by Keith Gisser, for Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Northfield’s first stake of the season, the $100,000 (est.) Courageous Lady, is Saturday, April 30, and several eligible 3-year-old pacing fillies are prepping fairly well for the race.

Some Girls Do rebounded from a tough effort at Yonkers with a 1:53.2 win at Harrah’s Chester this past Sunday (April 17). That makes her seven of nine this year.

Pink Magic, trained by Danny Collins, won her seasonal debut at Hoosier Park last Friday (April 15) in 1:57.4. Musette Mindale was fourth in a $12,500 overnight at The Meadows on April 11 and OK Dynasty closed from way back to finish fourth in an $18,720 overnight event at Woodbine in Ontario on April 14. Earlier that day, Himaintenancechic was second in a qualifier at Mohawk Raceway, outside of Toronto.

On the downside, Sand Starla, carrying Bill Sanders’ hopes for a third straight ‘Lady” title, was scratched sick from her seasonal debut on April 13.

The Courageous Lady was originally raced at Monticello Raceway in New York as the Lady Catskill and moved to Northfield in 1990. The race was renamed in honor of the poignant story of the great pacing mare Courageous Lady and her Courageous owner, Ruth Cohen.

Ruth’s brother Julian bought the then 2-year-old as a gift for his sister after she was diagnosed with cancer and given two years to live. Ruth lived another eight years, following the exploits of her mare and Julian was convinced that Courageous Lady gave her the will to live.

Courageous Lady earned more than $418,000 in her career, and twice equaled the world record set by Silk Stockings. She was the dam of Uptown Swell ($728,135) and Courageous Legacy (1:52.2).