by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — Lady Shadow continued her outstanding season with a powerful 1:50 victory in the C$311,000 Milton Stakes Saturday night (Sept. 24) at Mohawk Racetrack.

A strong group of 10 older pacing mares, with more than C$8.3 million in combined career earnings, battled it out for the Milton Stakes crown.

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Lady Shadow was a 1:50 winner in the Milton Stakes.

Lady Shadow has been at the top of the division all season and to no surprise was wagered down to 2-5 in Saturday’s rich final.

The 5-year-old pacing mare showed early speed to get away near the front for driver James MacDonald. Wrangler Magic sprinted off the wings of the gate to grab command and forced a charged up Frost Damage Blues into the two-hole.

After a :26.4 opening quarter, Wrangler Magic continued to motor along down the backstretch for driver Sylvain Filion. MacDonald gave Lady Shadow her cue to move out from third at three-eighths and the heavy favorite sprinted up to take a slight lead at the half in :54.4.

Filion did his best to stretch out the favorite, but Lady Shadow would clear to the front entering the far turn and ripped off a :27 third panel to reach three-quarters in 1:21.4.

In the stretch, Lady Shadow created some separation on her rivals and paced home in :28.1 for a 2-1/4 length victory.

“I know with Sylvain (Filion) he wanted to stretch me out a little bit, but it doesn’t matter to her,” said MacDonald, who also won last year’s Milton Stakes with Venus Delight. “I’ve seen her go some of the craziest trips you could ask a horse to go this year and she got stung pretty hard tonight and she’s just such a good mare, she overcame it.”

Yagonnakissmeornot was able to finish second after getting away fourth and staying inside until three-quarters. Waasmula charged home for third, while Bedroomconfessions closed well from the back for fourth. Wrangler Magic faded back to finish ninth.

A 5-year-old daughter of Shadow Play, Lady Shadow has now won nine of 16 starts and earned more than C$700,000 this season for trainer Ron Adams and owners David Kryway, Carl Atley, Edwin Gold and BFJ Stable.

“She’s definitely having a career year,” said Adams. “She’s just been tough and stayed tough the whole year and she’s just getting better I think every start.”

Lady Shadow became the first mare since Moving Pictures in 2007 to win both the Milton Stakes and Roses Are Red Stakes in the same season. She now has 25 career wins and career earnings of more than C$1.5 million.

Adams noted in the winner’s circle that Lady Shadow will now head to Lexington, Ky., to race on Sunday (Oct. 9) during the Grand Circuit at Red Mile.

“Hopefully it’s a nice day and we can maybe go a big mile.”

A $2 win ticket on Lady Shadow returned $2.90, while the $2 exacta with the winner and Yagonnakissmeornot paid $46.80.