Lauren loves seeing women in the spotlight at Big M

Former Aussie champion harness racing driver Lauren Tritton has every reason to be smiling with what’s ahead on her program in the US over the next four or five days.

While part of it obviously involves super star pacer Lochinvar Art (Modern Art), now prepared by husband Shane, she’s also very much excited to be part of a two-race series for women drivers.

“We had 20 female drivers sign up for our International Women’s Day races at The Meadowlands on Saturday—one is for trotters and the other for pacers,” Lauren said.

“I’m just so happy about the response and if it all goes well, it would be lovely to think that it might happen more often,” she said.

Despite women making up a large percentage of the driving ranks at home in Australia, Tritton is one of a relatively few professional reinswomen in North America.

“I was so excited when Nikki (Nicole Dicostanzo) drove one of our horses in Yayas Hot Spot to perfection to win at The Meadowlands nearly a fortnight ago,” she said.

“She is only young and with more confidence she will get better and better. She’s down to drive Yayas Hot Spot for us again this weekend in an open.”

Yayas Hot Spot, owned in WA by Adam Sofoulis, now has the distinction of winning in each of his 11 consecutive seasons of racing. In total, the ‘old warrior’ has 35 victories.

“This race series at the Meadowlands is a great opportunity to showcase what we can do. Most of the women are amateurs, but they are really good drivers,” Tritton said.

Each of the women’s invitational drivers will compete in one race and Tritton said others in the selected group she was impressed by included Maria De Bruijn, Stacy Chiodo and Danielle Dailey.

“Those, along with Nikki, are all from New Jersey. Stacy’s husband Bruno is a former Aussie. He worked for Joe Pace, near Melbourne for a bit, and they now just do a couple of horses.

“Stacy won at The Meadowlands recently so she will be keen to do well again.”

Tritton will drive Irish-owned talented trotter Harry Knows, who was sent over to their Pine Bush stables by the Kane family.

“He’s only had one start for us and made a break, but we’ve since given him plenty of hit outs at The Meadowlands track,” Tritton said.

She is also looking forward to the next assignment with Australian-owned star Lochinvar Art next week. Unbeaten in two US starts, Lochinvar Art was scratched from Yonkers earlier this week due to wild snowstorms.

“I think we had five inches and we decided early to not risk travelling to the meeting with ‘Arty’ and Nandolo. It was a safety precaution for both staff and horses,” Tritton said.

Lochinvar Art has drawn the number one alley in race seven next Monday at 9pm (Tuesday 1pm AEST) and could prove hard to run down as he warms up for the start of the rich Borgata Series later this month.

“He’s certainly feeling better and getting better as he goes on,” she added.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink