Meadowlands: Sonnet Grace grabs Goldsmith Maid title

Sonnet Grace caught a fortunate break (no pun intended) when there was a recall before the start, as it was deemed that she had gone off-stride after getting interfered with, then went on to win the $490,000 Goldsmith Maid final for rookie trotting fillies at the Meadowlands.

The race went off without a hitch after the recall the first time behind the gate, and Stella Jane (Corey Callahan) trotted up to get the lead away from Caviart Jenny (Scott Zeron) passing the 28-second opening quarter. Sonnet Grace (Yannick Gingras) then came to call on the outside, and she would grab command on the way to the 57-second half-mile marker.

Sonnet Grace continued in front to the 1:26 2/5 three-quarters, fending off the first-over bid from Evident Beauty (David Miller), who had moved to the outside from fifth after finding a tuck from post ten, and then Gingras held Sonnet Grace together through the lane to win by half a length over a charging Princess Deo (Andrew McCarthy) in 1:54 2/5. Evident Beauty was third, followed by Can't Touch It (Brian Sears) and Caviart Jenny.

"Ernie Martinez called me about four or three months ago that the horse might be for sale, and I said 'I don't think they sell, these people, but try to buy her, if you can get her, I'll get it covered,' but he couldn't get it done," relayed winning co-owner Howard Taylor. "Then after she made a break in the sire stakes final, I just said 'Ernie, call them again. The year is over almost, and maybe they'll sell her,' and they did.

"Rod Allen is a hell of a horseman, and shout out to him because he did a great job getting her broken and trained down. We got lucky."

Ron Burke trains Sonnet Grace, a daughter of Muscle Massive, for owner Sonnet Grace Stable. This was her seventh win from 12 tries, and she has now earned $414,847. Bred by Allen, Sonnet Grace is out of the Andover Hall mare I Believe, making her a half-sister to Dream Baby Dream (Muscle Hill, 1:52 3/5, $228,656). A 2-1 co-favorite, Sonnet Grace paid $6.40 to win.