STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33

Manalapan, NJ 07726

Phone: 732-462-2357

Fax: 732-409-0741

STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726 

Phone: 732-462-2357 | Fax: 732-409-0741

BACK

ECSTATIC ‘ELISTA’ FAVORED IN HAMBLETONIAN OAKS AT BIG M

Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations • July 31, 2024

Trainer Annie Stoebe is no doubt thrilled to have the one to beat in Saturday’s (Aug. 3) Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands ...

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- July 30, 2024 -- Trainer Annie Stoebe is no doubt thrilled to have the one to beat in Saturday’s (Aug. 3) Hambletonian Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands.


Apparently, so is her horse, Elista Hanover, who drew post position one at Tuesday afternoon’s Hambletonian press conference at Hogan Equine in Cream Ridge, NJ, and was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the $525,000 event, which will be seen by a national television audience on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) at 6:06 p.m.


“I wish [my post] was a little more toward the middle,” said Stoebe. “But I think she’ll be OK there. [Driver] David [Miller] will figure it out. The beautiful thing is, all I have to do is have her ready. The rest is on David.


“There is nothing that phases her, as long as you give her a cookie, she doesn’t care. She never ceases to amaze me and is possibly the happiest horse I have ever trained.”


Stoebe has gone through many a treat this year, as the daughter of International Moni-Evermore has strung together 10 consecutive victories during 2024 after opening the season with a fast-closing, third-place finish in an overnight at The Meadowlands.


Her double-digit destruction of her foes has included a three-race sweep of the Bobby Weiss Series at Pocono Downs, before four more scores in Pennsylvania in All-Stars and Sire Stakes action. Her last three wins came at The Big M in the Reynolds and Tompkins-Geers before last week’s powerhouse performance in the second of three Oaks eliminations, in which she set a new lifetime-mark of 1:51.3 after shrugging off a stiff challenge around the far turn from Buy A Round, a standout on the New Jersey Sire Stakes circuit.


“[Buy A Round] is such a fantastic animal, so, of course, I got a little bit nervous,” said Stoebe. “In that race, she was the one to beat. We managed beating her.”


As the 3-5 favorite, Elista Hanover was put on the lead by Miller at the half and reported home a 1½-length winner over Drawn Impression as Buy A Round weakened and finished fourth, which was still good enough to earn a berth in the Oaks final as the highest money-earning fourth-place finisher from the three elims.

“David, when he retook, I was like, oh,” said Stoebe. “Then when [the half] showed up as :57, David knew what was happening. He knows what to do.”


Her trainer may have thought Buy A Round was the one to beat last week, but you’d have trouble convincing the bettors. Elista Hanover has been sent the gate as the favorite in all 11 of her starts this year.

That’s something else that sets Elista Hanover apart from her foes in the Oaks, as she will be making her 12th start of the year, more than any of the other horses in the field.


But Stoebe doesn’t seem too concerned.


“I’m OK with it,” said Stoebe. “We’ll see how it is at the end of the year, but I’m comfortable with how she is coming into this big race. David says she just keeps getting stronger. We’re just living a dream right now. She’s just amazing.”


When making the trip to the track, Stoebe is always aware of what she needs to bring in addition to all of the equipment her horse needs.


“Cookies get packed in her harness bag when I pack everything else,” said Stoebe. “They are as important as her bridle.”


THE HAMBLETONIAN OAKS FIELD


Here is the field for Saturday’s $525,000 Hambletonian Oaks at The Meadowlands, with post position, horse, driver, trainer and morning-line odds:


RACE 14 – POST TIME 6:06 P.M.


PP – HORSE – DRIVER – TRAINER – ODDS 

1 – Elista Hanover – David Miller – Annie Stoebe – 9-5

2 – Warrawee Michelle – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 8-1

3 – R Melina – Todd McCarthy – John Butenschoen – 5-2 

4 – Allegiant – Scott Zeron – Vernon Beachy – 3-1

5 – Miss I La – Joe Bongiorno – Noel Daley – 20-1 

6 – Buy A Round – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 6-1

7 – French Champagne – Dexter Dunn – Ake Svanstedt – 9-2 

8 – Paulina Hanover – David Miller – Noel Daley – 20-1 

9 – Date Night Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 15-1 

10 – Drawn Impression – James MacDonald – Luc Blais – 12-1 


NOTE: Allegiant, R Melina and Elista Hanover drew for posts 1-5 for winning their respective eliminations. Buy A Round qualified as the fourth-place finisher with the highest lifetime earnings.

By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations July 29, 2025
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 ...
By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager July 29, 2025
Super Chapter, who won one of last week’s three Hambletonian Stakes eliminations, drew post two for Saturday’s $1 million final at The Meadowlands and was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the 100th edition of the sport’s premier event for 3-year-old trotters ...
By Meadowlands Racetrack July 28, 2025
On Saturday, August 2, the Meadowlands Racetrack showcases the 100th Hambletonian, presented by FanDuel ...
By Hambletonian Society July 28, 2025
From award-winning author, researcher, and equine professional, Cheryl L. Eriksen comes Greyhound, the most complete biographical portrait of the greatest racehorse history (nearly) forgot ...
By Courtney Stafford July 28, 2025
The recipients have been named for the 2025 scholarships awarded by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ) and the Backstretch Community Assistance Program (BCAP) ...
By Ray Cotolo, for The Meadowlands July 27, 2025
The picture for the Grade 1 Hambletonian Oaks shifted greatly from expectations with some surprise performances from both ends of the spectrum in the three $50,000 eliminations at The Meadowlands on Saturday night (July 26) ...
More Posts