Six of the eight divisions of the Spartan Stakes, worth a combined $228,056, resulted in new lifetime marks for their respective winners at the Midland County Fair on Saturday, Aug. 15.
Westwinds Yahtzee not only completed a double for trainer/driver LeWayne Miller with her 2:00.4 career-best win in the $28,333 three-year-old filly trot, but she also scored her second victory in as many days over the Midland half-mile oval.
The Celebrity Pegasus-Keep The Cash filly, who competes as a homebred for Samuel Eicher, rode the pocket behind divisional leader Weezabouttofindout (David Lake) through splits of :30.4, 1:01.1 and 1:31.3. She then angled off the pegs at the top of the home straight and used :29 late speed to prevail by three-quarters of a length, not 20 hours after posting a 2:03 win in a Michigan Colt Stakes Blue Division event. Claires Samone (Tim Roach) was placed up to third. Westwinds Yahtzee is now eight-for-15 lifetime.
Miller's other Spartan Stakes winner was Ride Or Dye (Bondi Hanover-Kwantum Key), who parried a sustained challenge from Lv Victorious (Anthony Gutierrez) before downing pocket foe Kirk (Kody Massey) by a length in a career-best 1:59.2. Lv Victorious was third in the $28,611 two-year-old male pace.
Driver Don Harmon and trainer Krista Harmon teamed up for a double, putting new lifetime marks on both of their winners. Snoop Doll (Medicine Man-Punks Embrace) swept three-wide up the backstretch en route to a one-length decision over Westwins Gold (Lewayne Miller) in 2:04.1 in the $28,333 rookie filly trot with Sunsetacresjourney (David Lake) third. As Big As You (Big Rigs-As You Are) mounted a first-over push and sprinted clear of Fire Bell (Joe Casagranda) by 5-1/4 lengths to win the $28,750 sophomore colt trot in 2:03. Lmf Joys Starchip (Jacob Schwartz) was third.
Brad Kramer also posted a driving double. He teamed Life Blue Bayou (Muscles For Life-Sister Maggie) to a 2:02.3 score in the $28,333 two-year-old male trot for trainer Maurice Goldschmidt Jr. The gelding was 4-1/2 lengths clear of Uncle Deacon (Tim Roach) with Golden Bachelor (David Kuzara) third. Kramer then won the $28,611 race for rookie pacing fillies with All The Best (Luck Be Withyou-Hickory Big Black) with a 1:58.3 effort for trainer Roach. All The Best had a 5-1/2-length margin on Honors Miracle (Kody Massey), who snagged second from Grace Slick (John Moody).
Ima Victorious (Captain Victorious-Ima Forget Me Not) captured the $28,333 sophomore filly pace as Ty Goodell steered her to a 1:59.1 win by a neck over Sallysmokingun (Tim Roach) for trainer Peter Otten with Supertonic (Kramer) third. Allamerican Beach (Wakazashi Beach-Graney) completed the Spartan Stakes action, sustaining a first-over push to upend What Ma Says (David Lake) by two lengths in 1:57.2 — the fastest mile of the meet — in the $28,750 pace for three-year-old males. Believeincaptain (Kody Massey) was third. Art McIlmurray piloted the winning gelding for trainer Al Tomlinson.
The two-day Midland stand began Friday with a 10-race Michigan Colt Stakes Blue Division program. Three driver/trainer tandems posted doubles: Jack Griffith drove Lewayne Miller trainees Westwinds Yahtzee and two-year-old pacing colt Westwins Eagle (2:02.1) to victory; driver Rick Dobson and trainer Monica Krist partnered to sweep the two-year-old male trotting divisions with Prince Of Paris (2:09.2) and Abc Moons Raptor (2:08.3); and Ty Goodell scored with two-year-old pacing filly Krypto Key (2:03.4) and three-year-old pacing gelding Hardt Faught (2:00) for trainer Kelly Goodwin. The other winners, all driven by their trainers, were rookie filly trotter Paragon Ladyluck (2:08.1) for Phil Peden, two-year-old pacing male Cheat Code (2:03) for Bob Rowland, sophomore gelded trotter Its Margaritatime (2:04.4) for Marshall Makin and three-year-old pacing miss Maize N Boo (2:00.2) for Tim Roach.
Racing moved to Alpena, in the northern end of the state, on Sunday with an 11-race Michigan Colt Stakes Green Division card. Tim Roach led all horsepeople with a training and driving grand slam, winning with two-year-old trotting filly Ena Sallys Girl (2:15.2), two-year-old pacing filly Fluke Affair (2:03), two-year-old pacing gelding Letsgo Captain (2:06.2) and three-year-old pacing gelding Captain Butch (2:02.2).
The Michigan fair circuit returns to action next Sunday, Aug. 23 and Monday, Aug. 24 at the Oceana County Fair, in Hart, Mich. Post time both days is 4 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association)