by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — After watching I Luv The Nitelife set the world record of 1:50.1 for 2-year-old filly pacers on a mile track last weekend, trainer Chris Ryder is only hoping for more of the same in Saturday’s C$610,000 She’s A Great Lady final at Mohawk Racetrack.

“We’re not going to change anything,” Ryder said after I Luv The Nitelife won her She’s A Great Lady elimination by 4-1/4 lengths over Cult Status last Saturday. “We’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing the last three weeks because she just keeps getting better. Our mission is to keep her as well as (in the elimination).”

I Luv The Nitelife, owned by Richard and Joanne Young, was winless in three starts before getting victory No. 1 in a division of the Eternal Camnation Stakes on August 18 at Mohawk. The Youngs also co-own world champion pacing mare Put On A Show, who is competing in the Spring of Hope Invitational on Saturday.

New Image Media photo

I Luv The Nitelife broke the old world record of 1:50.2 shared by American Jewel and Big McDeal when she won her She’s A Great Lady elimination in 1:50.1.

A daughter of stallion Rocknroll Hanover and the mare Lisjune, I Luv The Nitelife was purchased under the name Hard Rock Deo for $60,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is a half-sister to this year’s Diplomat Series winner I’m The Pied Piper. Her granddam, Lisheen, won the 1994 Mistletoe Shalee and is the mother of standouts Lis Mara, who was voted the Dan Patch Award for best older male pacer of 2006, and Lisagain.

In her She’s A Great Lady elimination, I Luv The Nitelife was third through the opening quarter-mile, before driver Jack Moiseyev made a quick move for the lead as the field neared the final turn and cruised to victory.

“When she made the front I got a little nervous; that’s human nature,” Ryder said. “But we’ve just been so happy with her, she’s been racing so well, I figured Jack knew what he had between the shafts. I had a bit of confidence.”

I Luv The Nitelife was joined by L Dees Lioness in winning an elim. L Dees Lioness was victorious by 1-1/4 lengths over Macharoundtheclock in 1:50.2.

Driven by Scott Zeron and trained by Casie Coleman, L Dees Lioness has won three times and finished no worse than third in any of her six starts. She also won a division of the Eternal Camnation in preparation for the She’s A Great Lady.

L Dees Lioness is owned by breeder Lawrence Dumain and Carlo Lattinelli. She is a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, out of the multiple-stakes-winning mare L Dees Val.

“When we first started racing her, I tried off-the-pace tactics just to teach her to come home strong,” Zeron said. “She was (coming home strong), but we were just always in the wrong spot. Lately I’ve been a little more aggressive with her and she’s proven us right. We always thought she was the best filly and she’s racing really well.”

Following is the field in post position order for the She’s A Great Lady, with listed drivers and trainers: 1. Victoria Semalu, Yannick Gingras, Rene Dion; 2. L Dees Lioness, Scott Zeron, Casie Coleman; 3. I Luv The Nitelife, Jack Moiseyev, Chris Ryder; 4. Beach Of A Time, Paul MacDonell, Jack Darling; 5. Belle Boyd, Doug McNair, Carl Jamieson; 6. Mattie Terror Girl, Brian Sears, Benjamin Wallace; 7. Cult Status, Tim Tetrick, Richard Silverman; 8. Macharoundtheclock, Jody Jamieson, David Menary; 9. Parlee Beach, Randy Waples, Robert McIntosh; 10. Miss Lauren, David Miller, Coleman.