Mikayla Rose had little patience for the pre- and post-race festivities, but she was all business during Friday’s $26,200 championship of the Red Star Hottie Pace for three-year-old fillies, completing a series sweep and earning a lifetime mark in the process
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Tony Hall, who piloted Mikayla Rose to all three series victories, knew his most important job was to keep the high-spirited daughter of Ponder-Northern Rose calm as the final neared.
“Keeping her relaxed before the race is a job — she’s a handful,” said Hall. “You see the best of her during the race. Tonight she was stretched to basically past the three-eighths, and she just hung tough. She’s an awesome filly.”
Mikayla Rose used an extended quarter-pole move to grab the lead and drew off from there to prevail by two lengths in 1:54.1. Elegant Desire raced well first over for second while Brookie B Quik rallied from last for show.
Mikayla Rose couldn’t be persuaded to pose for a winner's circle photo, so trainer Justin Lebo headed a committee that wrangled the still-fired-up winner safely to a stall.
“The winner's circle is always drive by with her; it takes a couple people to handle her after the race,” said Lebo. “She gets that from her mother, who was high strung. She’s fine in the barn, and she shows a little bit of class on the track.
“We taught her a couple things at two but basically took it easy on her. We always thought she had talent, but she never showed anything like this.”
John Glassford of Amherstburg, Ont. and Gary Smith of Burlington, Ont. bred and own Mikayla Rose, who will be pointed to upcoming Pennsylvania Sires Stakes.
In the $22,500 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Pace, Forever Ivy pulled the pocket early for Ray Paver but made the move stand up, scoring in 1:53.2. The Assassinator came first over for second, a head back, with Tremor Hanover a closing third.
Charlie Norris trains Forever Ivy, a five-year-old daughter of Stand Forever-Shes A Ruff One, who surpassed $200,000 in career earnings, for owner-breeder Rebecca Ewin of Apple Creek, Ohio.
Hall and Eric Ledford each drove three winners on the 15-race card.
(With files from The Meadows)