Two fillies that have proven to be best in their respective states will collide Saturday night in the $125,000 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park. The Grand Circuit race is an open event for North America’s top three-year-old filly pacers and once again has attracted an impressive slate of talent.

Wisdom Tree, the Empire State monster, was not staked to the race but her connections decided to pay $11,500 (supplement and starting fee) to be able to go postward in the event. She drew post six and has been named the 2-1 early favourite by Northfield Park Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting Dave Bianconi.

A Courageous Lady victory would push Wisdom Tree’s earnings in excess of $500,000. The Jeff Cullipher trainee has posted 11 victories in 15 starts this year, including a 1:49.4 win at Hoosier Park. Harness driving star Matt Kakaley, who kick started his career at Northfield Park, will drive.

The Buckeye State champion, Baron Remy, checks in as the 3-1 morning line second choice. She starts from post three for harness racing’s leading trainer Ron Burke. Baron Remy last raced at Northfield Park in August, when she won a $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Division and posted her 1:52 lifetime mark. Chris Page drove her in that effort and is slated to drive her again on Saturday.

$125,000 Courageous Lady
1. Cult Icon
2. Dragon Lady Art
3. Baron Remy
4. Bad Girls Rule
5. Kitty Kitty Hawk
6. Wisdom Tree
7. Strong Opinion
8. Aims Whisper

This year’s Courageous Lady is the 11th of a 16-race program. A $7,500 guaranteed Pick-4 pool has been added to the night. The guaranteed Pick-4 will begin with the Courageous Lady.

The undercard consists of eight $60,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Consolations and Foiled Again, harness racing’s richest horse with career earnings of $7,599,143, will make his final start over the Flying Turns in race 10.

In addition to superior racing action, the evening will also offer guests a $19.95 buffet in Lady Luck’s clubhouse dining room from 6-9 p.m. Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling 330.467.4101.

The evening’s promotions include Instant Win, an Oktoberfest Stein Hoist Competition with a $500 top prize, Beer Slide and driver T-shirt toss from the winner’s circle.

First race post time is 6 p.m. Admission and parking are always FREE at Northfield Park.

HISTORY OF THE COURAGEOUS LADY

The race is named after one of the finest and most popular pacing fillies ever to compete on Northfield Park’s Flying Turns - Courageous Lady.

The poignant story behind the race revolves around the late Ruth Cohen of Mayfield Heights. In 1977, Julian Cohen, a Cleveland attorney and avid harness racing fan, paid $35,000 for the two year-old filly Courageous Lady for his sister Ruth, who had been diagnosed with cancer and given only two years to live. “We bought Courageous Lady midway through the filly’s two year-old season and Ruth loved that horse,” said Mr. Cohen, who himself passed away in 1997. “We followed her to all of her races. Ruth lived another eight years, primarily because of her horse.”

Courageous Lady, an Ohio-sired daughter of Captain Courageous from the mare Painter Pam, earned $418,256 between 1977 and 1981. She took a time-trial mark of 1:54.4 and twice equaled the 1:55.2 world record of the famed Silk Stockings. Among her other illustrious accomplishments, Courageous Lady became the first Ohio Sires Stakes champion to defend her title. She won numerous stakes in the United States and Canada, setting multiple stakes and national season’s standards.

As a broodmare, Courageous Lady produced two outstanding offspring prior to her untimely passing in 1989 at age 14. The filly Uptown Swell as a 1:54.2 performer with career earnings of $728,135, and Courageous Legacy, a Sonsam stallion, garnered a 1:52.2 lifetime record while banking over $183,000 for owner Julian Cohen.

Northfield Park is proud to honor Ruth Cohen and the great mare, Courageous Lady. The outstanding fields of distaff talent annually assembled for the Courageous Lady are a fitting tribute for two of racing’s most memorable and truly courageous ladies.

(Northfield Park)