As the richest harness horse of all time Foiled Again awaits another chance to get win number 100 at the ripe age of 14, we are left somewhat in amazement of just what the standardbred athlete can accomplish. Going from a time where good horses were winning mile races in 2:04 over a half-mile track, expectations have changed dramatically and our horses appear more than capable of not just going faster. I must say, in today’s racing there are few times that I find myself surprised with the results of a particular race. Like any handicapper, there are times where you have to look at the program again following an unexpected result in an attempt to figure out just why you missed something that may have been hidden. It is human nature to attempt to rationalize a victory that seemed implausible in advance of the race but became official when the judges illuminated the sign. On Friday, March 16 at The Meadowlands after the fourth race I had to take another glance at the program. It wasn’t that Bullvillestephanie was a longshot to win the non-winners or $3,500 event for fillies and mares. Though given a 15-1 prognostication in the morning line, the 4-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe, starting from the pole position, went to post as a 6-1 offering and won in eye-catching fashion for driver Anthony Napolitano and trainer-owner Steve Crevani. While those around me were curious about the low post-time odds on the mare, I was more intrigued by the confidence Bullvillestephanie’s driver had in her during the mile and through the otherwise insane fractions the mare was able to negotiate. It’s not everyday that the basement level pacers at The Meadowlands are led around the track through fractions of 27 2/5, 54 2/5 and 1:22 1/5. More so, it’s not every day that a mare coming off a half-mile track where a majority of her lines are from off the pace, finds herself going six seconds faster to the three quarters than she did in her most previous start. Generally the handicapper will have some indication in past performance that suggests a horse is capable of leaving first, and second, able to cut swift fractions. This information was unavailable to those playing the races, but clearly driver Anthony Napolitano must have had ultimate confidence in the mare to attempt his strategy, or perhaps he was just lucky to find out that he still had something left in the tank following the 54 2/5 opening half and elected to see just how fast the mare could hit three quarters and whether it would defeat her. To no one’s surprise the fractions did sap the strength of Bullvillestephanie, but by the time the mare hit three quarters she had so much distance between her rivals that it was sufficient to allow her to walk home in a 31-second final quarter and hold on to the victory by a diminishing neck. There are countless betting angles that may have led sharp players to this mare, not the least was the addition of Napolitano in the bike. Over the winter the driver has possessed the ability to make a lot of “slow” horses into sharp winners. Adding more intrigue to this particular horse was what could have actually been a “hidden’ drop in class. That may be confusing to some considering Bullvillestephanie was racing for less purse money at Monticello. While that was in fact correct, it’s hard to look at the basement level at the Meadowlands these days and not recognize the collection of horses could include those worth between $5,000 and $7,500 on a regular basis. This 4-year-old had campaigned below the New York Sire Stakes level as a 3-year-old in 2017, though a fringe player. What I managed to completely overlook in my initial handicapping of the fourth race was that Bullvillestephanie had in fact raced at Monticello on March 12 just four days prior to her start at The Meadowlands. While she was a non-factor in that race from post 7 racing from behind, perhaps the race served as a fast “training mile” for the horse and helped get her extra sharp for her just her second career start on a mile track. Her first came late in her 2-year-old season where she raced from off the pace at The Meadowlands. Bullvillestephanie was driven aggressively as Napolitano refused to yield the front despite the presence of a favorite-type at his flank from the quarter going forward. The old adage in the sport suggested that it was ok for any driver to park another out regardless of favoritism as long as he finished ahead of his rival. Clearly Napolitano made the correct and winning move, refusing to yield the front willingly just to get a trip behind a favorite. There were enough betting angles that could have led the average player in the direction of Bullvillestephanie. Her victory, perhaps because she was 15-1 in the morning line, could lead many of the sport’s followers to believe something untoward had in fact taken place right before their eyes. While the program can be a difficult place to unearth this kind of performance, we’d all be wise not to underestimate the capabilities of the standardbred racehorse. Perhaps all that Bullvillestephanie needed was for a driver to test her lung capacity in the way it was on that Friday evening. That she was able to race twice within a four-day span is a testament to the toughness still a part of this durable breed. While it would have been helpful on paper if more people knew what the mare could do if allowed to go as fast as she could for three-quarters of a mile, it’s refreshing to see a driver like Napolitano have the guts to take chances and throw caution to the wind. For those of us who don’t want to see drivers routinely grabbing up to allow favorites easy clearance, it was great to see.