The women will be coming from near and far just to compete in Monticello Raceway’s 10th annual Lady Godiva Pace on Monday, May 14

. The event, which will be the fourth leg of the track’s Heritage Drivers Series, is specifically for female drivers.

Arguably the most excited, despite having to come in all the way from greater Chicago, is Michelle Ruvola, who will be making her Lady Godiva debut. She will not only handle the favourite in the race (B Major), but she’ll have the pleasure of starting from the pole position.

“I’ve raced at Monticello in the past in the Billings Series where most of the drivers were men. Now a race with all women will be different and I’m looking forward to it, especially when I have rail and the favorite in the race,” Ruvola uttered.

Last year’s winner, Lisa Krom, will be up behind 3-1 East Tower, who comes into the event off a 2:00 victory in her last start. They’ll leave from the three hole.

Betsy Phillips, one of the top female drivers in sport and 'Queen' of the 'Mighty M' with 550 lifetime victories, will handle 9-2 Velvety Smooth from the two hole; and with a good journey, she figures to be in the thick of it.

Perhaps the sleeper in the race is 8-1 Western Dancing, who will get a substantial drop in class when she starts in the Lady Godiva. Whitney Goodblood, in from Vernon Downs, will do the driving from Post 5.

Another first time Lady Godiva starter, Mariyah Mulvey, like Michelle Ruvola, will be winging in from Chicago. A resident of Henderson, Nevada with aspirations of attending medical school. Mulvey who won her last race at Balmoral Park, will drive 5-1. True Gritty and leave from Post 4.

Veronica Merton will be handling 4-1 Lightning Madison, even though they’ll be starting on the far outside in Post 7.

And coming in from northern New Jersey is Rutgers University professor Dr. Karyn Malinowski, who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the harness racing industry in the Garden State. An avid fan of the sport and an amateur driver, Dr. Malinowski drew 10-1 shot Trance N and will have to start from the six-hole.

Unfortunately for Terry Donnelly, her horse, Yes We Did ,was an early scratch.

In all, seven will line-up behind the mobile starting gate, and when the race becomes official one thing will be for sure: a women will be the winner.

The Lady Godiva will be Race 6 on the 'Mighty M's May 14 race card, and the winner will earn a berth in the series finale --- the all America Cup --- to be raced later this fall.

As in all Heritage Drivers Series events, driving assignments like post positions, are drawn by lot.

First-race post time is 12:50 p.m., with the Lady Godiva going to the post at approximately 2:25 p.m.

(Monticello)