Hastings, MI — Prior to today’s races at Northville Downs at Barry Expo Center, the track record for 4-year-old trotting mares was 2:02.4 established on this year’s opening day by Retta Estelle and driver John Moody. As the track surface dried out and set from an earlier rain today, it got faster on Wednesday (Sept. 16)
In race five, 74-year-old owner/trainer/driver Lavern Miller drove Capella Star (Big Rigs – Dreamy Secret) to a victory after sitting a three-hole trip behind the early leaders. Miller tipped Capella Star out in the stretch to go by and win by a widening two and a quarter-length margin in a new record time of 2:01.2.
Twenty minutes later, in race six, a different Miller, LeWayne Miller, and his charge Westwinds Pegasus (Celebrity Pegasus – Keep The Cash) would close from fifth at the quarter pole to win by a neck in another record time of 2:00.4. Westwinds Pegasus is trained and owned by Samuel Eicher.
In addition to the records being broken in back-to-back races, driver Kody Massey teamed up with owner/trainer Judy Roegner to win three races on the program (races 2, 3 and 7) with 2-year-old pacing gelding Herecomesralphie (Captain Victorious – Here Comes Harlee), 4-year-old pacing gelding Wake Zone (Bettor`s Delight – Sure Do Love You), and 5-year-old trotting gelding Rankin (Enterprise – Luvyaformiles).
Massey would go on to capture his fourth win on the day steering three-year-old pacing gelding O Tobe A Dragon (Odds On Equuleus – Princess Dragon) to victory for trainer Charles Taylor and owner Dana Widmark.
Racing resumes at the Hasting oval on Thursday, (Sept. 17), with a 1:00 p.m. first post and eight races on tap.