Rockin With Dewey has rapidly proved she can compete with the top trotting mares and Monday night she will look to get the best of her rivals in a leg of the Miss Versatility.

A solid field of nine will line up for $40,000 second leg of the Miss Versatility at Mohawk.

Leaving from post seven will be the Ben Baillargeon trainee, Rockin With Dewey, with Ben’s brother Mario in the bike. The daughter of Deweycheatumnhowe-Silky Celine has quickly proven she can hang with the top mares in the sport.

After a successful winter competing in conditioned events and the Lifetime Dream Series, Baillargeon gave the four-year-old a taste of the top level Grand Circuit competition in the Miami Valley Distaff back in May. Rockin With Dewey produced a second-place effort and hasn’t looked back, finishing no worse than third in her next four starts, including a third-place effort in the $266,000 Armbro Flight final on June 14.

“I think she stepped up to the plate a little more than I thought she would,” said Baillargeon. “I knew she would be a better mare, but every week she steps up to the plate more and more. I mean last race [in the Armbro Flight] she was parked every step of the way and [was] still coming on at the end, there is no end to her, she doesn’t quit.”

Rockin With Dewey had a solid three-year-old campaign winning six times in 22 starts and earning over $157,000 for Baillargeon and co-owner Diane Ingham of Mount Pleasant, Ont.

She rarely faced the top trotting fillies last year and therefore likely wasn’t on many radars as a contender this season. However, Baillargeon said a start at Woodbine following the second-place finish at Miami Valley proved to him that his mare was going to be a player.

“She was parked almost to the half at Woodbine in :56 and just got beat in [1]:53 [and change],” said Baillargeon, noting that despite several starts through the winter, the Grand Circuit races were always on his mind. “We raced her this winter and we didn’t try to drive her too hard because I knew I had some races coming up and so far so good, I’m very pleased.”

Rockin With Dewey has been knocking on the door against the top mares over the last couple months and she will get another crack on Monday night.

Five of the eight other mares competing on Monday started in the Armbro Flight final, including winner Classic Martine. Also in the field of nine is the 2013 Trotting Mare of the Year, Maven, who is making her first start in North America since returning from the Elitlopp in Sweden.

It will be another tough race for Rockin With Dewey, but Baillargeon knows his mare will compete.

“I wish I would have drawn inside Maven [who has post five] and Classic Martine [who has post six], but what can you do? It’s a race and she will race good, she’s ready.”

Rockin With Dewey’s close finishes in Grand Circuit events has earned her over $120,000 this season. Despite having not found the winner’s circle against the best yet, Baillargeon knows he can count on Rockin With Dewey to continue giving the top mares a run for their money.

“She comes to race every week that mare," he said. "When she is into go she wants to win, that’s what it is about her, she is feisty.”

Here is how the field will lineup for the second leg of the Miss Versatility on Monday night:

$40,000 Miss Versatility (Race 7)
Post - Horse - Driver
1. Dorsay – Sylvain Filion
2. Charmed Life – Jody Jamieson
3. Bax Of Life – Chris Christoforou
4. Upfrontluckycarol – Steve Condren
5. Maven – Yannick Gingras
6. Classic Martine – Tim Tetrick
7. Rockin With Dewey – Mario Baillargeon
8. Handover Belle – Jack Mosieyev
9. Cowgirl Hall – Doug McNair​

To view Monday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Monday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack.

(With files from WEG)