Glamour-girl trotters begin ‘Oaks’ journey

(H) denotes Hambletonian Eligible  

Sixteen sophomore trotting fillies are divided into a pair of divisions for the Lady Suffolk at Freehold Raceway on May 4.  

Each division is worth $80,000. The first split presents four Hambletonian Oaks eligibles, while the second features a trio.  

These events aren’t for the light-hearted handicapper, since few of these gals have much you can go on concerning their sophomore performances. In this early showing of the division, only a pair entered are on the top money-earning list as freshmen. 

Those two are Lima Playmate (H-Credit Winner) and For A Dancer (H-Conway Hall). These two appear in the first division on May 4. 

For A Dancer won eight of 11 at two, earning $262,332 in her first season on the track.  

Lima Playmate was nine wins for 13 starts last year, earning $156,680. 

Also eyeing the “Oaks” in the first-division are Cocolatta De Vie (H-Chocolatier) and Winning Sissy (H-Angus Hall). 

The only winner this season appearing in that field is Proximity Four, with a single victory in four races.  

The Joe Holloway-trained For A Dancer comes off a strong qualifier win (1:57.2) and is highly regarded to graduate to three with prowess.  

We like Chocolatta De Vie for reasons we have explained each season sinceher sire, Chocolatier, presented the track with his first crop. We have touted his progeny, specifically his younger fillies, successfully on these pages. As we did with Kadabra early on in his sire career, we intend to profit on a rarely used handicapping element in standardbred racing—specific-sire promise. So, we continue to endorse Chocolatier gals, frosh or soph, and look for the Brian Roland-trained Chocolatta De Vie to show vast improvement.  

With the aforementioned top two in this division, though they debut for the year, Chocolatta De Vie could offer a good price as an outsider. In a late New Jersey Futurity last season (at Freehold), she was second to undefeated-colt Market Share (H), who will go May 5 in the Dexter Cup. She broke in the Matron. Her only race this year, at the newly named Philadelphia (aka Chester) was a wonderful performance.

In division two, Bridge The Way has every reason to improve and if he does he will bring a price from post 6. She makes her seasonal debut and brings with her a Kindergarten win from late last season at Vernon. Although that is her only win in seven starts, she is far classier than most of these, with two Freehold qualifiers last month that prove she is in good shape for trainer Henrik Lundell.  

It’s a great time to go with possible improvers; the early season holds much promise for players with an ability to catch big prices on horses that may pay little to nothing all season. This is a proven, profitable gait we use along the Hambletonian Trail.  

Get to TwinSpires for wagering all of the great races leading to the Hambletonian and “Oaks” and read all the result stories at Hambletonian Society’s exclusive “trail” section.