by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, NJ — Drop The Ball (Corey Callahan) stalked the 6-5 favorite Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick) down the stretch and passed her for the 1:49 win in the $217,100 Lady Liberty for pacing mares on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Drop The Ball passed favored Anndrovette in deep stretch for a 1:49 win in the Lady Liberty for pacing mares.

Tetrick got Anndrovette away from the gate and first to the :26.1 first quarter with Krispy Apple (Brian Sears) at his back. Those two led the field to the :53.3 half before Callahan had Drop The Ball out at the five-eighths to challenge for the lead. She was at Anndrovette’s side through the 1:21 three-quarters and had a nose in front at the top of the stretch.

When the field turned for home, Callahan and Drop The Ball kept at a tiring Anndrovette and got up for the win by three-quarters of a length. Rocklamation was third for Yannick Gingras.

“It really was some effort,” said Callahan. “She deserves the win today. Anndrovette is such a tough competitor and she’s kind of been getting the upper hand on Drop The Ball so it’s nice for her to go ahead and get a ‘w’ today and get her picture taken.

“I was lucky to get a little bit of a tuck there, I was probably in for maybe one-sixteenth or one-eighth of a mile and she was right back out. But she’s tough. Ross (trainer Croghan) had her ready today and she had a big effort.

“The track condition isn’t bad, they’re going some good clips and the track guys have done a great job today.”

The 5-year-old Drop The Ball (Western Terror-Mattcheck Girl) is owned by the Let It Ride Stables, Dana Parham, and the Robert Cooper Stables and is trained by Ross Croghan.