HAPPY HAMBLETONIAN OAKS, EVERYONE!


The $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks, carded as race no. 14 on Saturday afternoon August 3, 2024, at The Meadowlands, is an intrigue race to watch and wager.

Track: The Meadowlands

Surface: Dirt

Race: 14

Post time: 6:06 ET (Saturday afternoon)

Horse: Buy A Round (ML 12-1)

The morning line favorite [and perhaps post time favorite as well] is Elista Hanover at 5/2.

This race, in a near splitting image of Karl in the Hambletonian, is the proving ground for Annie Stoebe’s Elista Hanover.

If any horse has a good chance of being favored here, the filly risking a 10-race win streak off an elimination win probably holds that honor.

Yes, that is right: Elista Hanover holds a 10-race win streak coming into this race.

Elista Hanover has been stellar in her last two starts, romping home in a Tompkins-Geers division and then uncorking a 54.3-second back half to win her Oaks elimination last week July 27, 2024.

At the same time, she was a good horse who got a great drive inside of her elimination, and the same applies to the other elim winners R Melina and Allegiant.

So we're dealt this race that has three elimination winners who are good horses and possibly great horses, but who will take more money while not getting truly battle tested inside of their elimination.

This is a race where all 10 horses have a chance to win.

Of the other two elimination winners, Allegiant has shown more upside potential.

She’s always been a speedy type who has the chance to take flight and go all the way.

R Melina, meanwhile, needs a perfect drive both to stay flat and be involved.

Her best races have come from opportune moves when the coals cool, but she likely doesn’t have that goldilocks zone to pounce into in this race.

Another contender is French Champagne and she has a huge chance in this race at a good price.

French Champagne should similarly offer loads of early speed, and maybe Drawn Impression as well.

Andy Miller picks up the drive on French Champagne, which does signal that she could hot-foot off the wings of the gate.

Drawn Impression similarly has speed, but, depending on how James MacDonald’s drive goes with Luc Blais trainee Private Access in the Hambletonian final, he might try a more methodical move out of post 10.

But the horse that I like is Buy A Round at a good price, perhaps as a longshot play of 12-1.

Buy A Round tried a first-over blitz instead of following cover in her elimination and reasonably leveled off to just make the final.

In other words, in her last race in the elimination on July 27, she made a huge move from midpact to challenge for the lead but was turned away by the winner.

She fought on gamely thereafter and with a better setup and trip she'll have a huge chance to upset at a juicy price.

Her trainer Noel Daley clearly believes that Buy A Round has a good chance to win the Hambletonian Oaks as he points out that Buy A Round had an excuse for not winning the elimination last Saturday.

"That's not her trip, first-over," said Daley following Buy A Round's fourth-place finish in her elimination.

"I'll pull her shoes and she'll be five-lengths better. She's the best of mine."

Buy A Round starts from post six and may need to be more assertive in the early stages to pull off the mild upset.

The equipment change on Saturday for Buy A Round and better trip could have a devastating turn of foot in the stretch.

So I'm looking for Buy A Round to run a huge race in this race.


Bet Buy A Round (ML 12-1) to win and place and show using double down betting strategy and you should be going home as a winner.

Buy A Round 's final odd will most likely be right around 12/1 as a longshot in the betting.

There you have it!

ENJOY THE HAMBLETONIAN OAKS, EVERYONE!