by Dan Conway, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondant
Sometimes moneybags is the simple way to go, particularly when moneybags is only four and sports lifetime earnings of $582,410. And it doesn’t hurt that she won her last race gate-to-wire. Eight mares were in Friday night at Northville Downs in the $9,200 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap. The bettors liked moneybags, C C Spice, and the race secretary gave her the honor of the outside post. Another four-year-old, Catcha Raider, was also a serious contender just coming off a second place finish in the $94,000 Michigan Pari-Mutuel Stake at Northville. Another Michigan-bred, the three-year-old Raiders Tribute, also looked ready to mix it up after three or four trips in quick times. As the gate left, the battle was on between C C Spice, driven by Vince Copeland, and Peter Wrenn behind Catcha Raider. Around the first turn they went with Catcha Raider holding inside position, but C C Spice making the front on the outside at the :28.3 quarter. Stutzie and Merritt Dokey were away third as the longshots in this field. Rounding the second turn, C C Spice took full command with Catcha Raider settling in second. Heading past the grandstand for the first time, Larry Stalbaum brought Suture Fancy out from fifth and moved up to third as C C Spice passed the half in 1:00.1. C C Spice was looking for her 10th victory in 34 starts this season, and she raced so consistently all year that she also has nine seconds and four thirds with earnings of $91,483. Danny Davidson had brought Raiders Tribute out behind Suture Fancy and when that mare started to hang, Davidson went wide and moved up to third on the outside racing down the backstretch. C C Spice hit the three-quarters in 1:29.1 with Catcha Raider still racing second and Raiders Tribute third, a few lengths back. Around the final turn and into the stretch this Open developed into a three mare race. Bursting into the lane, Copeland had C C Spice a length ahead of Catcha Raider and Raiders Tribute. C C Spice has had some trouble recently finishing strong, but on Friday the In The Pocket–Speed Dialing mare, owned by Chuck Campbell and trained by Rob Harmon, held strong, fighting off Raiders Tribute by half a length in a time of 1:59. Catcha Raider finished third, another quarter length back.