The post time favourite, Artimatteslife, notched her fourth straight victory in the $122,500 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park on Saturday night.
The three-year-old bay filly, sired by Art Major, moved to the outside and engaged in a duel with leader Slaley (Tony Hall) for the final 3/8 of a mile before prevailing by a head in 1:54. Artimittateslife took the lead at three-quarters, but Slaley battled back to regain a short lead at the head of the stretch before driver Brett Miller found another gear with the winner.
Artimittateslife is owned by trainer Robert Young, in partnership with Paul Gazzola of Guelph and Brian Barton of Carlisle, Ont. The win, her 10th in 15 seasonal starts, pushed her 2008 earnings to $540,389.
On the Courageous Lady undercard, the $25,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championship for veteran pacers went to Chuck Grubbs' Stringtowner, also piloted by Brett Miller.
The seven-year-old Towners Big Guy gelding powered three-wide at 5/8 to take the lead and then rolled to a 27.4 closing panel to win in 1:52.4 over B T Attack (Matt Kakaley) and Camcoder (Aaron Merriman).
Steve Carter trains Stringtowner, who has now won $246,335 in his career. Brett Miller piloted the winner.
(With files from Northfield Park)