Follow Your Nose played follow the leader en route to victory in the 2020 Lady Crocus for three-year-old pacing fillies at the Miami Fair on Saturday (July 18).
A field of seven was reduced to six with the scratch of Sunset Memory as the six fillies competed for a purse of $12,552. Baylor Out Babe (Marc Fillion) used the newfound rail position to leave stoutly and be forwardly placed, but that tandem yielded to Follow Your Nose and driver Don Howlett. After a :29.4 opener, Howlett stole a supersoft second quarter and hit the half in 1:03.3.
Miso Classy (Dean Rey) tried to pressure the pace but Follow Your Nose wasn't in a mood to give up the lead and increased her speed to hit the third station in 1:34.1. Miso Classy dropped back into the pocket to possibly reset for a second rally but Follow Your Nose was too good and hit the wire some five lengths the best in 2:04.1. Miso Classy was best of the rest in second with Runaway Heiress (Darryl Mason) in the show spot.
Owned by Michael Williams along with trainer Trevor Williams of Winnipeg, Man. Follow Your Nose (Toucan Sam - Starshine Jet) picked up her third win of the season and fifth lifetime to lift her career bankroll to $20,581.
The Lady Crocus is co-sponsored by Standardbred Canada & Manitoba Standardbred Sires & Breeders Association (MSSBA).
Wrangler Cash was able to repeat his success from the season opener with a win in 2:00.4 in the $2,450 Open Pace. Mitch Rey sat the pocket with Wrangler Cash behind Outlaw Kismet (Jacques Lambert) through panels of :28.3 and :59 before popping pocket down the backstretch and challenging through a 1:29.1 third panel. Wrangler Cash wrestled the lead from the stubborn pacesetter and held sway down the stretch to trip the timer in 2:00.4 over Senga Savannah (Tyler Grundy) and Outlaw Kismet.
Don Howlett trains Alberta Sire Stakes graduate Wrangler Cash (As Promised - W Jean), now a 21-time winner for Wanda Howlett of Winnipeg and Blair Kidd of Miniota, Man.
Sprinttothefinish lived up to her name in the $2,350 Fillies & Mares Open for owner-trainer-driver Cory Manning. After fronting the field through fractions of :30.2, 1:02.1 and 1:32.1, Sprinttothefinish kicked home in :31.2 to hold off favoured Somewhere Ideal (Howlett) to win by a quarter of a length in 2:03.3.
A third-place finisher in the 2019 Lady Crocus, Sprinttothefinish (Armbro Baylor - Casimir Hotpants) picked up her fourth win from just nine lifetime starts. The win gives her $7,674 in purse earnings.
The card of harness racing at Miami also witnessed a first of its own as local trainer Tara Isman picked up her first career training win. Don Howlett guided Hokie Dokie to his first victory of the season for Isman, who also co-owns the four-year-old son of Riverboat King with Garrett Isman of Winnipeg.
To view the results from Saturday card of harness racing at Miami, click the following link: Saturday Results - Miami Fair.