by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA
Loyal Opposition has won 25 races in 41 lifetime starts, but last Friday night at the Meadowlands she did something she had only done once previously in her career — win outside the state of Illinois. That victory might serve notice she is ready to race with the toughest mares on the planet.
A four-year-old, Loyal Opposition is among nine pacing mares entered in Friday night’s $238,600 Lady Liberty at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Among the field are Eternal Camnation, the sport’s top money-winning female pacer in history, former Horse of the Year Bunny Lake, and Dan Patch Award-winning three-year-old champ Burning Point.
Loyal Opposition was the two-year-old pacing filly of the year in 2002, meaning nearly half the Lady Liberty field has Dan Patch Awards on their mantels. Last year, Loyal Opposition was second in both the Matron and Fan Hanover and third in the Breeders Crown. She won her race last weekend at the Meadowlands in a career-best 1:49.4, bursting along the pylons to edge Burning Point by a nose. She has earned $1.4 million in her career.
“She was all right, I guess,” trainer Erv Miller said with a laugh. “She’s a pretty game mare. That was a big step up for her. Those are tough mares to race against. I didn’t know if she could beat them or not, but I thought she’d be very competitive. John [Campbell] did a great job driving her. Going up the inside was another step forward for her. She’s not as handy on the inside as she is when she pulls off cover and races on the outside.”
Eternal Camnation, a seven-year-old, took off last weekend after setting a world record for a mile and three-eighths by winning the Classic Distaff in 2:35.2 at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario. Bunny Lake was second and Burning Point was third. Eternal Camnation, trained by Jeff Miller and driven by Eric Ledford, increased her career bankroll to $3.57 million with her 45th win in 88 starts.
The six-year-old Bunny Lake has earned $2.48 million in her career, second most among female pacers in harness racing history. This will be Loyal Opposition’s first meeting with Eternal Camnation and Bunny Lake.
“I think she can race with most of those mares,” Erv Miller said. “Other than Eternal Camnation, it seems like the trip makes a difference in who gets there each week.”
Below is the field, in alphabetical order with drivers from most recent races, for Friday night’s $238,600 Lady Liberty at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Horse | 2004 Record | Driver | Trainer | Owner(s) or Lessees |
Always Cam | 7-2-0-4 $27,007 1:51.3F | D. Miller | W. Zendt | Cam Land LLC |
Animated Art | 1-0-0-0 $0,000 Q1:55.1M | M. Lachance | N. Daley | Daisy Acres |
Bunny Lake | 5-1-1-1 $119,575 1:50.2F | J. Campbell | J. Stark Jr. | W Springtime Racing Stable, J. Stark Jr. |
Burning Point | 11-3-3-2 $237,821 1:51.3M | R. Pierce | S. Elliott | Cuzzins Stable |
Carolina Sunshine | 14-5-5-1 $268,360 1:50.0M | B. Sears | R. Croghan | Let It Ride Stables, S. Watchman |
Eternal Camnation | 5-2-1-0 $185,590 1:51.0S | E. Ledford | J. Miller | Eternal Camnation Stable |
Loyal Opposition | 6-4-1-0 $51,139 1:49.4M | J. Campbell | E. Miller | D. Waxman |
Maybe A Rita | 12-3-0-1 $29,560 1:51.0M | J. Morrill Jr. | R. Croghan | Let It Ride Stables, Mentally Stable |
Sure Sign | 15-3-3-0 $81,054 1:51.0S | B. Sears | C. Connor Jr. | C.Connor Jr., J.Fodera, M.Frank, T.Gewertz |