by Mark McKelvie, WEG Communications

Campbellville, ON — A fantastic group of older pacing mares will square off Saturday night (Sept. 24) at Mohawk Racetrack in the C$311,000 Milton Stakes.

Division leader Lady Shadow headlines the field of 10 and is seeking her ninth win of the season. The Ron Adams trainee is looking to add a Milton Stakes victory to go along with her Roses Are Red score from earlier this season.

The last horse to sweep both of Woodbine Entertainment’s signature events for pacing mares in the same season was Moving Pictures in 2007.

New Image Media photo

Lady Shadow was a 1:51 winner in her Milton elimination.

Lady Shadow has earned $500,301 this season and is nearing $1.25 million in career earnings. Last Saturday, she won her elimination for the Milton by a pair of lengths in 1:51.

Yannick Gingras has been the regular driver this season behind Lady Shadow, but will not be at Mohawk this Saturday to drive her in the Milton. James MacDonald will instead get the driving assignment behind the 8-5 morning line favorite.

MacDonald is no stranger to the Milton Stakes, as last season he won the event with Venus Delight. He also has driven Lady Shadow in two of her starts this season along with qualifying her on a pair of occasions.

Lady Shadow’s rival and former stablemate Solar Sister will start to her right in post position four.

Solar Sister got the better of her rival in their last meeting on Aug. 28 at Tioga Downs in the Artiscape. The Gregg McNair trainee came first up and grinded away at Lady Shadow before eventually taking the lead in the stretch.

A 4-year-old daughter of Mach Three, Solar Sister is having an outstanding season in her first campaign against older horses. The McNair trainee has won four of 12 starts and has only missed the board once all season.

Solar Sister, a winner of $963,905 in her career, finished third in her Milton elimination and will have her regular tag-team partner Doug McNair in the sulky.

While Lady Shadow was an expected winner in her elimination last week, Wrangler Magic stunned many at 52-1 in the other split.

The former Ontario Sires Stakes standout has had her ups and downs in her 4-year-old season, but may be finding her best stride at the right time for driver Sylvain Filion and trainer Stephane Larocque.

Wrangler Magic, a winner of nearly $650,000, will start from the rail.

The Milton Stakes has been carded as race seven on Saturday’s 11-race program. The C$400,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Championships are also taking place Saturday at Mohawk.

Fans at Mohawk Saturday will receive an Ontario Sires Stakes t-shirt with the purchase of a live racing program. The Ontario Sires Stakes will also be giving away prizes throughout the night with their trivia spin and win game on the main floor of the grandstand.

Post time for Saturday’s stakes card is 7:30 p.m.

Below is the full field for the Milton Stakes.

C$311,000 Milton Stakes
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1. Wrangler Magic – Sylvain Filion – Stephane Larcoque
2. Yagonnakissmeornot – Louis Philippe Roy – Rene Allard
3. Lady Shadow – James MacDonald – Ron Adams
4. Solar Sister – Doug McNair – Gregg McNair
5. Storm Point – Jonathan Drury – Casie Coleman
6. Frost Damage Blues – Jack Moiseyev – Tom Fanning
7. Sandbetweenurtoes – Jody Jamieson – Richard Moreau
8. Waasmula – Trevor Henry – Bruce Goit
9. Bedroomconfessions – Randy Waples – Tony Alagna
10. Venus Delight – Chris Christoforou – Jeff Bamond Jr.