Grace Hill slays Test Of Faith in Breeders Crown

Grace Hill (Always B Miki) withstood the charge of heavy favourite Test Of Faith and tied the stakes harness racing record for an aged pacing mare in the $540,000 Breeders Crown Open Mare Pace on Saturday (Oct. 29) at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

She sprinted off the car, but Amazing Dream N (Yannick Gingras) motored quicker and grabbed the early lead. She threw down with the driving on No Win No Feed A (Andrew McCarthy) through the first quarter station in :27.2. Doug McNair made his move as No Win No Feed A capitulated, and Grace Hill was on top before reaching the half in :54.3.

The mare then battled with So Much More (James MacDonald) as they raced to three-quarters in 1:21.3 and etched out a two-length cushion as they straightened for home. Test Of Faith charged from the backfield and took aim in mid-stretch, but Grace Hill reached the wire in time with her nose in front for the victory in 1:48.4.

So Much More continued gaining to the wire and was third by a half-length.

The winning time tied that of Hana Hanover in the 2009 edition of the race, set at The Meadowlands.

GRACE HILL REPLAY

Grace Hill reached seven figures in earnings with the win, her 18th lifetime in 45 outings. Virgil Morgan trains the mare for Tom Hill of Hamilton. Her earnings now total $1,174,790.

To read all the coverage of the 2022 Breeders Crown, click here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink