It has been announced that defending Dan Patch winner Shake It Cerry is one of 11 distaffers that have been entered to contest the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, which will go straight to the final to be raced on Hambletonian Day, Saturday, August 2 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Hambletonian Week will begin on Saturday, July 26 with prep races for the Hambletonian Oaks and U.S. Pacing Championship and eliminations for the John Cashman Memorial and the Lady Liberty. The evening will be under the theme of ‘Ladies Night’ and will feature many promotions.
Shake It Cerry, the leading lady in her division, has only lost one of her six starts this year (she finished third behind Designed To Be and Lifetime Pursuit in a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes event at Pocono Downs in June). Her most recent win – in the Del Miller Memorial – sent her over the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings. Shake It Cerry is owned by Solveig’s Racing Partners.
The 11 Oaks entrants – in alphabetical order with trainers and named drivers in parentheses – appear below.
Cee Bee Yes (Julie Miller-Marcus Miller)
Cooler Schooner (Jim Campbell-David Miller)
Designed To Be (Julie Miller-Brian Sears)
Harley Momma (Jim Raymer-Howard Parker)
Heavens Door (Åke Svanstedt-Åke Svanstedt)
Lifetime Pursuit (Jimmy Takter-Yannick Gingras)
Nitro Nittany (Jim Raymer-Howard Parker)
Shake It Cerry (Jimmy Takter-Ron Pierce)
Take The Money (Julie Miller-Dave Palone)
Tweet Me (Don Swick-Brett Miller)
Vanity Matters (Jonas Czernyson-Scott Zeron)
Post positions will be drawn and morning lines assigned on Tuesday, July 29 during the Hambletonian press conference and post position draw, which will take place at 4 p.m. in Victory Sports Bar at the Meadowlands.
The $300,650 John Cashman Jr. Memorial, the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and the $1 million Hambletonian will be featured during a live 90-minute broadcast on the CBS Sports Network from 4-5:30 p.m. (EDT) on August 2.
(With files from the Meadowlands)