During these early fall days, Nancy Johansson might be shuttling around North America at a speed that outpaces the harness horses that she trains.
Johansson was in Kentucky last weekend to race at the Red Mile and to also take the rubber band off the bankroll at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.
She’s since returned to her home base in New Jersey, but will be in the Toronto area this weekend to prepare members of her stable for the upcoming Breeders Crown races at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Then there’s JK American Beauty, a moderate three-year-old pacing filly that Johansson trains. JK American Beauty has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favourite to win Saturday’s $120,000 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park.
“I can’t be there, but I’ll be watching on my phone or my computer,” said Johansson. “We call JK American Beauty our ATM machine. She always gets a cheque.”
The daughter of American Ideal, a homebred for the 3 Brothers Stable of New York City, has finished no worse that third in 20 of her 26 lifetime starts. Only four of the on-the-board finishes have been victories, none for more than a $60,000 purse, but Johansson takes the lack of winner’s circle visits in stride.
“It’s a little frustrating, and yes the seconds and third do pile up, but in the long run she’s been consistent. She always tries and I’m fine with her record.”
JK American Beauty drew Post 5 for the Courageous Lady and will be driven by Brett Miller.
Their main foe might be So Awesome, the race’s richest entrant (with a bankroll of $446,113). A winner of eight of 23 career starts, So Awesome drew Post 3 and will be driven by Dave Palone, harness racing’s all-time winningest driver with 18,953 victories.
The Courageous Lady has been programmed as the ninth race on the 14-dash Northfield Park card that also includes a pair of $75,000 Ohio Sires Stakes finals and two divisions of ‘The Pace for the Cure,’ which will feature all female drivers.
As for Johansson, she collected a world record Sunday at the Red Mile when her pupil Manchego won the $69,500 What the Hill Allerage Farms Mare Trot in 1:49, an all-age mark. The previous record was 1:49.1 set earlier this year by Atlanta at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
The night before, Johansson led all buyers at the Lexington Standardbred sale, as she spent a total of $1.98-million on eight yearlings for various owners. Her most expensive purchase was $800,000 for Some Terror, a son of Somebeachsomewhere.
The post positions rundown for the Courageous Lady appears below.
Horse – Trainer – Driver – Morning Line Odds
1 - Shes Allright - Ron Burke - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - 10-1
2 - Skater Chick - Mark Harder - Corey Callahan - 9-2
3 - So Awesome - Scott Di Domenico - Dave Palone - 3-1
4 - Under The Hood - Nick Surick - Brady Galliers - 15-1
5 - JK American Beauty - Nancy Johansson - Brett Miller - 5-2
6 - Crazy Cute - Mark Harder - Aaron Merriman - 12-1
7 - Rose Run Uptowngal - Ron Burke - Chris Page - 6-1
(Bob Roberts)