She's A Great Lady - Mare Pace
bay mare, 4, by Dexter Nukes
Owners
L & L DeVisser Partnership
No pretender has ever won the Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace. Though the ten mares who’ve won the event may not have been the post time favorite, each and every winner was a renowned mare at the time of her victory, and proudly retained that classification until her racing days were over. In the overall pacing hierarchy, names like Samshu Bluegrass, Follow My Star, Anniecrombie, Armbro Feather and Caesar’s Jackpot preserve their luster, and few onlookers privy to the battles of Shady Daisy and Swing Back will forget those epic battles.
In other divisions there have been upsets, poor racing luck, ill-timed strategy or a fresh newcomer who seizes the moment. But never in the Open Mare Pace. Since 1985 it’s the one event that never features the understudy, but always showcases the star.
Bob Grand’s Headline Hanover was the defending sophomore Crown champion. In late 1995 the filly had been honed sharp as a tack by trainer Stew Firlotte, and leading Ontario Jockey Club driver Doug Brown took no prisoners as he sent Headline Hanover to the front and never looked back.
Had he looked back he would have seen that overwhelming favorite and $45,000 supplement She’s A Great lady, a cinch to win the event on her way to divisional honors was nowhere to be found. A foot injury thought to be healed was obviously not, and Headline Hanover stole the race, if not the season, from She’s A Great Lady.
The owners of She’s A Great Lady, Lee and Linda DeVisser, did not want to see history repeated. A planned mid-spring return to the races for the four-year-old daughter of Dexter Nukes came off as scheduled, and in her second start at the Meadowlands She’s A Great Lady signaled her intentions towards the Crown with a 1:51.4 effort.
She’s A Great Lady was not the only standout under the DeVisser shedrow. Trainer Joe Holloway also handled their homebred Jenna’s Beach Boy, a double Crown champion and currently the fastest racing standardbred. He was representing their interests in the Crown Pace later that evening. Over the winter Holloway also purchased the runner-up in the 1995 Crown sophomore pace, Armbro Nest for $160,000, tabbing her as a solid moneymaker and excellent stablemate for She’s A Great Lady. His instincts were correct. After a decent freshman season, this daughter of 1984 Breeders Crown winner Dragon’s Lair blossomed into an ultra consistent performer, finishing on the board in 38 of 54 lifetime starts to date. Armbro Nest pulled a shocker in June at the Meadowlands, recording a 1:50.4 mile. Though She’s A Great Lady was the headliner, Armbro Nest kept stealing the limelight. She won the Roses Are Red over Swing Back and She’s A Great Lady, and had banked more than double the numbers of her stablemate by Breeders Crown time.
Trainer | Driver
Joe Holloway | John Campbell
Seven other mares, all hovering on the lip of greatness entered as well. One who did not, the defending Mare Pace champion, Ellamony, was fighting for her life. An infection raged through her bloodstream, and though every effort was made to save the heroic mare, her system was eventually compromised and she had to be humanely destroyed.
Bob Grand and Headline Hanover were hoping for lightning to strike twice, though Headline Hanover was not close to her form of the previous year. In addition, Doug Brown was off his turf and in the territory of the formidable John Campbell. The rest of the mares were blue chip stock, but, with the history of this event, that wasn’t good enough. This is an event won only by the great ones, and the Holloway-trained entry seemed insurmountable.
Headline Hanover gave it a good shot. Brown blazed the mare out of the gate and shot past the quarter in 26.4. Jack Moiseyev aimed Gabrielle for the front, continuing the torrid pace past the half. She’s A Great Lady and Campbell were dwelling in the rear of the pack, causing Holloway’s brow to furrow in concern. Driver Bill Fahy wheeled Armbro Nest to command past the half and repelled the valiant challenge of Cammie’s Lady. It appeared that Armbro Nest might save the day for the DeVissers, when suddenly Campbell appeared in the outer tier, with clear aim once they turned for the stretch.
She’s A Great Lady had a big task. But her name speaks for her actions. She uncorked a 26.4 last quarter, blew by her stablemate and captured the Crown title she should have rightfully captured the year before. By Campbell’s expert maneuvering to have her in position for a final drive, he had saved all her valiant effort for when it counted. A three-length margin was the reward, and a stunned Holloway had to have it pointed out to him that he took win and place honors. He had not believed at the last turn that She’s A Great Lady could win. Armbro Nest held strongly for second, while defending champ Headline Hanover had to settle for show honors this time around.
Sire Dexter Nukes captured his first Crown stallion title, and breeder John Cummins his first Crown credit as well. The Mare Pace was Campbell’s sole win of the 1996 series, but it boosted him to 29 trophies overall, and more than $9 million in purse money. The DeVisser’s had a unique double since their four-year-old pacer Jenna’s Beach Boy would become the first pacer to win three Crown titles later that same evening. Both She’s A Great Lady and Jenna’s Beach Boy were rewarded with divisonal honors.
Purse $300,000
The Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, NJ - August 9, 1996
Extras
| Speed Records |
