"There's a gear that the other ones don't have right now, and she's showing it."
Those words from Hall of Famer Randy Waples as with a devastating stretch brush, Test Of Faith delivered to her connections and supporters with a sharp score in the 2022 Roses Are Red Final as part of the Pepsi North America Cup undercard on Saturday (June 18) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Gias Surreal (Bob McClure) fronted the field through fractions of :26.3, :55 and 1:22.4 without any rivals looking her in the eye. Test Of Faith, bet down to 1/2, started her first over challenge before the half and flushed out Lit De Rose (Louis-Philippe Roy) from fourth to provide some cover through that middle half.
Turning for home, it appeared that Gias Surreal might have given herself enough separation on the field. David Miller, driver of Test Of Faith, wasn't worried.
"Actually, I felt pretty good," said Miller on how he felt turning for home. "I know her so well, and she was just going up with her cover so nice and easy, and I felt pretty confident."
Indeed, Miller's assessment was spot on. Test Of Faith breezed by her rivals in the stretch with a sizzling final quarter to hit the wire a length the best in 1:50.1. Fire Start Hanover (Dexter Dunn) skimmed up the rail to just get by a determined Gias Surreal for second.
"I'd have to say she's probably the best mare I've ever sat behind," stated Miller.
Brett Pelling trains Test Of Faith (Art Major - Cannae Cammie) for Melvin Segal of Charlotte, N.C., Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Eddie Gran of Lexington, Ky. The four-year-old sports a sensational summary of 25-4-0 from 20 career starts with earnings of $1.76 million. She paid $3.00 to win.
As part of the 2022 Pepsi North America Cup undercard, a number of stakes and open class events were contested. Recaps of the evening's other stakes are available below:
- Forbidden Trade Fires In Free For All
- Jimmy Freight Reclaims Gold Cup Crown
- Fast As The Wind Breezes Home In Goodtimes
- Treacherous Dragon Too Hot In Fan Hanover
- Atlanta Returns To Armbro Flight Glory
- Pebble Beach Wins 2022 Pepsi North America Cup
For the results from the 2022 Pepsi North America Cup night card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.