Call Me Goo narrowly prevails in $40,000 Miss Versatility

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Following her 1:51.2 win in the Six Pack on June 28, Call Me Goo (Googoo Gaagaa) again parlayed a pocket trip into harness racing victory with a 1:51.3 win in the $40,000 third leg of the Miss Versatility series, for trotting mares, on Saturday (July 12) at the Meadowlands.

In line to trainer Åke Svanstedt, Call Me Goo pushed forward from her pole position to secure the pocket behind stablemate Nelsonbriteagle NO (driven by Dexter Dunn), who cleared from the outside post six to control sectionals of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:24.2 unopposed with her five foes drafting behind her in single-file formation.

Just before cornering for home, Svanstedt angled Call Me Goo off the pegs to take her shot at Nelsonbriteagle NO, and the 5-year-old Googoo Gaagaa-Callmemza mare edged to the lead just inside the eighth pole — but she was far from home free.

As Call Me Goo gradually widened her advantage in deep stretch under a Svanstedt hand drive, 51-1 shot Bravo Angel S (Jason Bartlett), who had stalked from fifth for most of the mile, emerged rapidly up the pegs in deep stretch but came up a nose short despite a :26.1 sprint home. Nelsonbriteagle NO was a beaten third, 1-1/4 lengths in arrears.

CALL ME GOO REPLAY

“The trip was good,” said Svanstedt, who shares ownership of 2024 Breeders Crown and divisional O’Brien Award winner Call Me Goo with Graham Grace Stables, William ‘Bib’ Roberts and Kiwi Stables, after the race. “She can race good from all positions.”

Now a 25-time winner from 41 starts, Call Me Goo has banked $1,061,588 in her career. She paid $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

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

by James Witherite, for The Meadowlands