By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Trainer Nifty
Norman didn’t think he’d be in a spot like this.
His Bella Bellini is the 3-1
morning-line favorite leaving from post position five for Saturday’s $500,000
Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands. In fact,
Norman’s pleasantly surprised Bella Bellini amounted to much of anything.
As a 2-year-old, the daughter of Bar
Hopping-Bella Dolce had zero victories from seven starts. Hardly the type of
beginning that would see a trainee blossom into the one of the horses to beat
in the biggest race on the sophomore trotting filly calendar.
“Last year,” said Norman, “she could
never get comfortable on the turns. She never matured. But she showed some
speed, and being a homebred, [owner] David [McDuffee] decided to keep her and
give her a shot. Thank God he did.
“What could we have been hoping for
after last year? It’s the biggest turnaround I’ve seen with a horse I’ve had.”
Bella Bellini started her 2021 season
with a 15¼-length domination of her foes in a division of the Weiss at Pocono
Downs to earn her first-ever trip to the winner’s circle. And she’s been
outstanding in all nine starts since.
Entering Saturday’s Oaks (post time,
5:42 p.m.), despite having been beaten in each of her last two outings, Bella
Bellini was installed as the early favorite nonetheless, given her season’s
record of six wins and four seconds from 10 starts, which includes a
lifetime-best 1:52.1 score at The Big M on July 3 in an open for 3-year-old
fillies.
On July 16, ‘Bella’ was a fast-closing
second to Yonkers Trot winner Johan Palema at The Big M in an overnight, while
a week ago in her Oaks Elimination, she went parked for a little more than the
final half-mile to come up just a half-length short of a super-game Lady Chaos.
“[Two starts back] was more of just a
prep for last week when she was second to Johan Palema,” said Norman. “We
wanted to be conservative with her. Last week, I don’t think Dexter [Dunn] gave
her as good a drive as he’s given her. I think had he made a quarter move [to
the lead] or waited before out-speeding [Lady Chaos] in the stretch [the
outcome might have been different]. Anyway, it just doesn’t matter.”
Since elim winners Lady Chaos and
Awesome Trix got to draw for post positions one through five, Norman was a tad
nervous at the prospect that his filly could have drawn a bad starting berth.
But the post-positions Gods were good
to the 60-year-old Norman, who’s won just under 300 races and earned just over
$10 million over the last three years.
“I think [post five] is a really good
spot,” said Norman. “I don’t think my filly was at her best last week. I think
she’ll be a lot better this week. I think it could be a real good race for us.”
A LITTLE MORE: The $1-million Hambletonian, as well
as the Hambletonian Oaks, will air live from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on CBS Sports
Network. Post time for the first of 16 races on The Big M card is noon.
HAMBLETONIAN OAKS DRAW
Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The field for
the 51st edition of the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old
trotting fillies, that takes place Saturday, August 7 (post time, 5:42 p.m.) at
The Meadowlands, with post position, horse (driver, trainer) and morning-line
odds:
1. Darlene Hanover (Brian Sears, Brett
Bittle), 10-1
2. Flawless Country (Ake Svanstedt,
Ake Svanstedt), 15-1
3. Awesome Trix (Scott Zeron,
Christopher Beaver), 9-2
4. Lady Chaos (Dave Miller, Linda
Toscano), 7-2
5. Bella Bellini (Dexter Dunn, Nifty
Norman), 3-1
6. Piper Hanover (Andy McCarthy, Tony
Alagna), 8-1
7. Hot As Hill (Dave Miller, Ron
Burke), 15-1
8. Contested Hanover (Scott Zeron,
George Ducharme), 15-1
9. You Ato Dream (Jeff Gregory, Jeff
Gregory), 8-1
10. Iteration (Brian Sears, Marcus
Melander), 6-1
NOTE: Driver changes will be available at
11 a.m. Wednesday. Elimination winners Lady Chaos and Awesome Trix drew for
posts 1 through 5.
