by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA

Three of harness racing’s richest filly pacers will face each other in Sunday’s $200,000 Nadia Lobell at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, and a victory by any one of them could go a long way toward deciding divisional honors. The three – Cabrini Hanover, Chotat Milk and Just Wait Kate – received byes into the final on the basis of their earnings.

Cabrini Hanover, who won the Fan Hanover despite going off stride at the start and falling back to ninth place, tops all three-year-old filly pacers with $516,800 in earnings this season. She is coming off a second-place finish in Monday’s Simcoe Stake at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario. Cabrini Hanover, the even-money favorite, raced first-over to grab the lead at the half before being passed by Ifyoucouldcwhati C in the stretch.

“I would have liked to race from off the pace, but with a field like that, with a lot of longshots, it was tough,” driver Brian Sears said. “With a field like that, nothing good comes from following. I had to race on the front end. But I think she might be better coming off a horse’s back. I think she’s going to be a really good mare, especially next year when she won’t have to race as aggressive and can let the race come to her.”

In addition to the Fan Hanover, Cabrini Hanover, who is trained by Jimmy Takter, won a division of the Tarport Hap at the Meadowlands despite having favorite Belovedangel go off stride in front of her, nearly causing a chain-reaction accident.

“She’s had to overcome adversity,” Sears said. “At the Meadowlands, she practically came to a stop when that horse went off stride. She really showed her class that day. It’s funny, but it kind of sets her off. It seems to get her attention. Sometimes, it’s like she just goes through the motions without that adversity. It just seems to wake her up.”

Just Wait Kate will be looking to wake up from her own battle with misfortune. She last competed August 6 when she went off stride as the even-money favorite in the Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands. Following the race, she was sidelined with a foot injury that forced her to miss the Fan Hanover.

“She’s good,” trainer Travis Alexander said. “She just needed a little break and she’s over her little [foot] problem. I like our chances here. It should be a good race. Ron (driver Ron Pierce) knows the filly well and she will be ready to go. I don’t think the time off will hurt her. She’s probably as much like a Thoroughbred as I’ve ever seen in a Standardbred that way. She seems to thrive on less work. I’ll give her a couple of training trips and she will be ready.”

Just Wait Kate has won five of seven starts this year, including a division of the Tarport Hap, and earned $93,090. Lifetime, she has won seven of 13 races and earned $204,889.

“She doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody,” Alexander said. “Her last race was just horseracing. If she doesn’t win this one, I’ll just look at it as a tightener for the Jugette (September 21 at Delaware, Ohio). She’ll show them there, I’m sure.”

Chotat Milk has won five of eight starts this year, including the Mistletoe Shalee, and earned $300,413.

In the Nadia Lobell elimination race on September 4, Thereal Ideal posted a huge upset, winning at odds of 89-1, in 1:52.1. Latte Lady, who was 34-1, was second and 30-1 shot Ty Chi Hanover was third. The superfecta payoff, which included fourth-place finisher Cheyenne Adrienne, paid $75,902, which is believed to be a track record. The race set up for the longshots after favorite Arts Bid battled with Born Storyteller through a 54.1-second half mile and 1:23.1 three-quarters.

Below is the field in alphabetical order for the $200,000 Nadia Lobell at the Red Mile in Kentucky. Drivers and trainers listed are from most recent races. Cabrini Hanover, Chotat Milk and Just Wait Kate received byes into the final.