Anndrovette is among a group of five female pacers to win the Roses Are Red Stakes in back-to-back years. With a third victory in the race on Saturday, she would stand alone.
Anndrovette, a seven-year-old mare, is the 5-2 morning line favourite in Saturday’s $330,000 Roses Are Red Stakes for older female pacers at Mohawk Racetrack. She will start from Post 4 with regular driver Tim Tetrick at the lines for trainer P.J. Fraley.
Anndrovette, who won last year’s Roses Are Red in a stakes-record 1:48, heads into this season’s final off a 1:49.3 triumph in her elimination on June 7. She defeated Summertime Lea by one-quarter length thanks to a 26-second burst over the race’s last quarter mile. It was Anndrovette’s second consecutive win after posting one victory in her first six starts.
For the year, Anndrovette has won three of eight races, including the Betsy Ross Stakes on May 25, and earned $210,637 for owners Bamond Racing and Joseph Davino. She has 38 lifetime victories in 96 starts and $2.79 million in purse earnings.
“She’s come back around,” Tetrick said. “She qualified good (on May 16) and raced super in the Betsy Ross. I don’t think she was sharp earlier in the year. She just didn’t have her usual attitude. They gave her a little break and something clicked. I could tell in the post parade (of the Betsy Ross) that she was ready to go.”
Joining Anndrovette on the list of mares to win consecutive Roses Are Red Stakes are Armbro Feather (1988-89), Ellamony (1994-95), Eternal Camnation (2001-02), and Bunny Lake (2003-04).
Anndrovette is trying for her record fourth straight Dan Patch Award for best older female pacer. She is one of three three-time honourees, along with Eternal Camnation and Shady Daisy.
Somwherovrarainbow, who earlier this year became the fastest female pacer ever on a five-eighths-mile track (1:48 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs) and won the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers, is the 7-2 second choice in the Roses Are Red. In her Roses Are Red elim, Somwherovrarainbow finished second by a half-length to Yagonnakissmeornot in 1:50.1. Yagonnakissmeornot is the 4-1 third choice.
“There are some very good mares in there,” Tetrick said. “But (Anndrovette) seems like she’s back and charging now. She likes the Canadian air.”
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Mohawk, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Mohawk Racetrack.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.