Mohawk: A Roses Are Red hat trick for Lady Shadow

Lady Shadow claimed her third consecutive victory in the Roses Are Red Stakes thanks to a 1:48 4/5 effort in the C$365,000 final Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.

Call Me Queen Be (Scott Zeron) was hustled away from post position six and took the field of ten to the opening quarter in 25 3/5, but she would be put into the pocket after Nike Franco N (Tim Tetrick) made the move from third to first in the backstretch.

After Nike Franco N cleared, Yannick Gingras had Lady Shadow out and moving first-over from fourth, but while she was making her move Wrangler Magic (Louis-Philippe Roy) got bully in the three-hole, and she had to be brought out, forcing Lady Shadow briefly wide and Bernadette (David Miller) three-wide to make a spot for Wrangler Magic past the 54 second half.

On the far turn Lady Shadow eased in front of Nike Franco N, but she was still on the outside at the 1:21 3/5 three-quarters before taking over for good turning for home. Wrangler Magic had pace through the stretch and gained ground on Lady Shadow, but the public choice remained in front, winning by three-quarters of a length. Call Me Queen Be was back up for third, followed by Nike Franco N and Penpal (Pat Lachance).

There was an inquiry into the confusion in the backstretch involving Wrangler Magic, but the judges deemed that there were no violations.

"I thought I had the field all stacked up behind me," said Gingras. "I knew I could have gone by Timmy earlier than that, but I just took it easy on my mare and let her do her thing in the stretch.

"She's so tough. She's got big lungs, and she keeps going. No doubt I would have liked to be on the front but there was plenty of action and a lot of horses wanted to take a shot at her. She's the horse to beat, and that's their right, for sure, but I think tonight she proved that she's the best."

Ron Adams trains Lady Shadow, a 6-year-old Shadow Play mare, for owners David Kryway, Carl Atley, Edwin Gold, and Bfj Stable. This was her 32nd career victory, and she has now banked C$2,108,662. She returned $3.60 to win.

"I always expect her to race big but tonight she was really good," stated Adams. "Her next stake is the Golden Girls at the Meadowlands in a month. She'll probably look to find a race here (at Mohawk) in between."