Test Of Faith, the 2021 U.S. Horse of the Year, trounced nine other distaff pacers to win the $175,000 Dorothy Haughton Memorial, for pacing mares, in 1:47 on Saturday (July 16) at the Meadowlands, breaking the world record for four-year-old pacing mares.
With David Miller in the bike, Test Of Faith took a casual approach early as a few mares in the 10-horse field flew from the gate. Earning the top spot from the herd was 60-1 outsider Grace Hill, with Racine Bell settling in the second spot and Gias Surreal taking third through a :26 first quarter.
In no hurry, Test Of Faith was still relaxed on the inside fourth at the :53.2 half. That’s when Miller put Test Of Faith into attack mode, launching into the overland route with powerful strides and into the 1:20.3 three-quarters before drawing away through a :26.2 final quarter.
Following the mighty mare from the moment she took to the outside, long shot Amazing Dream N was full of pace and took second, 4-3/4 lengths in arrears. Racine Bell caught the third spot.
Test Of Faith's 1:47 win knocked four-fifths of a second off the previous stakes record, as set last year by JK First Lady. The 27-time winner spiked her earnings to $1,955,401 for trainer Brett Pelling and owners Melvin P. Segal, Eddie Gran and Kentuckiana Racing Stable.
Miller said he expected fast fractions.
“I just wanted to be close, try to have her in a good spot. When I moved her, I tried to hustle along in the last turn to keep Jason [Bartlett and Racine Bell] in, and that worked. Then I felt pretty good. Then I saw 1:20.3 and thought, 'Eh... we'll see.' But I pulled her plugs and she paced all the way to the wire."
Test Of Faith paid $2.60 as the overwhelming favourite in the field.
(Meadowlands)