With the popularity of women’s golf, woman’s soccer and women’s boxing an effort has been made to further women’s harness racing.
Four years ago, a series named for the late Mildred Williams -- a winner of over 500 races and a pioneer in getting the United States and Canadian Trotting Associations to license women drivers -- initially met with such good success in Canada that it was expanded to include United States.
According to Ann Curran, the organizer of the event, the Mildred Williams International Women’s Driving Series is somewhat similar to the CKG Billings Amateur Driving Classic with the major difference being that it is for fully licensed women only and any licensed female can compete.
“There are no minimum participation requirements and no entry fees and we use a point system similar to the Billings," said Curran. "The Mildred Williams Series is meant to provide opportunity, encourage participation and provide marketing opportunities to try to reach the to the missing demographic of women as race fans.”
On Tuesday, June 16, Monticello Raceway will host another leg of the Mildred Williams International Women’s Driving Series. On February 17, 2009, the track's annual Lady Godiva Pace served as a leg of the of the series for the first time, and, like that contest, the event on June 16 will also serve as a fundraiser for National Breast Cancer Research.
Eight talented female drivers will lock horns in the fourth race on the June 16 betting card, and will in the process earn points toward the possibility of competing in the series finale, where only the top point earners will be eligible to compete.
Doreen Dailey, who won the Lady Godiva Pace in February, currently is third in points in this season’s Mildred Williams Series with 13, just one point behind leaders Kelly Case and Dawn Anderson. However, neither Case nor Anderson will be driving at Monticello, but unfortunately for Dailey, she has drawn Post 8 with the 12-1 rated Amandas Knight.
Terry Donnelly will handle the 5-2 morning line favourite, Duncan Hall, and leave from Post 3, though both Anne Schlichtig and Stacy Chiodo will be in hot pursuit. The former will handle Braedens Drive (Post 5) while the latter will be up behind Financial Aid (Post 6).
The women driving will be donating their driving percentages to the National Breast Cancer Foundation
(With files from Monticello)