Powering to the front in the final turn, Follow Your Nose strode to victory as the 1-9 favourite in the $19,380 Futurity Final at the Miami Fair on Saturday (Sept. 5) as part of a training hat trick for Trevor Williams.
Zippidy Zoom led the field to the quarter in :28.1 with Verns Wish parked alongside second. Verns Wish continued to apply minor pressure to Zippidy Zoom as they began to tire to a :58.3 half. By that point driver Phil Giesbrecht angled Follow Your Nose off the pylons from sixth and started to roll for the front approaching the backside.
Verns Wish dropped anchor while Follow Your Nose fired for the front up the backstretch, taking a narrow lead from pocket-popper Runaway Heiress by three-quarters in 1:30.1. From there the three-year-old filly by Toucam Sam extended her lead, finishing one length better than Runaway Heiress in 2:02.1 with Munchie Chris finishing fourth.
Co-owned by Trevor Williams with Michael Williams, Follow Your Nose won her seventh race from 14 starts this season and her ninth from 17 overall, earning $38,352. She paid $2.20 to win.
Williams started the card teaming up with Giesbrecht to win the $2,450 Open Pace with Gray Zee. The seven-year-old I Zee gelding sat off fractions of :28.3, :58.3 and 1:27.3 set by stablemate Outlaw Kismet. Launched three wide by Giesbrecht into the final turn, Gray Zee zipped to a four-length win in 1:56.3 over Appoggiatura and Outlaw Kismet.
Owned by Annabelle Pirie, Gray Zee won his third race from 11 starts this season and his 32nd from 152 overall, earning $161,540. He paid $2.60 to win.
The team of Giesbrecht and Williams later teamed to win the $2,000 Rose and Leon Memorial Pace with Heartlandbanysbro in a blowout. The four-year-old Armbro Baylor stallion led through fractions of :29.1, 1:00.1 and 1:30.1 in progress to a 1:58.4 win by 15 lengths for owner Williams.
Tami Blue took the $2,350 Fillies & Mares Open Pace again for owner-trainer-driver Clayton Braybrook. The six-year-old Blue Burner mare raced third as Dali Double set a pace of :29.4, 1:00.4 and 1:30 before Braybrook pulled his charge off the pylons to take the lead around the final turn. Into the stretch Tami Blue strode to a 2:01.1 win by a length over Sunshien Act with Ask For Me finishing third.
Winning her second race from 10 starts this season and her sixth from 51 overall, Tami Blue has earned $21,920. She paid $4.80 to win.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Miami.