by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager
East Rutherford, NJ — Drop The Ball and driver Yannick Gingras came flying down the stretch to win the $272,500 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday (August 6) at Meadowlands Racetrack.
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Drop The Ball flew down the stretch to win the Mistletoe Shallee for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday at Meadowlands.
The Western Terror filly is trained by Ross Croghan for owners Let It Ride Stables, Dana Parham and Robert Cooper Stables. It was her first win in seven starts this year and the time of 1:49.1 established a new lifetime mark. She paid $12.40 to win.
There was plenty of action in this race as Pretty Katherine (Ron Pierce) took the field to the opening quarter in :26.3, then yielded to Idyllic (David Miller) as the pacers entered the backstretch. Krispy Apple and Tim Tetrick powered to the front at the :53.2 half-mile marker and were still in command at the 1:20.2 three-quarter pole.
But down the lane, Idyllic rallied and took over the lead from Krispy Apple, only to be collared at the wire by Drop The Ball in a time of 1:49.1. Idyliic held on for second, with Swinging Beauty picked up the third place check.
“I wanted a helmet to chase,” said driver Yannick Gingras. “Her mind wanders when she clears too early, so I wanted someome to track down. She’s a scary fast filly.”
Drop The Ball made breaks in her last three starts heading into the Mistletoe Shalee, prompting Gingras to say, “I’m glad these guys stuck with me and we got the job done today.”