Fashion Schooner cruises to $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks triumph

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Fashion Schooner (Walner) followed in the footsteps of her mother as a Hambletonian Oaks winner, rushing to the lead from post 10 and never looking back to win Saturday’s (Aug. 6) $500,000 harness racing event for 3-year-old female trotters by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:51.2 at the Meadowlands. Pink Coco Chanel finished second, just ahead of the fast-closing Yanaba.

Fashion Schooner’s dam, Broadway Schooner, won the 2009 Hambletonian Oaks. Jim Campbell trained Broadway Schooner for Fashion Farms, and the duo returned to the winner’s circle Saturday with the homebred Fashion Schooner.

“That’s everything,” Fashion Farms owner Jules Siegel said about watching Fashion Schooner duplicate her mom’s accomplishment. “We still have the mother, and she is producing just what we want her to.”

Tim Tetrick guided Fashion Schooner to victory for his third Oaks triumph, moving him into a tie with Glen Garnsey and Ron Pierce for the third most in history. Yannick Gingras holds the record with six, followed by Berndt Lindstedt with four.

After 7-5 favorite Warrawee Xenia went off stride at the start, Fashion Schooner used a :26.1 opening quarter to take the lead from Mon Cheval, and then took the field to the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:23.1.

FASHION SCHOONER REPLAY

“I know the first quarter was fast, but my mare was aggressive and she got out of there on the right foot and felt super,” Tetrick said. “She didn’t have any pressure, so the rest of the work was up to her.

“When it flashed up :55 (at the half), I was happy. From there on, I just kind of let her keep moving on and didn’t let anybody get too close. And, you know what? We got the job done.”

Fashion Schooner has won five of eight races this year. Her victories include the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship and a division of the Delvin Miller Memorial. For her career, she has won five of 11 starts and earned $468,462.

She was limited to three races as a 2-year-old because of sickness.

“You never know how good one is going to be, but she showed us enough last year where we thought that if everything worked right for her, she had the ability to do it,” Campbell said heading into the final. “She has high speed, she’s good-gaited, gets over the ground good, and she’s got a good attitude. She likes to race.”

Sent off at 6-1, Fashion Schooner paid $14.00 to win.

To read stories from all the action on Hambo Day, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA