With the pylon post Follow Your Nose put forth a decisive performance when winning the $3,980 Manitoba Great Western Stakes Final on Saturday (Aug. 1) at the Miami Fair.
The Great Western Stake featured eliminations earlier on the card, with Follow Your Nose winning his going wire to wire in 2:02.1 over Da Little Beast, Runaway Heiress and Baylor Out Babe respectively. Munchie Chris won the other elimination in 2:06.1 over Getitdonebud, Two Shoes and Sunset Memory.
Horses returned to the track a few races later for the second heat but none could match Follow Your Nose. The Trevor Williams-trained filly by Toucam Sam uncorked fractions of :28.2, :59 and 1:29.3 to open an ever-widening lead through the mile heading to a 2:00.3 win as the 1-9 favourite. Da Little Beast gave chase from second, finishing 13 lengths behind the winner. Runaway Heiress took third.
Co-owned by Williams with Michael Williams, Follow Your Nose has won six races from 12 starts this season and eight from 15 overall, earning $27,183. Don Howlett drove the $2.10 winner.
The victories by Follow Your Nose counted for two of trainer Williams’ four wins on the card. He also took the $2,350 Fillies and Mares Open Pace with the six-year-old Mister Big mare Ask For Me in a 2:02.1 mile.
Driver Michel Rey landed Ask For Me fourth as Tami Blue took the field past the quarter in :29.1. Yourlipstogodsears tipped first over to challenge for the lead moving to a 1:00.1 half but began to lose ground approaching three-quarters in 1:30.2. Into the final turn Ask For Me began to launch for the front with the outer tier faltering and collared Tami Blue at the finish to win by a quarter length. Witch Doctor, off a pocket trip, took third.
Owned by trainer Williams, Ask For Me won her second race from 12 starts this season and her eighth from 108 overall, earning $78,568. She paid $10.00 to win.
Williams’ grand slam also included a win by Tito Santanna ($3.20), who cruised to a nine-length score in 2:00.1 in a $1,850 claiming handicap pace.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Miami.