Perhaps it was the falling rain or the wet racetrack, but whatever it was Tracys Song had to reach for something extra to score her 14th consecutive victory at Monticello Raceway on Monday, April 29.

Although driver Bruce Aldrich Jr. had to use the eight-year-old mare hard at the start of the race to get to the lead, Tracys Song used pure grit to rebuff the late challenge by Eagle Hilarious and driver Jimmy Taggart Jr. to eke-out a head victory in 2:01 over the soggy racecourse.

“She won it on sheer heart,” Aldrich said.

“We opened up a few lengths on the final turn as she has been doing, but by mid-stretch she was flat and struggling. I don’t know if she didn’t like the (racetrack’s) footing or the mud hitting her belly, all I know is that she would not let Jimmy’s horse (Eagle Hilarious) get by her.

“This mare has a heart as big as she is.”

Now with 14 seasonal triumphs, Tracys Song continues to lead North America in races won this year, some three more than runners-up Haroun Hanover (another 'Mighty M' pacer) and Tagmaster.

Owned by Nancy Fugere of Westbrookville, New York and trained by Bob Lounsbury, Tracys Song was sent off at odds of 2-5 and returned $2.80 on a successful Win wager.

If she wins her next start at Monticello, Tracys Song will equal the track record of 15 wins in a row, which was set in 2010 by Northern Chief and driver Mike Merton.

(Monticello)