could go with them," Takter told Trot Insider. "If she's sitting on the back of a horse like Walner she'd give him a run for his money I can guarantee you that. She's very, very special.
While Takter has the option on testing the waters against male counterparts in the Beal, a discussion of a similar test in the Hambletonian is premature.
"I tried this a couple of times and I haven't seen super success doing it yet but it all depends how my other colts are...I have a few colts that I like. It's very possible that if I don't have any trotting colts that look like they can go with them, I might give [her] a try here and there. I don't know yet.
"It's got to be an especially good horse to go with the boys. Burke did it with Mission Brief and she was second in the Hambletonian. You really need to have a very, very good filly to go...and I think she is but at the same token maybe racing for half the money in the Oaks is the smarter move. Time will tell."
Ariana G will face her first test on Saturday with regular driver Yannick Gingras, leaving from Post 7 and sandwiched between stakes-winning stablemate Thats All Moni (Tim Tetrick, Post 8) and Goldsmith Maid winner Magic Presto (Brian Sears, Post 6). In addition, Takter sends out trotting colts Victor Gio It and King On The Hill, sophomore pacers Idyllic Beach, Ocean Colony and Someomensomewhere and older competitors Pure Country and Lyons Snyder.