CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — From navigating quite possibly the toughest division of pacing fillies ever on the East Coast to facing the upper echelon of mares in the United States, Lovineveryminute will go down as the Atlantic-bred pacing female of the past decade.
Lovineveryminute earned the honour in one of the more contentious categories in a poll of local racing participants.
Raised at Windemere Farms in Hampshire, the daughter of Western Paradise-Deliver Me was bred by River Valley Management of New Brunswick and put in the care of trainer Earl Watts for her stakes career on P.E.I.
Debuting as a two-year-old in 2013, Lovineveryminute won her first five stakes engagements then rolled off a trio of second-place finishes behind divisional rivals Saulsbrook Alana and Elm Grove Inarush.
Her three-year-old season was more of the same as a partnership with driver Todd Trites yielded top-three finishes from 13 of her 14 starts. Those wins included the $22,100 Maritime Breeders final in 1:56.3 and the $19,175 Frank and Beth Stanfield Memorial at the Truro Raceway in Nova Scotia.
The one time she missed the ticket was on a blistering hot day at Northside Downs in North Sydney, N.S., when Trites put the hammer down from Post 5 to be parked out by the ultra-impressive Elm Grove Inarush, who was driven by Mark Bradley, through splits of 27.2 and an incredible 55.3 half before the pair faded from contention.
The filly was then sold to U.S. interests and would find her stride at Yonkers Raceway in New York, eventually rising to the open fillies and mares class. Her aged campaign in the Northeastern U.S., saw her win the open mares class at Yonkers and Saratoga Harness in New York, as well as at The Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Now at age nine, the pacing mare has 44 lifetime victories and $551,734 in earnings with a lifetime best of 1:50.3 at The Meadowlands. Her last start in December at Yonkers was a victory in 1:54.3 and Watts has indicated she will return to Windemere Farms as a broodmare in partnership with owners Brian and Ira Wallach.
What they said
Here’s what harness racing officials had to say about Lovineveryminute.
“Was a very good sires stakes filly at two and three and went on to play in the big leagues.”
Driver Marc Campbell
“The money on her bankroll tells you everything you need to know about her. To race on the big stage and be as consistent as she has (been) is a testament to the Maritime breed.”
Trainer Bo Ford“Survived what has to be the toughest filly division of the decade. Still getting it done.”
Driver Ryan Campbell“Another reason why we should be proud of our equine athletes in Atlantic Canada. Lovineveryminute has been dominant on both sides of the border.”
Lee Drake, Red Shores’ manager of marketing and brands“Solid performer that seemed to love her job.”
Driver Mike McGuigan
Top Five
A look at horses who received the most votes for Atlantic-bred pacing female of the decade.
1. Lovineveryminute
2. Woodmere Oleksiak
3. Magical Mistress
4. Meridian Magic
5. Bettim Jackie
Nicholas Oakes' column appears in The Guardian each Friday. He can be reached at [email protected].
