The $120,000 Courageous Lady goes to post this Saturday (Oct. 17) at MGM Northfield Park. The Grand Circuit race is an open event for North America’s top three-year-old pacing fillies, and it highlights an impressive card offering more than $780,000 in purses.
Introducing this year’s field:
Dance Club drew the rail in this year’s Courageous Lady. This sophomore daughter of A Rocknroll Dance is one of two fillies in this field for harness racing’s leading trainer Ron Burke. She is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, D. Wills and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Dance Club enters the Courageous Lady off two straight wins at Harrah’s Philadelphia, including a 1:52 lifetime best in the $30,000 Liberty Bell on Sept. 25. Her career bankroll is $132,768. Chris Page will drive this 7-2 second choice.
Keystone Eureka drew post 2 and has been installed as a 6-1 shot. She races out of the Ryan Miller stable and is trained at the Great Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville, Ohio. This Jugette contender attracts Aaron Merriman, the leading driver in North America. Keystone Eureka just missed in her most recent race, pacing home in :26.3 at The Red Mile. This daughter of Somebeachsomewhere is owned by Miller Racing Stable. She has a career best of 1:52.4 taken at The Meadows, and a $114,375 bankroll.
Perfect Storm is this field’s 3-1 favorite and has drawn post 3 for trainer Robert McIntosh and owners Robert McIntosh Stables and Dave Boyle. Driving superstar David Miller returns to his native Buckeye State to drive. Perfect Storm enters this event off a runner-up performance in a $112,500 stake race at The Red Mile, pacing in 1:49 with a :26.2 final quarter. Perfect Storm took her 1:51.1 mark at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and she has amassed $166,862 in earnings.
Ellagator is the lone Ohio-bred in this year’s edition. Chris Mc Guire trains this daughter of Western Vintage for owner Howard Taylor. At 20-1, she is the longest shot in the field and enters this race off a 1:53 lifetime best at Hollywood Dayton Raceway. Tony Hall travels to MGM Northfield Park to drive in this Grand Circuit event. This filly has earned $163,512.
JK Finendandy will start from post 5 and has been installed as a 10-1 long shot. This filly is trained by Jennifer Bongiorno. JK Finendandy had a slow start to the 2020 season but has won three of her last four starts All three of those wins where stake races at Freehold Raceway. Joe Bongiorno will drive for owners Mark Graber, Jason Graber, Loren Schmucker and Brookside Stables. She enters with $160,496 in earnings and a mark of 1:54 taken at Freehold.
Pettycoat Business is the lone filly that supplemented to this race. She is one of two fillies in this field trained by Brian Brown, this one for owners M. Robinson, R. Mondillo, RBH Ventures and Gilbilly Standardbreds. This daughter of Art Major did not race last year and has won three of 11 starts this year, finishing nine times in the top three. She has $104,023 in earnings and a 1:50.3 record taken at The Red Mile. Local fan favourite Ronnie Wrenn Jr. will be in the sulky. Pettycoat Business is a 6-1 shot that enters this race off her lifetime best.
Blazin Grace starts from post 7 and is 15-1. She is one of two fillies in this field trained by Brian Brown at the historic Delaware County Fairgrounds. Blazin Grace is owned by Country Club Acres, J. Sbrocco, Rich Lombardo and L&H Management Services. Ryan Stahl has been listed to drive. This Sweet Lou filly did not race as a freshman and has six victories this year, $72,487 in earnings, and a 1:51.4 lifetime mark taken at Harrah's Philadelphia.
Drama Act drew the far outside in this year’s Courageous Lady. This Well Said daughter is the second filly in this race for trainer Ron Burke. She is owned by The OK Corral. Drama Act has won seven of 14 lifetime starts. She sports $165,482 in career earnings and a 1:50 mark taken at The Meadows. Matt Kakaley travels in to drive this 9-2 third favourite.
This year’s Courageous Lady has been slated as race 12 on a 16-race program. A $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 pool has been added to the night. The guaranteed Pick-4 will begin in race 11.
The undercard will feature eight $75,000 Ohio Sires Stakes consolations and Northfield’s annual Lady Drivers Challenge featuring all female drivers.
(MGM Northfield Park)