Jimmy Takter and Yannick Gingras teamed up for their third straight Hambletonian Oaks triumph while delivering a third career Oaks win for owner/breeders Marv Katz and Al Libfeld.

by Lou Monaco and Dave Briggs

Marv Katz said he was “just speechless” after All The Time, the homebred filly he shares with fellow Canadian Al Libfeld, won them their third Hambletonian Oaks title to go with ones won by Creamy Mimi (2008) and Fern (1998).

“Fantastic job by Jimmy Takter,” Katz said. “(All The Time) had some bumps along the way. She was great training down and started off the season great. She won the Breeders Crown last year and, obviously, is tremendously talented. We’re just thrilled.”

Yannick Gingras rallied in the stretch with All The Time in 1:52.1 to win by three-and-three-quarter lengths over Caprice Hill to win the $500,000 event.

It was the third straight victory for both Takter and Gingras who teamed up to win the Oaks in 2015 with Wild Honey and in 2014 with Lifetime Pursuit.

Takter now has six victories overall in the Hambletonian’s sister event.

“I was hoping to follow Brian Sears (with Windowshopper), I thought his filly was one of the fillies to beat, and they had a little bobble on the backstretch,” said Gingras. “She felt so strong and she was able to catch the gap really quickly. I was just hoping not to be first up around the last turn. I figured John (Campbell) would come (with Celebrity Eventsy) and when he did it, it made my job really easy.”

Takter said All The Time “was really sharp today. She had a good week and the timing had to be perfect. I know I had a ticket that was very strong with a couple of good fillies. We pulled the front shoes on her, which I think might have kicked her up a little bit. It was the first time she ever did that. There were three horses in the race that I had tremendous respect for. We were the lucky ones.”

Tetrick had Caprice Hill on the lead at the top of the stretch, but Gingras had another gear and was able to cruise to the finish line as All The Time (Muscle Hill—Cantab It All) improved to 11-for-19 all-time, snapping a two-race losing streak.

“It’s special,” said Libfeld. “We’re into trotting broodmares and she’s going to be at the top of the food chain for, hopefully, another couple of generations.”

As proven by the fact her full-sister, Ariana G won the $306,500 Jim Doherty Memorial final for two-year-old fillies earlier in the card.

“You can’t diminish the fact that the sister won the Doherty earlier today as well,” Katz said. “It’s just a fantastic family, two filly sisters that you could build a breeding operation off of. We’ve got others we are very proud of, as well.”