New York and Ohio champions to meet in Courageous Lady
October 9, 2018,by Ayers Ratliff, for Northfield Park
Northfield, OH — Two fillies that have proven to be best in their respective states will collide Saturday night (Oct. 13) in the $125,000 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park. The Grand Circuit race is an open event for North America’s top 3-year-old pacing fillies and once again has attracted an impressive slate of talent.
Wisdom Tree, winner of the New York Sire Stakes final, was not staked to the race, but her connections decided to pay $11,500 (supplement and starting fee) to be able to go postward in the event. She drew post six and has been named the 2-1 early favorite by Northfield Park Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting Dave Bianconi. A Courageous Lady victory would push Wisdom Tree’s earnings in excess of $500,000. The Jeff Cullipher trainee has posted 11 victories in 15 starts this year, including a 1:49.4 win at Hoosier Park. Matt Kakaley, who kickstarted his career at Northfield Park, will drive.
Ohio Sires Stakes champion Baron Remy checks in as the 3-1 morning-line second choice. She starts from post three for harness racing’s leading trainer Ron Burke. Baron Remy last raced at Northfield Park in August, when she won a $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Division and posted her 1:52 lifetime mark. Chris Page drove her in that effort and is slated to drive her again on Saturday.
The 2018 $125,000 Courageous Lady field (with drivers, trainers and morning-line odds):
1. Cult Icon (Dave Palone, Trent Stohler) 9-2
2. Dragon Lady Art (Aaron Merriman, Tye Loy) 20
3. Baron Remy (Chris Page, Ron Burke) 3
4. Bad Girls Rule (Josh Sutton, Virgil Morgan Jr.) 12
5. Kitty Kitty Hawk (Tyler Smith, Norm Parker) 15
6. Wisdom Tree (Matt Kakaley, Jeff Cullipher) 2
7. Strong Opinion (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Ron Burke) 8
8. Aims Whisper (Don Irvine Jr., Bill Zendt) 20
This year’s Courageous Lady is the 11th of a 16-race program. A $7,500 guaranteed Pick-4 pool has been added to the night. The guaranteed Pick-4 will begin with the Courageous Lady.
The undercard consists of eight $60,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Consolations and Foiled Again, harness racing’s richest horse with career earnings of $7,599,143, will make his final start over the Flying Turns in race 10.
In addition to superior racing action, the evening will also offer guests a $19.95 buffet in Lady Luck’s clubhouse dining room from 6-9 p.m. Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling 330.467.4101.
The evening’s promotions include Instant Win, an Oktoberfest stein hoist competition with a $500 top prize, beer slide and driver t-shirt toss from the winner’s circle.
First race post time is 6 p.m. Admission and parking are always free at Northfield Park.