Northfield: Sire Stakes champions meet up in Courageous Lady

Two fillies that have proven to be best in their respective states will collide Saturday night (October 13) in the $125,000 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park. The Grand Circuit race is an open event for North America’s top 3-year-old filly pacers and once again has attracted an impressive slate of talent.

Wisdom Tree, the Empire State monster, was not staked to the race but her connections decided to pay $11,500 (supplement and starting fee) to be able to go postward in the event. She drew post six and has been named the 2-1 early favorite by Northfield Park Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting Dave Bianconi. A Courageous Lady victory would push Wisdom Tree’s earnings in excess of $500,000. The Jeff Cullipher trainee has posted 11 victories in 15 starts this year, including a 1:49 4/5 win at Hoosier Park. Harness driving star Matt Kakaley, who kickstarted his career at Northfield Park, will drive.

The Buckeye State champion, Baron Remy, checks in as the 3-1 morning line second choice. She starts from post three for harness racing’s leading trainer Ron Burke. Baron Remy last raced at Northfield Park in August, when she won a $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Division and posted her 1:52 lifetime mark. Chris Page drove her in that effort and is slated to drive her again on Saturday.

The 2018 $125,000 Courageous Lady field:

1 Cult Icon Trent Stohler Dave Palone 9-2
2 Dragon Lady Art Tye Loy Aaron Merriman 20-1
3 Baron Remy Ron Burke Chris Page 3-1
4 Bad Girls Rule Virgil Morgan Jr. Josh Sutton 12-1
5 Kitty Kitty Hawk Norm Parker Tyler Smith 15-1
6 Wisdom Tree Jeff Cullipher Matt Kakaley 2-1
7 Strong Opinion Ron Burke Ronnie Wrenn Jr. 8-1
8 Aims Whisper William Zendt Don Irvine Jr 20-1

This year’s Courageous Lady is the 11th of a 16-race program. A $7,500 guaranteed Pick-4 pool has been added to the night. The guaranteed Pick-4 will begin with the Courageous Lady.

The undercard consists of eight $60,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Consolations and Foiled Again, harness racing’s richest horse with career earnings of $7,599,143, will make his final start over the Flying Turns in race 10.

First race post time is 6 p.m.

-edited release (Northfield Park)