Dave Menary trainee Its A Love Thing had her one eye and whole mind on the $540,000 prize and succeeded in a first-over push to overpower her peers and win the Shes A Great Lady Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night (Sept. 23) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Starting from post five, driver James MacDonald floated forward with Its A Love Thing to race fourth as My Girl EJ (David Miller) swooped to lead Caviart Belle (Yannick Gingras) after a :26.4 first quarter. Caviart Belle, the 3-2 second choice in the betting, circled to retake the lead up the backside and then clicked by a :55.1 half.
As Caviart Belle tried to peel away through the final turn, MacDonald gave Its A Love Thing her cue and began marching uncovered after the leader. Caviart Belle led by three-quarters in 1:23.1 but quickly came under siege with Its A Love Thing adding pressure all through the stretch. Its A Love Thing slid to the lead in the final eighth and withstood a late charge from Odds On Platinum (Sylvain Filion), who shook free from a pylon ride and settled for second, beaten a length. Its A Love Thing was victorious in 1:50.3. My Girl EJ nabbed third from Caviart Belle.
“She raced huge [in the Eternal Camnation] – you just can’t give away those kinds of lengths to great horses,” MacDonald said on his more off-the-pace drive with Its A Love Thing when she lost to Caviart Belle. “She’s just a great filly and she proved again tonight [that] if I put her in an okay spot she can do some damage.”
“I’ve had a lot of nice fillies, but I’ve never been standing here,” said Menary. “When you race in Ontario, especially with Ontario-breds, you dream of being in the Shes A Great Lady or the Metro and getting the job done. I’m happy to be standing here.”
Its A Love Thing has now won six races from nine starts, not missing the board in any of the nine. The daughter of Bettors Delight-Love For Sail has banked $486,446 for owners Eric Good, Thomas Biederman and Joshua Green.
She paid $4.80 to win as the 7-5 favourite.
Bred by Marvin & Lynn Katz and Al Libfeld, Its A Love Thing was a $65,000 yearling purchase from the 2022 Lexington Selected Sale.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
(With files from Woodbine)