Meadowlands: Favorites reign in Graduate Mare Paces

Test Of Faith was put to the test and answered it in her second start of 2022. The 2021 Horse of the Year battled gamely to hold second choice Oakwoodanabella IR at bay after a stretch-long duel to capture the second $25,000 Graduate Series division for 4-year-old pacing mares on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. Driven by David Miller, Test of Faith scored in 1:49 4/5 over a rain-soaked and sloppy surface.

Longshot Shezafreaklikeme jetted to the early lead, with Grace Hill then taking over before the 28 second opening panel. Dexter Dunn quickly moved 8-5 second choice Oakwoodanabella IR to the front past the quarter, and that served as Miller's cue to send Test Of Faith towards the front. Dunn stretched the 3-5 favorite to the half in 55 1/5 before yielding control.

Miller really hit the brakes on Test Of Faith during the third panel, slowing the race to a crawl and forcing Dunn and Oakwoodanabella IR to move before the three-quarters, with Grace Hill also vacating the pylons in advance of the stretch.

For some of the early stretch, it appeared Test Of Faith was in danger, but Miller kept after the Art Major-sired mare, and though at times in close quarters with her rival, gamely held that one at bay with a 25 4/5 final quarter. Oakwoodanabella IR settled for second, with Grace Hill well back in third.

Owned by Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Eddie Gran, Test Of Faith won for the 23rd time in her 27-race career, all for trainer Brett Pelling. As the 3-5 choice, Test Of Faith returned $3.40 to win.

"I thought she raced great," said Pelling. "I think she showed that she is a great horse. She came home in a sub-:26 final quarter because she had to. She had to do that to win.

"You can see it in the program. Oakwoodanabella clicked home in 26 1/5 at Harrah's Hoosier Park. [Trainer] Brian Brown had his horse ready to go right off the bat. She obviously has high speed. But my horse? She can do anything. Great horses are versatile, and Test Of Faith can do anything you need her to."

In the first $25,000 Graduate division over a "good" track, Mikala continued her winning ways with a sparkling 1:49 1/5 personal-best for driver George Brennan and trainer Nik Drennan.

Hot Mess Express, making her 4-year-old debut, blasted off from post nine and circled the field before the first turn for driver Andrew McCarthy. Easy To Please, looped leaving the gate, rolled to the front at the 26 1/5 opening quarter. Brennan quickly seized the opportunity with Mikala, and the daughter of Always B Miki moved with purpose to clear well before the 54 3/5 half-mile pole.

Brennan coolly took a breather with Mikala, hitting three-quarters in 1:23 1/5 as Always B Laughin led an outer flow methodically, followed by Beach Crazy and Darby Hanover second- and third-over.

Once into the stretch, Mikala took off and blistered a final quarter of 26 seconds flat to win by open lengths. Jordan Stratton tried to get Easy To Please to close, but the mare was clearly second-best, with Darby Hanover coming a long way on the outside to get the show spot.

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"She was a big purchase as a baby," said Brennan. "So well bred. She had a solid year last year and has come back well. At the top of the lane, she paced away from them to the wire like she did in her first two starts."

Owned by J. Davino, B. Shackman, Anthony Perretti Farm and Drennan Stable, Mikala was a winner for the third time in as many starts in 2022 and returned $3.80 as the odds-on favorite.

--quotes courtesy of the Meadowlands--