Justin Irvine gave Princess Rougarou a heads-up drive as she doubled up in the Northville Downs’ featured $10,800 Mares Open Pace on Friday night (April 28).
Eight-year-old Princess Rougarou and Irvine got away fifth off the car from their outside post position. Early pacesetter Cousin Margie (Lindsay Moen) cleared to the front from post five, but as she came out of the turn to the backstretch she made a break in stride, which stacked up the field behind her. Irvine and his charge were able to avoid the mess and cleared to the lead. I Choose You (Marc St. Louis Jr.) was able to skirt around the faltering Cousin Margie to take over second going to the quarter pole while the rest of the field settled down behind them. Princess Rougarou proved too good and never looked back while opening up down the lane to win by 3-3/4 lengths over I Choose You and Come On Over. The final clocking for the mile was 1:57.3 over a track rated sloppy.
Princess Rougarou earned her 31st career victory and her second consecutive Open win. The daughter of Big Bad John out of Hammers Princess is owned and trained by Will Johnson and was bred in Michigan by George Hensley Jr.
The $9,000 Mares Open 2 was captured by Coqui Coqui, also guided to victory by 21-year-old Irvine, as the pair went wire to wire, winning by a 7-1/4-length margin in 1:56.1 over rivals Tora The Explorer (David Lake) and Summer Lovesginger (Kim Pluta).
On the night, Irvine and Kody Massey led the way as each had driving doubles.
Harness racing at The Ville resumes Saturday, April 29 at 7 p.m. Live racing continues every Friday and Saturday evening now through Sept. 30.
(With files from Northville Downs)