Fierce fillies set to battle in the Lady Crocus Stakes at the Loop

Harness racing stake season kicks off this Saturday (Aug. 19) in Manitoba with two divisions in the Lady Crocus Stake for three-year-old fillies. Both divisions have a field of five and will go for $11,310.

Race 3: Lady Crocus Stake Division 1

1. AK NITE LADY 4-1
2. MACHING MILLIONS 2-1
3. SHIRLEY SCOOTER 6-1
4. LITTLEBITTYBAYLOR 8-1
5. NONVERSATION 5-2

Maching Millions (Andreoli Hanover) makes her Manitoba debut after making 19 career starts in Alberta. She’s won three races in nine starts this year and has finished in the top three six times. Her lifetime mark is 1:56.0, which she accomplished at Century Downs in June. Maching Millions finished fifth her last time out in the Gord and Illa Rumpel Memorial elimination. She moved from Travis Ellis’ barn and now enters Trevor Williams’s care.

Nonversation (Mystician) is another filly racing in Alberta earlier this year. She made her Manitoba on Aug 5 with victory in the time of 2:04.2. She has two wins this year in eleven starts and the lifetime mark of 1:58.3. Nonversation has been competing with some of the top three-year-old fillies in Alberta. Her last start at Century Downs was in the ABSS Marquis Final, where she finished third behind G Ts Skyla and Beep Bop A Lula.

The last time AK Nite Lady (Andreoli Hanover) drew the rail, she got the win. That was her only win this year and her third lifetime. This is the most talented field AK Nite Lady has faced in some time, and she will need to use the inside post position to her advantage. Trainer Kevin Hildebrandt will be in the bike on Saturday and must have his filly in the right spot coming home.

My picks: 2-5-1-3

Race 4: Lady Crocus Stake Division 2

1. MY LITTLE CHLOE 3-1
2. KANT KATCH KENZIE 8-1
3. GIMMIE A CORONA 2-1
4. AK BLACK BADGER 6-1
5. HANDCUFFED 5-2

Gimmie A Corona (Control The Moment) at 2-1 is a juicy price, and it would be a shocker if she goes off anywhere near that post time. She has visited the winner’s circle three times this year, two of which came in the Prospect Series in Ontario. Her lifetime mark 1:55 was accomplished at the five-eights-of-a-mile oval at Georgian Downs in June of this year. Now she enters the barn of Richard Rey and should be a name to remember as the season continues.

Thomas Michael Miller makes the trip to Manitoba to be on the bike with My Little Chloe (Lambretta). She has three wins in 13 starts this year after not racing as a two-year-old. Her lifetime mark of 1:54.1 was on the full mile oval at Track On 2. That was her last win, and it was on Jul 24.

Handcuffed (Captive Audience) will have her work cut out this weekend. She is sitting on a four-race win streak heading into this one but will now face tougher competition. Her lifetime mark of 2:00.4 came on the last day of racing this year at the Miami Fair. She paced a steady 2:01.3 in her debut at the Loop and won by 12 lengths.

My picks: 3-1-5-4

A full eleven-race card will be held at the Loop on Saturday, Aug 19. Post time is at 2:00 p.m. CDT.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink