Eliminations for the Hambletonian Oaks were contested on the Saturday, July 29 program at the Meadowlands, with two splits going for $40,438 collecting the top five finishers for the $500,000 final on Hambletonian day Saturday, August 5.

Magic Presto commandeered the field before the half in the second elimination, winning in 1:52.1.

Feed Your Head took control moving to the first turn, going the first quarter in :28.2 with Hillarmbro sitting second and Magic Presto third. Magic Presto soon tipped off the rail and brushed to the lead, hitting the half in :56.

Moving around the far turn, Hillarmbro flushed first over to pressure Magic Presto, with Overdraft Volo and Southwind Avanti drafting on cover. Past three-quarters in 1:24.1, Magic Presto turned away Hillarmbro.

Feed Your Head, getting room at the eighth pole, lunged after Magic Presto, but was a neck short. Southwind Avanti closed for third and Overdraft Volo and Caviart Wonder round out the Oaks finalists.

Owned by Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman, and David Mc Duffee, Magic Presto, by Kadabra from the Muscles Yankee mare In The Mean Time, has won eight races in 16 starts, compiling $457,180 in earnings. Trained by Richard Norman and driven by Brian Sears, she paid $3.60 to win.

(Standardbred Canada with files from the Meadowlands)