The track at Northside Downs scores six horses wide, and each path was occupied in the both the start and the finish of the $2,500 J.A. Ferguson Memorial Series Final on Saturday (July 27) at Northside Downs.
Showing her come-from-behind win at odds of 17-1 in the Ferguson elimination was no fluke, Nikes Cowgirl picked off all her rivals in the stretch to win the Ferguson Final in a time of 1:58.3.
Driver Jamie Struthers allowed seven rivals to race in front of him early as Brother John (Randy Getto) made the first call in :28.2. Approaching the half, Dreamfair Van Dam (Gerard Kennedy) tipped out from fourth with a backfield starting to move. Kennedy surely didn't expect to be third over at the half as both pocket-sitting Makes Me Stupid (Rodney Gillis) and Accelerator (Greg Sparling) also moved off the wood and into the outer flow at the :57.4 halfway point.
The field would become very tightly grouped at the 1:27.2 third station with Brother John clinging to a short lead over Makes Me Stupid and a cavalry charge behind him. Accelerator angled three-wide, and Wildcat Jet (Mark Pezzarello) followed that flow into the four path. Nikes Cowgirl was on the back of Wildcat Jet into that final turn, tipping off that helmet and pushed widest of all into the six path and almost in the grandstand with the fans. It looked to be anyone's race turning for home, with announcer Shane Ryan hardly able to believe the stretch drive in front of him. Nikes Cowgirl had the most left in the tank and crossed the wire more than a length to the good in 1:58.3. Wildcat Jet just nosed out Makes Me Stupid for third.
Trained and owned by James N. Struthers of Port Morien, N.S., Nikes Cowgirl (Brandons Cowboy - Nikes Magic) picked up her third win of her six-year-old season and 22nd lifetime. The winner's share of the purse lifts her lifetime earnings to $20,178.
For the results from Saturday's card of harness racing at Northside, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.