Test Of Faith, whose multiple Dan Patch Awards include the trophy for 2021 U.S. Horse of the Year, will begin her final season of racing on Saturday when she joins 10 mares in the $142,260 Perfect Sting Stakes for older female pacers at The Meadowlands.
The Perfect Sting is part of a stakes-loaded night at The Big M, which will be see a portion of its card shown nationally during the New York Racing Association’s “America’s Day at The Races” presentation from 8-11 p.m. on Fox Sports 2. Other stakes include the Dave Brower Memorial for older male pacers and the Crawford Farms Open and Six Pack Mare trots.
Test Of Faith begins her five-year-old season on Saturday having finished in the top three in 43 of 44 career races, winning 33. She has earned $2.49 million in purses for trainer Brett Pelling and owners Mel Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Eddie Gran.
At age three, Test Of Faith won 14 of 16 starts, finished second twice, and was named U.S. Horse of the Year. She became only the fourth three-year-old filly pacer to ever receive the honour. Last year, she won 11 times, paced the fastest mile in history by a four-year-old mare (1:47) and banked $928,768 to garner the Dan Patch Award for best older female pacer.
Only two female pacers in history have won a Dan Patch Award at either age twp or three and received multiple Dan Patch trophies at ages four and up: Eternal Camnation (1999 and 2001-03) and Loyal Opposition (2002 and 2004-05). Test Of Faith will try to join them this season.
“She’s doing well,” Pelling said about Test Of Faith. “She will be happy to get going. I know she was really happy when I took her to the qualifiers. Faith is Faith. She is ultra-competitive and knows when she’s on the grounds.”
Test Of Faith qualified twice with regular driver David Miller, most recently on June 17 at The Meadowlands, where she won in 1:51.4 with a :26.4 last quarter-mile.
“I would have qualified last week at The Meadowlands, but it was a super-long day [17 qualifiers for two-year-olds followed by four for older horses] and we weren’t too sure how the track was going to be [because of earlier rain]. She’s pretty fit anyway. She keeps herself well. She will be fine.”
Test Of Faith will start Saturday from post nine in a field of 11. She is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. Grace Hill, who brings an eight-race win streak to the Perfect Sting, is the 5-2 favourite. She enters the race off a victory in the Roses Are Red Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:47.4, the fastest mile ever for a female pacer in Canada. She will start from post four with Doug McNair driving for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. and owner Tom Hill.
Roses Are Red runner-up Silver Label, who starts from the second tier, is 9-2 with Scott Zeron in the sulky for trainer Nick Gallucci and breeder/owner Millar Farms.
The field also includes Betsy Ross winner Max Contract, Kentucky Sire Stakes champion Boudoir Hanover and retuning Dan Patch Award winner Treacherous Dragon.
Following the Perfect Sting, Test Of Faith will focus on the remaining Grand Circuit stakes available for pacing mares, including the Dorothy Haughton Memorial and Lady Liberty at The Meadowlands, the Milton at Mohawk, the Dayton Distaff Derby at Dayton, the Allerage at Red Mile and Breeders Crown at Hoosier Park.
“We only really planned on racing her nine or 10 times this year,” said Pelling. “That was sort of the game plan all along. That’s really all we want to do with her and then she will retire. She’s earned it. She’s earned it already.”
Pelling has always been an admirer of Test Of Faith and that hasn’t changed over time.
“She’s cool to be around,” he said. “She’s a neat horse. She’s just one of those horses; you just appreciate her. She’s a fully grown mare now, but her whole disposition has never changed. One thing I’ve learned about horses is that they pretty much are what they are from the first day you bring them in. She is a great example. She’s always been an athlete.”
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. at The Meadowlands.
The 3-1 morning-line favourite in the Dave Brower Memorial is Abuckabett Hanover while Its Academic gets the 2-1 nod in the Crawford Farms and Jiggy Jog S is the slight 7-5 choice ahead of Bella Bellini at 8-5 in the Six Pack.
For a free TrackMaster program for Saturday's card at the Big M, click here.
(USTA)