Lauren Harmon wins Pink Power Pace

Woodstock, VA…October 19, 2024…Shenandoah Downs celebrated the life of Cathy Rutherford on Saturday, October 19 with five of the top women harness racing drivers at the Downs competing in the “Pink Power” Pace, topped off with a $2,000 donation to the Shenandoah Chapter of The American Cancer Society.

In an action-packed event from start to finish, Lauren Harmon had the six-year-old Rockin Image gelding Seal O’Neil rocking home in :28.1 to score a convincing victory in 1:56.4—one the fastest miles of the day at the Downs.

Stacey McLenaghan was second with Hey Siri—6 1/2 lengths away—while Alexandra Golden was third with Katana, just another nose back.

Sierra Seidner was next with Pacific Stride while Betsy Brown, hot off the wings with Bootlegger Charlie, picked up the nickel.

This Pink Power mile was full of action from first stride to last as Hey Siri and Bootlegger Charlie engaged in war early with Bootlegger Charlie taking charge from Hey Siri through a :29.1 opener with the even-money tote-board favorite, Katana, next and Seal O’Neil fourth…but not for long.

During the second quarter, Harmon sent Seal O’Neil brushing to the front, hitting that marker in 59.1

During the backside third quarter, Katana brushed diligently forward and stuck a head in front of Sean O’Neil as the pace picked up a bit with three-quarters clocked in 1:28.3.

But Sean O’Neil had something left in the form of a :28.1 finale to draw off to the wire.

In a post-race interview, Ms. Harmon lauded the performance of her horse saying, “Yeah, when he was confronted at the quarter pole, he just went into another gear…and I mean ANOTHER gear!

“I’m happy for Fern (trainer Paquet, Jr.) and the owners (Michael and Elizabeth Paquet) but, most of all, I am really happy that Dee Lineweaver and the entire staff at Shenandoah Downs saw fit to honor Cathy (Rutherford) for her courage in fighting this disease and what she added to Shenandoah Downs while she was a huge part of our racing program here.

“It was an honor to participate—and all of the ladies in this race agree—and it was great that this track partnered with the Amateur Club (USHDC) to make this donation possible.”

This was the 11th win of the year in the sulky for Harmon and 41st lifetime.

Representatives off the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the American Cancer Society were at the track for the festivities with a large contingency gathering in the winner’s circle for the presentation and $2,000 donation.

For the winner, Sean O’Neil, it was his fifth win of the year in 34 starts sending his seasonal earnings to $26,910 and $123,726 lifetime.

The winner was second choice in the wagering and paid $6.20 to win.

Dee Lineweaver also carded a pair of races for The United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC) with the ladies devouring the first two spots in that event.

The first one went to the four-year-old American Ideal mare Baltimore Beauty, driven by Stacey McLenaghan, closing fastest of all to score by 1 3/4 lengths over Bungalow Bill N, with Lauren Harmon holding the lines.

Stellar BB was third for Kevin Altig while Just Bettor, rallied for fourth with pilot Alexandra Golden. Boondoggie, beginning from the outside post eight, picked up the final award.

Again, this was a fight from start to finish was Bungalow Bill N got in a war with Stellar BB through fractions of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:27.4 with Rollatown third and Baltimore Beauty fourth and ready to go on a double bubble binge, which she did at the third station to collar Bungalow Bill N turning for home and then draw away.

Trained by Scott Warnick for owner Deborah Warnick, Baltimore Beauty sent her 2024 scorecard to 4-3-5 in 30 starts, good for $36,004 this year—her best ever—and $78,104 lifetime.

The winner paid $7.60 as third choice and gave McLenaghan her 15th win of the year—her best ever—to give her 57 career wins in the sulky to go along with 426 training wins lifetime.

The final USHDC event was a wide-open affair as all horses were single digits on the tote-board when the bell rang.

At the wire, Singforyoursupper,, also by American Ideal, reported home a game winner—the four-year-old gelding surviving punishing early fractions on the front end to score for Michael Dailey in 1:54.4.

Owned and trained by Henry Lewis, Dailey sent his charge roaring off the wings and had to engage in combat with Brooklyns Carmine through fractions of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:25.0 before putting that one away and had enough left to score by a length in 1:54.4—even pulling away a bit when confronted by Alta Engine A in the lane with Adrian Wisher, Jr. in the sulky.

Cheyenne Ryan Lee was an “even-steven” third for Dylan Fagan while Cherokee Joe A was next for Stacey McLenaghan.

Brooklyns Carmine did hold on to pick up the nickel.

Singforyoursupper earned his fifth win of the year in 20 starts vaulting hiss seasonal earnings to $23,722 and $44,044 career-wise.

For the 54-year-old Dailey, who has joined the harness racing fraternity only this year, it was his first pari-mutuel win with his faithful enjoying a $12.00 mutuel as fourth choice in this septet.

Also of note, the Singforyoursupper-Dailey combination turned in the fastest mile of the afternoon at Shenandoah Downs.

Racing continues at Shenandoah Downs through October 27.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by John Berry, for the USHDC