Ron Adams is hoping that Smartygirl can provide him with a magical victory in the $43,100 final of the Girls Night Out Pacing Series this Friday at Mohawk Racetrack.
After finishing first and second in preliminary legs, Smartygirl is looking to give Adams, 26, his biggest payday as a trainer.
The daughter of Camluck has drawn Post 3. Doug McNair will be performing the driving duties once again.
“We drew inside, which was a big help,” Adams said. “She’s been racing very well recently and has been very consistent this season. Doug has been using her gate speed and driving her aggressively and she’s responded well.”
This is Adams' second stint training the five-year-old.
“She was quite the opposite of this year,” Adams said. “Before, she was the model of inconsistency, so she went to another trainer, Lorne House, to try her luck, then returned back to me earlier this year. She would race terrific one week and very poor the next. It seems the opposite this season.”
The proof is in the pudding, as Smartygirl has banked $37,110 this season with a 5-5-5 record from 26 starts. Her seasonal resume is a terrific result compared to her 2-1-1 record from 13 starts last season, where she banked $10,030 in earnings.
“Maybe she just has matured and figured it all out,” said the resident of Lasalle, Ont. “She’s not a big mare, but has a terrific gait, a big heart and right now she’s very confident.”
Adams, who currently trains six horses, says that Smartygirl is the ideal horse to have in the barn.
“She’s very easy to get along with,” he says. “She’s easy to train, she’s quiet and very low maintenance. She wears a 59 ½ inch hopple, which is pretty big considering her size. There really isn’t anything not to like about her.”
Twelve pacing fillies and mares will line up for the dash on Friday, and Adams believes Smartygirl is a top contender.
“It looks like Ferrari Sena is the horse to beat, but she drew Post 11 again, which benefits us,” says Adams. “Our mare has been racing at her best lately and if we can get a similar trip like we did two starts ago (winning in 1:52.1, a new lifetime best) where she kind of got away on the field, we have a good shot. You have to be concerned about all the horses in the race any time there’s big money on the line, but we’re coming into the race in great form.”
Dr. David Fisher of Windsor owns Smartygirl, a 12-time winner with $104,325 in career earnings.
The field for the final, which takes place in race five, will line up as follows:
1) Cards That Count
2) Trama Unit
3) Smartygirl
4) Hat Trick Honey
5) Mia Seelster
6) Lady Latte
7) Cndiana Jones
8) Smashbox
9) Back Yard Baby
10) Jonsie Jones
11) Ferrari Sena
12) Boat House Row
The series is for four-year-old mares that are non-winners of $30,000 in 2013 as of June 30, 2013. Winners over $100,000 in 2012 are not eligible.
To view the harness racing entries for Friday at Mohawk, click the following link: Friday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack.
(WEG)