A filly with some fairly big horseshoes to fill made her first ever on-track appearance a successful one as Shake It Miki — the Always A Virgin full sister to harness racing's fastest horse, Always B Miki — debuted on Tuesday (May 15) in qualifying action at Harrah's Philadelphia.
With Andy Miller at the controls for trainer Joe Holloway, Shake It Miki sat third during the early going behind pacesetter Mount Royal (Tim Tetrick) through fractions of :28.3, 59.1 and 1:27.4. While nearly four lengths off the leader at three-quarters, a :29 closing quarter sealed the deal over the pacesetter for the win in 1:57.2.
Unraced at two, Shake It Miki (Always A Virgin - Artstopper) is a homebred owned by Roll The Dice Stable of Wilmington, Delaware. She's a sister to Always B Miki as well as millionaire and multiple stakes-winning pacing mare Yagonnakissmeornot.
Team 'Orange Crush' — driver Andy and wife-trainer Julie Miller — sent out a handful of winners on Tuesday, including a number of notable performers. Among those horses: 2017 Yonkers Trot winner Top Flight Angel made his four-year-old debut with a 17-length romp in 1:53.1; older trotting horse Tuonoblu Rex was 30 lengths the best in 1:53; and NYSS champ Obvious Blue Chip made her first appearance as an older pacing mare with a 1:53.1 mile, the best in her group by some 15-plus lengths.