The ladies dominated the pair of United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC) amateur events at Shenandoah Downs on Saturday, April 27 with Alexandria Goldin and Stacey McLenaghan winning their respective races.
Goldin kicked off the USHDC festivities by guiding her own Cheyenne Ryan Lee to a handy 1:54.11 win—the eight-year-old Roll With Joe gelding scoring by 2-3/4 lengths after sawing through panels of :27.4, :55.4 and 1:24.3. JJs Dream Girl was second for Kevin Altig while Kimini N was just another nose back in third for Kubi Erzene. Need Arocket was next for Jack McNeil while Awesome Times Two picked up the nickel for Eugene Robinson.
Leaving with alacrity off the wings from the two post, Cheyenne Ryan Lee led every step only needing to repel Baltimore Jack N as that one moved alongside the leader halfway through the mile, only to suffer a broken hobble to destroy that one’s chances. From there, only mlld bids from three separate challengers developed with none getting to within a length of the leader through the stretch.
Also trained by Goldin, Cheyenne Ryan Lee earned his third win of the year and pushed his lifetime bankroll to $219,893. The win was also a belated birthday present for the owner-trainer whose birthday was just four days ago.
Off at 9-5 odds, Cheyenne Ryan Lee paid $5.60 to win.
McLenaghan completed the ladies’ sweep by guiding the five-year-old Captaintreacherous gelding Etbauer to an 8-1/2-length romp in 1:55.1—also leading gate-to-wire.
Carving up fractions of :28.4, :57 and 1:25.3, Etbauer sewed up the win with a :29.3 finale for his first win of the year, vaulting his career earnings to $87,726. So Take That, handled by Alexandria Goldin, outside the entire route, finished second while the fastest closing Lindythegourteenth, with Erzene in the bike, was next. Morgans All In was fourth for Adrian Wisher Jr., while Ive Got Scooter, with McNeil in the sulky, was next while “double-bubbled” most of the mile.
In a post race interview, McLenaghan revealed, “I just got this horse a couple of weeks ago and he seemed pretty frisky today so he was a willing participant with his nose on the gate and he, himself, put it in another gear on the backside.”
For owner-trainer-driver McLenaghan, it was her 50th win in the driver’s seat (pushing her UDRS closer to .400 for this year).
Off as the 2-5 betting favourite, Etbauer paid $2.80 to his multitude of faithful.
The USHDC continues to enrich worthy charitable causes because of the generosity of their members who pledge all of their earnings driving in these amateur races to causes ranging from horse aftercare to therapeutic causes for those in need. More than $300,000 USD has been donated to these causes since their inception.
(With files from USHDC)