by Ayers Ratliff

Northfield Park — The $110,000 Courageous Lady has drawn an impressive field of six and goes postward this Friday evening, April 25 as Northfield Park’s eleventh race. Approximate post time for this Grant Circuit event is 10:40 p.m. The race is an open contest for North America’s top 3-year-old-filly pacers and is the first national stake of 2013.

Undefeated Kayla Grace has paid $10,000 to supplement to the race and has been named the 3-1 morning line favorite. She will face five rivals, including two fillies trained by North American leading trainer, Ron Burke. Burke is no stranger to winning major stake events over Northfield Park’s Flying Turns.

The 2014 $110,000 Courageous Lady Field:

#1 – Shell Bell prepared for this race by qualifying twice and racing once at Hoosier Park. She won her second qualifier in 1:56.2 and was beaten just two lengths in her sophomore debut, pacing in 1:55.1. She is a daughter of Always A Virgin and was a winner in three of sixteen starts last year, taking a mark of 1:56.2 at Hoosier Park and earning $47,254. Shell Bell is Buckeye-owned by Dean Davis of Wooster and is trained by Steve Carter. She was assigned a morning line of 6-1 and is scheduled to have the driving services of the leading driver in North America, Aaron Merriman.

#2 – Sister Stroll is a daughter of Art Official and won five of eleven races last year, taking a 1:54.1 mark at Harrah’s Philadelphia. She is the richest filly in the race, bankrolling $102,617. She is owned by the partnership of Jennifer Brown, Strollin Stable, both of Ohio, and King McNamara of Florida. She is trained at the Delaware County Fairgrounds by Brian Brown. Sister Stroll shows two qualifiers this season at The Meadows, pacing in 1:58.3 and 1:54.3 respectively. She carries a 9-2 morning line. Ryan Stahl has been named to drive.

#3 – Kayla Grace is undefeated and paid the $10,000 supplement to compete in this event. Owned by ECS Racing and Kevin St. Charles and trained by Marie St. Charles, Kayla Grace has been campaigned solely in Michigan. This daughter of He’s All That has a fifteen for fifteen unblemished record and has garnered $69,227. Her 1:55.1 career best was paced at Hazel Park. Despite this being the first time she crosses the Michigan state line and faces open competition, she was named the 3-1 morning line favorite by Northfield Park Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting, Dave Bianconi. Brad Kramer will be in her sulky.

#4 – A La Notte Hanover, owned by Burke racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and Lawrence Karr, is one of two fillies in this race trained by Ron Burke. She has one start this year, finishing second and pacing in 1:52.2 at Meadowlands Racetrack. This daughter of Art Major has earnings of $76,584 and has won one of eight career starts, a 1:56.1 victory at Saratoga Raceway. Chris Page picks up the driving assignment aboard this 7-2 second favorite.

#5 – Fiyonce is the other Burke-trained filly in this year’s field and is owned by Burke Racing LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She made her only start of 2014 at The Meadows, pacing in 1:53.4. Her 2-year-old season consisted of nine starts, of which she won one and finished on the board five times. This daughter of Rocknroll Hanover has earnings of $61,549 and boasts the fastest lifetime mark in the field, a 1:52.4 record at Meadowlands Racetrack. Northfield Park leading driver, Josh Sutton, is listed to drive this 10-1 morning line starter.

#6 – That Woman Hanover was a five-time winner last year in ten starts. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere has qualified twice at The Meadows in preparation for this race, most recently winning in 1:54.2. She took her lifetime mark at Pocono Downs in 1:54 and has earned $56,719. She is trained by Daniel Altmeyer, who also co-owns with Richard Kelson, Jack Piatt II and Jeffrey Altmeyer. Pennsylvania regular, Mike Wilder, has been named to drive this filly, who carries a 4-1 morning line.