Northfield: Skater Chick rolls in Courageous Lady

Skater Chick picked up the first Grand Circuit win of her career when she took home top honors from the $120,500 Courageous Lady for 3-year-old filly pacers on Saturday night at Northfield Park.

With Corey Callahan in the bike and making his debut at the "Home of the Flying Turns," Skater Chick got away in the third position while So Awesome (Dave Palone) charged to the top and cut a 27 4/5 opening quarter and a 57 second half. Callahan had Skater Chick out and on the move at the half, and she would pace up to engage So Awesome in the backstretch, then overtook her past the 1:25 1/5 three-quarters.

When Skater Chick cleared it left favored JK American Beauty (Brett Miller) first-over, and she had every chance to go by the pace-setter to the wire, but Skater Chick was just too good as she kicked away in the lane to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:53 1/5. JK American Beauty wound up second, with Rose Run Uptowngal (Chris Page) third.

"This filly drew in a good spot. I was really pleased with the way she raced in her last start at Harrah's Philadelphia. I thought she had a really good shot, so here we are, and everything worked out," said Callahan. "Mark (trainer Mark Harder) had her last year as a 2-year-old, so he knew the filly. She does get a little rough in the turns some, and I was just trying to hold on to her in the last turn. Once we straightened up I had plenty of pace, and we were all set.

"Tony Hall drove her at The Meadows (in the PA Sire Stakes on September 7 and the Keystone Classic on September 23), and she was first-up both times, third quarter in 26 and a piece, so I knew she could do the work. When I got up next to Dave on the backside I knew he was in trouble. From that point on I was just worried about Brett getting by me, but I had plenty of go, so it's awesome."

Harder trains Skater Chick, a daughter of Sweet Lou, for owners Donald Lindsey, Paul Kleinpaste, and Garth Bechtel. She picked up her seventh career win, and she has now earned $155,754. She was sent off at 2-1 and paid $6.00 to win.

Heavy favorites delivered in the undercard features, which were a pair of $75,000 Ohio Sire Stakes Championships for older trotters. 1-9 choice Party At The Banks (Page), a 5-year-old daughter of Break The Bank K, took over command from first-up on the far turn and kicked away from there to win the mare division in 1:54 3/5 for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC., and 1-2 shot Pass The Vape (Mike Wilder), a 4-year-old Dejarmbro gelding, led early, let an outside challenger go, re-moved to the front passing the half, and went on to easily win the horse and gelding flight in 1:54 1/5 for breeder/owner/trainer Lionel Watiker.