Imagine your prom is in a few days and two of the prettiest girls in school want you to put the corsage on her wrist and slow dance the night away in the gymnasium under the basketball hoop.
Tough decision.
That’s how Andy McCarthy must have felt heading into Saturday’s $500,000 USD Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands.
You see, McCarthy was being courted by Conversano, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Celebrity Ruth, and Miss Belmar, a Muscle Hill-Chapter Too offspring, after the 39-year-old driver guided each to the winner’s circle in their respective Oaks eliminations last Saturday, July 26.
Trained by Juan Cano, Conversano has won six of eight starts this year, including the New Jersey Sire Stakes final, and took one of three Oaks elims last week in 1:52.4 as the 1-5 favourite.
Miss Belmar, who resides in Noel Daley’s barn, does not have the seasonal resume that Conversano possesses but has won three straight races at The Meadowlands – including an Oaks elim in 1:52.3 as the 3-1 second choice – and appears to be peaking at just the right time for the defending Dan Patch Trainer of the Year Award winner.
Who’s the lucky girl, Andy?
“I’m going with Miss Belmar,” said McCarthy just before the Hambletonian and Oaks post position draws held on Tuesday, July 29 at Chateau Grande in East Brunswick, New Jersey. “I just think she’s the better horse. I liked her performance [in the elimination].
“Obviously, I’m very close with Noel and have been for a very long time, so it’s the logical decision. Miss Belmar can leave or she can sit. It was a really tough call and probably more the fact that I’ve had such a great relationship with Noel for such a long time. My relationship with Noel was the deciding factor. Both fillies are about the same.”
Miss Belmar will depart from post one and was installed as the 5-2 favourite on the morning line.
McCarthy and Daley have had many standouts together, including last year’s Dan Patch Three-Year-Old Male Trotter of the Year, Sig Sauer, who won the Breeders Crown and Kentucky Futurity.
So, where does that leave Conversano?
Sometimes blind dates work out well, and four-time defending O’Brien Award-winning Driver of the Year James MacDonald got the call from Cano.
MacDonald is no stranger to big wins at The Meadowlands. Last year, the 39-year-old Guelph, Ont. reinsman guided Legendary Hanover to victory in the Meadowlands Pace and Coach Stefanos (older male pacer) and Lady Landia (two-year-old trotting filly) to Breeders Crown wins.
“It was one of those things,” said MacDonald. “Timing is everything. I picked up Gigglingonthebeach for Juan [last] Saturday and she raced well for second to Miki And Minnie [in the Tompkins-Geers].
“And then Juan said he might need a driver for the Oaks. He asked me if I would be interested in coming. I’m really excited. Anytime you can pick up a drive in big races, it’s a real thrill.”
Conversano is the 9-2 third choice leaving from post six.
“I’ll do some studying, watch some replays,” said MacDonald. “She looks like a horse who knows how to make money. I’ll talk to Juan. I’ll ask Andrew [McCarthy] if there is anything I need to know. I’m going to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. With horses like this, there’s not much to learn. Put them in the right spot and, hopefully, things work out.”
Delaney Hanover won the third elim and will leave from post five as the 3-1 second choice with Scott Zeron in the bike.
Trained by Lucas Wallin, the daughter of Muscle Hill-Danielle Hanover was an upset winner at odds of 11-1 in her preliminary, coming from off the pace to stop the clock in a lifetime-best 1:52.3.
The Hambletonian Oaks is part of a dazzling 16-race, stakes-laden program on Hambletonian Day at The Big M. Post time for the first race is noon.
$500,000 USD Hambletonian Oaks (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Miss Belmar* - Andy McCarthy - Noel Daley - 5-2
2. Deja Blu - Yannick Gingras - Nancy Takter - 5-1
3. Sound Judgement - Kevin Oscarsson - Jim Oscarsson - 20-1
4. R Charm - David Miller - Linda Toscano - 10-1
5. Delaney Hanover* - Scott Zeron - Lucas Wallin - 3-1
6. Conversano* - James MacDonald - Juan Cano - 9-2
7. Aperfect Annie - Todd McCarthy - Carter Pinske - 20-1
8. Walspea - Trond Smedshammer - Trond Smedshammer - 12-1
9. Champagne Problems - Dexter Dunn - Nancy Takter - 6-1
10. Torrisi - Tim Tetrick - Nancy Takter - 20-1
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack; photo of Miss Belmar winning her Oaks elimination)