A bunch of fantastic fillies including the second Hambletonian winner.

by Bob Heyden

A look at some 21st century female stars.

Pampered Princess: Winner of $1,648,362 in 2006/2007. Had she not opted — or more accurately Bob Anderson had not opted — for the Hambletonian versus the boys, she could have been an easy choice/winner in the Oaks and half of that $750,000 pot would have tipped her past $2 million lifetime.

Mission Brief: Went 1:50.3 at 2 and 1:50.2 at 3, both seasonal bests regardless of sex. She’s from the second crop of Muscle Hill and was the 2015 Hambletonian favorite in her elimination — which she won — and final where she finished second.

JK She’salady: The rare Horse of the Year (2014) and Broodmare of the Year (2020) honoree and she did it before her 10th birthday.

Buck I St Pat: Mickey Burke’s last superstar (2008) and Ronny Burke’s first (along with Won The West and Foiled Again, who was just getting going in 2009). She was a Dan Patch winner in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Burning Point: The only female pacer to win twice at The Meadowlands in the Breeders Crown (2003 and 2006). Team Wallis and then Steve Elliott. Amazingly consistent towards the end of her career winning the division title and $782,415 on the strength of 28 5-10-10. $2.8 Million plus lifetime.

Darlin’s Delight and My Little Dragon: Did someone say parallel careers? Both were bred and raised at White Birch Farms. Both raced from 2005-2009. Both had one double-digit victory season of 10 wins and both won well over $2 million: $5.3 million combined.

Check Me Out: The rare stable that has a colt and then a filly win at least $900G at both 2 and 3? Ray Schnittker with Deweycheatumnhowe (2007-2008) and Check Me Out (2011-2012).

Pure Country: Winning an unprecedented three pacing filly Dan Patch awards at 2, 3 and 4 in (2015-2017). She earned $2,438,619 in a career that saw her win a Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands and then at Hoosier.

Put On A Show: A star as a filly and as a mare. In 2010 she broke the 19-year mark of most money by a pacing filly at 2 and 3, earning 1,893,475 over that span. The mark of $1,777,656 million was set in 1990-1991 by the impressive Miss Easy. At age 5, Put On A Show broke the existing world mark with a 1:47.3 Hambletonian Day score. For her career she was 50 31-9-2, a 62 per cent winner.

See You At Peelers: A streaker at the start of her career, none more impressive than her $٣٠٧,٧٣٤ Art Rooney win of ٢٠١١ versus the colts.

Shake It Cerry: She earned $2,786,104 lifetime. She was
the 2014 Trotter of the Year against some stiff competition. Second was Sebastian K, third was Father Patrick and
Mission Brief finished fourth. Shake it Cerry was 15-for-17 as a sophomore.

THE SECOND HAMBLETONIAN (1927)

We know about the first Hambletonian winner, Guy McKinney and many along the way. The 100th is about 27 months away. I don’t know about you, but I never hear a peep about Hambletonian No. 2. Let’s take care of that now.

It was the year the first filly, Iosola’s Worthy, won it and the first time it was held in Lexington.

The winner received $32,330.11. Mr. E. J. Merkle owned the daughter of Guy Axworthy and Marvin Childs handled her.

She was bought from her breeder in early spring after winning just once as a 2-year-old: The May Day consolation for $2,000.

She started slowly at 3, finishing seventh and twelfth in Toledo and then fourth twice in Detroit.

After winning the big one, she was sold at years end at the Old Glory Sale for $10,700 to Walnut Hall Farms.

PARALLEL CAREERS OF CHRIS RYDER AND BRUCE NICKELLS

All 11 of their combined Breeders Crowns are with females. Five for Ryder and six for Nickells.

Each has won a Breeders Crown with a 2-, 3- and 4-year-old female. 

Each has had an outstanding female trotter. Ryder had Mystical Sunshine the 2006-2007 Breeders Crown repeater and Nickells trained and drove the 1989 Hambletonian Oaks winner Park Avenue Kathy.

Nickells won two Breeders Crowns with Miss Easy (1990-1991). Ryder duplicated that with Mystical Sunshine (2006-2007).

Nickells also won a Crown with Follow My Star (1987), Immortality (1992) and Hazelton K (1991). He also had division winner Freedoms Friend (1993) and Breeders Crown favorite Efishnc (1995). Ryder had Cathedra Dot Com
(2001), the Breeders Crown runner-up and the second
3YOPF to hit $1 million, as well as the aforementioned Put On A Show, as well as I Luv The Nitelife who won the 2013 Breeders Crown.

In 2023 Chis is training the promising Twin B Joe Fresh a 1:48.4 winner at 2, as well as Walner Payton. Over $1 Million combined in 2022 with that pair.

If Ryder goes into the Hall of Fame maybe Nickells could do the intro.