Hambletonian Oaks runner-up Lady Rainbow will be looking for her first 2011 win in the $233,400 Moni Maker Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies on Friday, September 16 at the Meadows

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Her 0-for-8 record this season, which includes runner-up honours in the Hambletonian Oaks, Simcoe Stakes, American-National Stakes and Hudson Filly Trot puts her in the running for the dubious honour of horse with the highest purse earnings, but no wins, in a single season.

The 'record' is currently held by Sand Vic, with $520,429 and no wins in 14 starts in 2005. Watta Hotshot made $566,594 while losing his first 19 races of 2007, but did not end the season winless.

Lady Rainbow has $403,457 this year, thanks to being seven times second or third.

“Yes! I knew there was something she was in the running for,” co-owner/trainer/driver Rick Zeron said with a laugh. “Geez, if it’s going to make headlines, then let’s do it.”

Zeron claims full blame for the most recent race not won by Lady Rainbow, when she made a break at the quarter-mile mark in the Simcoe before getting back on stride to trot a :27 last quarter to finish second by a half-length.

“It was a five-horse field, and I just let her drift off the gate,” Zeron said. “She was kind of lollygagging and sleeping and she just turned her head and made a break on me coming out of the first turn. I went, ‘Oh, geez, what are you doing this for now?’ Then she came back and I don’t know what she trotted her last three-quarters in, but she came home in (:)27 flat.”

Zeron is optimistic that this week’s race, with Lady Rainbow starting from Post 7 in a nine-horse field, will be the first win of the year for her.

“What I need is some speed from my filly for Friday because I didn’t draw good,” Zeron said. “She’ll be fine this week, that was 1,000 per cent my fault she made a break last time. It’s very uncharacteristic of her to make a break. I will probably not be dropping inside (to the Meadows’ passing lane). I’ll probably let her float out three or four wide and let her trot from there.”

Zeron and Lady Rainbow are based at Mohawk Racetrack, west of Toronto, but he says the trips to New Jersey, Chicago, New York and now Pittsburgh do not bother her a bit and that the filly has spacious accommodations.

“I bought a four-horse trailer,” Zeron said. “She has her own rig and I absolutely let her do whatever she wants to do. She stands in the four-horse trailer by herself. She has a pail of water and she’s loose in a four-horse trailer. Lies down, whatever she wants to do. She has the whole trailer to herself.

“Whatever it’s going to be, it’s going to be. If she wants to step up and be a big girl, she’s going to have to overcome a lot of elements with the seven hole. She’s probably going to get away eighth, or if a horse makes a break, maybe seventh. She’ll probably be third or fourth over and she’s going to have to trot her last quarter in (:) 27 to win the race.”

The Moni Maker field also includes American-National winner Iron Lady, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Caitrin Hall, and Zweig Memorial Filly division winner Beatgoeson Hanover.

Following is the field in post position order, with listed drivers and trainers:

1 - Caitrin Hall - David Miller - Tony Alagna
2 - Iron Lady - Dave Palone - Jean Dubois
3 - Beatgoeson Hanover - David Miller - Steven Bryden
4 - Creme De Cocoa - D.R. Ackerman - D.R. Ackerman
5 - Devilish Emerald - Brian Zendt - William Zendt
6 - E L Glamour - Riina Rekila - Riina Rekila
7 - Lady Rainbow - Rick Zeron - Rick Zeron
8 - Cashmere N Caviar - Dave Palone - Michael Palone
9 - Firstclassprincess - Brian Sears - Trond Smedshammer

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.