Big Rapids, MI – All-age track records for both gaits at the Mecosta County Fairgrounds, in Big Rapids, Mich., fell on Monday (July 13), the first program of the track’s three-day harness racing stand.
In the $12,250 Michigan Colt Stakes Blue Division event for 3-year-old trotting fillies, Westwinds Yahtzee and trainer-driver LeWayne Miller edged out of the pocket with a sixteenth to go and nabbed Weezabouttofindout in a track record 2:01.3, shaving a fifth of a second off the previous mark, taken in 2024 by Rankin.
The Celebrity Pegasus-Keep The Cash filly yielded early control to Weezabouttofindout (driven by David Lake) and rode the golden chair behind splits of :30.1, 1:02.3 and 1:33. After being boxed on the far turn, Miller found room to angle Westwinds Yahtzee between foes in mid-stretch, and the pair lifted to collar Weezabouttofindout by a narrow margin.
Now a six-time winner from 11 starts for owner/breeder Samuel Eicher, Westwinds Yahtzee won last year’s Michigan Sire Stakes final and finished third in the Grade 1 Jim Doherty Memorial.
Another Miller trainee etched her name in the Big Rapids record books: Lady Victorious sustained first-over gains to engulf Ima Victorious (Ty Goodell) in mid-stretch and hold off a late charge from Sallysmokingun (Tim Roach) for a 1:58.2 score in the $12,350 3-year-old filly pace, taking a fifth of a second off Kourageous Key’s all-age mark of 1:58.3, taken in 2024.
But one race later, in the $12,200 3-year-old male pace, the fair’s overall pacing record fell again when Allamerican Beach and driver Art McIlmurray made every pole a winning one in a lifetime best 1:56.4.
Leaving from the pole position, Allamerican Beach rebuffed an early push from What Ma Says (David Lake) to protect the lead, and the Wakazashi Beach-Graney gelding controlled splits of :29, :58.3 and 1:27 before steadily edging clear on the far turn en route to a nearly 8-length victory over Eleanor’s Knight (Kim Pluta). What Ma Says faded to finish third.
Trainer Al Tomlinson co-owns seven-time winner Allamerican Beach with Jack Mitchell Jr.
In all, Miller drove four winners and trained three on the Blue Division program. Tim Roach recorded a driving and training triple.
Tuesday’s (July 14) card featured 10 $4,500 Michigan Colt Stakes Green Division events for 2-year-olds, headlined by matching 2:01.2 miles from pacing filly Krypto Key, whom Ty Goodell drove for trainer Kelly Goodwin; and pacing gelding LV Victorious, trained and driven by Anthony Gutierrez.
Wednesday (July 15) featured nine $4,500 Green Division events for 3-year-olds, and Otis Octane took top billing with a career-best 2:00 mile in his split. John Moody drove the Captain Victorious-Amasa Arion gelding pacer to his third career win for trainer Kevin St. Charles and E C S Racing.
Thursday’s (July 16) 10-race overnight program was abandoned on account of deteriorating air quality in the region.
The Michigan fair racing circuit shifts to the Barry County Fair, in Hastings, Mich., for a nine-race Michigan Colt Stakes Mixed card on Saturday (July 18) and a 10-race Michigan Colt Stakes Blue Division card on Sunday (July 19). Post time both days is noon.