Lady Shadow put an end to three-time defending champion Androvette’s Roses Are Red Stakes streak as she swept to command down the backstretch in this year’s $350,000 final and paced away to a three length victory.
Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick) fired off the gate from post eight and crossed over to command ahead of Weeper (Yannick Gingras), who left just to her inside. After a scorching :25.3 first quarter, driver Doug McNair sent Lady Shadow from third to first and never looked back. Lady Shadow raced by the half in :54.1 and three-quarters in 1:21.1 while keeping first over Colors A Virgin (Trace Tetrick), the other elimination winner, at bay and drew off down the stretch to secure her 14th career win and biggest yet. Yangonnakissmeornot (Jody Jamieson) and Sandbetweenurtoes (Dave Miller) rallied home to finish second and third, respectively.
Lady Shadow’s 1:48.3 winning time matched her lifetime mark that she established with a front end effort from post seven in last week’s elimination round.
“They were probably figuring I was going to leave out of there tonight,” said McNair after the race. “I wasn’t sure who was going to take a stab at her, but I figured Timmy would be coming out of there like he did and I kind of let them settle and then put her back on the front and she did the rest on her own.
“I had a good mare first up and I never want to let her get too close — that Colors A Virgin is always tough. I looked to see Waasmula was second over and I figured I’d just let her rock at the three-quarter pole and she paced away from them.”
The four-year-old Shadow Play-Lady Camella mare was a recent private purchase by David Kryway of Amherstburg, Ont., Carl Atley of Xenia, Ohio, Edwin Gold of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania and Richard Lombardo of Solon, Ohio. McNair has retained the drive on his father’s former trainee, who is now campaigned by Ron Adams of Lasalle, Ont.
“She’s just come along ever since she was two to three and now three to four,” said McNair of the Ontario Sires Stakes graduate. “She’s getting better every year. Dad did a great job with her and Ronnie is doing a great job with her now. She’s coming along good and it’s great to get this win. I think I’ve been second and third in this race before and it’s a big thrill for me to win it.”
“She’s a beautiful filly, she’s built awesome,” said Adams. “It’s a great win, a great way to do it on the front at her home track.”
(Standardbred Canada)
