When James and Patricia Crawford bred Classy Speed to Conway Hall and the mare dropped a filly one might assume that the Crawford’s were Beatles fans when they named the offspring Love Me Do

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Now owned by Albert and Michelle Crawford and Patricia Crawford, Love Me Do turned in the fastest clocking in the four $12,200 NYSS late closer trots for freshman fillies. Gates Brunet drove her to a three-length triumph in 2:02.2 in the first division at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday afternoon.

Sent off as second choice in the six-horse field, Love Me Do turned back the 3-5 favourite, Steuben Lone Pine, and driver Dave Fisher to score for the second time in nine seasonal starts. The win helped lift her bankroll to over $25,000.

When Brunet brought the filly back for a winner’s circle photograph Love Me Do was nervous, fidgety and rearing up constantly, so the picture was snapped in a hurry.

Brunet was asked if she was like that when he was breaking her as a yearling he laughed and said,” No, she was a lot worse!”

Dan Daley, fresh off a very nice evening at Saratoga Raceway in the rich New York Sires Stakes Finals last Saturday where he won one and was second in another, returned to the winner’s circle when he reined Lady Lois to a 2:04 triumph in the second NYSS late closer split.

Third Mortgage and driver Brian Cross cut the fractions but they were gobbled-up in the stretch by Lady Lois and they had to settle for second money.

The winner, a daughter of Conway Hall-Shan Riches, scored her third seasonal triumph for owners Daley, Lombardo, Pergament and Taylor.

In a third division, the undefeated Enough Kash, who was 14-for-14, tasted defeat for the first time in her fledgling career. She made a break on the first turn and was never a factor. In that event Stephane Bouchard picked up the drive behind Lady Crown and made the best of it, reining the Cash Hall-Sharon Crown filly to a 2:03.4 triumph for Pine Hill Stable of Cohocton, NY.

Silica, another Cash Hall filly finished second for Gates Brunet in a race in which four of the six starters were daughters of Cash Hall.

A final division went to Nova Empress and Brian Cross in a 2:05.4 clocking. They surged by the pacesetter, Miss Eva Cash, and driver Greg Merton in the deep stretch.

In that contest the 1-9 favourite, Cowgirl Hall, went off-stride on the first turn and was easily 25 lengths behind the field at that point. Amazingly, that Cash Hall filly kept making up ground. Although she finished eight lengths behind the winner, she still was able to take home the show dough.

Nova Empress, yet another Cash Hall filly, is owned by Calvin Lasher. She paid $22.60 for win in the six-horse field.

(Monticello Raceway)