Meadowlands: Engblom armed with horsepower for weekend eliminations

The next two weeks are perhaps the most significant weeks to any trainer in North America with a stable of trotters. This Friday eliminations will be contested at The Meadowlands for two significant stakes events for juveniles and on Saturday 3-year-old filly trotters will vie for final spots in the Hambletonian Oaks in two eliminations.

Trainer Per Engblom has a stable of potential stars that will be on display on Friday and he appears confident many will survive and return for the Jim Doherty Memorial and Peter Haughton finals on Hambletonian Day, August 3.

Engblom’s stable is well represented with five fillies of the 24 entered in three $20,000 eliminations for the Doherty on Friday night.

Ms Savannah Belle (post 3) and Hello Tomorrow (post 5) have drawn well for the second race and first Doherty division, but they face a solid field that includes early-season star Hypnotic AM (post 8). “I was very happy with her last start,” said Engblom of Ms Savannah Belle. “It was a very tough trip for her but she trotted in 54 and change.”

Hello Tomorrow a $380,000 yearling purchase, was battling some sickness following her 1:56 3/5 career debut victory on July 12. “There was some sickness in the barn,” said Engblom. “But she trained back good.”

Though Jula Champagne (post 3) in the second Doherty division (race 3) wintered in Florida, she has come on nicely since teaming with Engblom in New Jersey. “I’m very happy with her,” Engblom said. “She’s improved with every start and I think she has a shot to reach the final.”

Queen Of The Hill (post 1) is one of two Engblom fillies in the third and final Doherty elimination carded as race seven. “She’s the sleeper in the group,” said Engblom. “There was nothing flashy about her but she always shows up.”

Queen Of The Hill may not be the fastest among the eight fillies in her division, but the daughter of Explosive Matter is the richest to date and has already captured two Pennsylvania Sire Stakes legs in rather easy fashion.

Engblom knows that it takes time for some of these fillies to find themselves and has witnessed the progress of Julia C (post 5). “I’m very happy with her. She’s a big, big filly,” Engblom said.

Synergy drew post four in one of two $20,000 Peter Haughton divisions on Friday night and the trainer appears to believe this son of Father Patrick, purchased for $275,000 at last year’s Lexington Selected sale, has a bright future.

“I’ve been very happy with him. It was a little hot last week and there was some sickness going around,” said Engblom as to why Synergy didn’t race in a leg of the Kindergarten at The Meadowlands. Nevertheless the trainer feels confident that Synergy will be ready for the Haughton and beyond.

When asked if Synergy in any way compares to his sire, a horse Engblom was intimately associated with while working alongside Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter, Engblom replied. “He’ll only go as much as he needs to go.”

Synergy will need only to finish in the top five of the eight horses in Friday’s elimination that includes Stay Close (post 3), a 1:54 3/5 victor in his first outing at The Meadowlands last Friday.

Retired trainer Jimmy Takter has sent out the winners of the last five Hambletonian Oaks finals, yet that doesn’t appear to be on the mind of Engblom as he sends out two fillies on Saturday night among the 19 going postward in two $50,000 Oaks eliminations at The Meadowlands.

“I’ve got some nice fillies and I think they can reach the final,” Engblom said, while clearly stopping short of higher expectations of years past.

Asiago (post 4) has shown considerable improvement this year with four wins in her first eight starts. The daughter of Muscle Hill made a miscue in her last start. “She’s always a little bumpy,” Engblom said. “We checked her out and didn’t find anything wrong with her.”

Asiago goes in race five.

Beautiful Sin, a top filly from last year that suffered from a major injury, continues to advance on the comeback trail for Engblom. “She spent a lot of time in the stall,” Engblom said of the recovery time. “She keeps getting better and better.”

Beautiful Sin drew post three in the eighth race Oaks elimination with Dexter Dunn in the bike.

Post time for the penultimate weekend of the Championship meet is scheduled for 7:15 PM on both nights.