by Ellen Harvey, HRC, a division of the USTA

Godiva Hall and driver Andy Miller were first to the finish line in 2:00.4, stakes record time, to win the 1 1/16th mile $250,000 Classic Distaff Final for trotting mares on Saturday night at The Meadowlands.

Those two were first off the gate and made the quarter in :28.1 to lead the field down the backstretch, with Susie’s Magic tucked in behind her. Upfront Hotsy (John Campbell) was up to take the lead by the :57 half and into the turn, with Godiva Hall tracking behind her and Falls For You outside of Godiva Hall. As the field entered deep stretch, Falls For You faded a bit and gave Godiva Hall room to get off the rail and pass Upfront Hotsy for the win by a head.

Susie’s Magic was third, Falls For You finished fourth. Godiva Hall is a daughter of Like A Prayer and is trained by Trond Smedshammer for Irving Liverman of Hampstead, Quebec.

“I didn’t really want to [race on the front end],” said driver Andy Miller. “When she cleared and opened up there last week, she kind of took herself off, so I was hoping to have some good cover. It worked out real good, she got away from the gate good and then John [Campbell] came with his mare [Upfront Hotsy] and we followed her and shook loose late. My mare was loaded with trot, it was just a matter of getting her shook loose and getting a little race track.”