Meadowlands: World record performance by JK First Lady in Dorothy Haughton Memorial

The world record for a 4-year-old pacing mare on a mile track fell on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, as JK First Lady turned a pocket trip off hot fractions into a 1:47 4/5 decision in the $178,500 Dorothy Haughton Memorial.

With Dexter Dunn at her lines, JK First Lady pocketed up behind Rocknificent (Scott Zeron) going to the 25 4/5 opening quarter and remained in that spot at the 53 3/5 half. Gia's Surreal (George Brennan) had already moved out first-over from fourth prior to that half-mile station, and was only half a length behind Rocknificent. Zeron had no intention of allowing Gia's Surreal to clear, though, and left her out.

Rocknificent had clearly dispatched Gia's Surreal for good before the 1:21 three-quarters went on the board, and Rocknficient entered the lane still with the lead. Meanwhile, Dunn waited as long as he could before bringing JK First Lady to the outside in the stretch, and though Rocknificent dug in determinedly on the inside, JK First Lady was able to get by her to win by three-quarters of a length. Peaky Sneaky (Todd McCarthy) held third after following along in the three-hole, and Lyons Sentinel (Tim Tetrick), backed up on excess cover from post ten, charged home for fourth. Warrawee Ubeaut (Yannick Gingras) was the fifth-place finisher.

"She was more aggressive tonight, and she felt really good sitting in the pocket," remarked Dunn. "It was a perfect spot."

JK First Lady, a daughter of Western Ideal, is a homebred for 3 Brothers Stables and is out of former Horse of the Year JK She'salady. Trained by Nancy Takter, JK First Lady won for the 11th time in 31 lifetime tries, and she has now pocketed $857,345. The 2-1 second choice, JK First Lady paid $6.60 to win.

"He drove her absolutely perfectly. She likes to follow, and she has that quick burst when she comes off a helmet. I was watching the race, and I'm like 'wait, wait, wait,' and he pulled her right at the right time," Takter said. "She's a great filly. JK She'salady is obviously very special to all of us, and JK Endofanera is doing so well out in Indiana, and he's also owned by 3 Brothers. It's a family horse, and everything she does, she does perfectly. We're happy with her."