from the Hambletonian Society

East Rutherford, NJ — Youaremycandygirl and driver Yannick Gingras went wire-to-wire to win the $96,600 Shady Daisy Pace for 3-year-old pacing fillies in a stakes and track record time of 1:48.2 by a nose in the second race on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 4) at the Meadowlands.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Youaremycandygirl noses out Kissin In The Sand in a stakes and track record 1:48.2.

Youraremycandygirl was first to the lead in :26.2, with Kissin In The Sand (Scott Zeron) and Believe In Me ( David Miller) behind her. That trio led the field to the 54 half. By the five-eighths mile marker, Alexa’s Power (Tim Tetrick) was off the rail from fifth and moved to the outside of Youaremycandygirl by the 1:21.2 three-quarters.

Turning for home, the leader was challenged on the outside by Kissin In The Sand, who came off the rail from second when Alexa’s Power was nearing the lead in third on the outside.

Kissin In The Sand and Zeron surged on the outside to get alongside Youaremycandygirl, but could not catch her and finished second by a nose. Alexa’s Power was third outside of her.

“My filly was loaded with pace and Scotty (Zeron on Kissin In the Sand) was driving on his, so I felt confident,” said Gingras. “But she just refused quit, so she gave me a good battle. With my filly, everything that could have gone wrong early in the year, went wrong healthwise. But now it seems like she’s healthy and last week at The Meadows (winning the Adioo Volo) she was really, really good, and she was great today.”

The winner returned $5.40 $2.40 $2.10. With second place finisher Kissin In The Sand ($2.10 $2.10), the exacta was $9.40 and with third place finisher Alexa’s Power (2.80, the trifecta was worth $26.60).

It was the fourth win in eight starts this year for Youaremycandygirl, who is owned by W.J. Donovan of Delray Beach, Fla. and trained by Ron Burke.