Jugette champion wins by a nose

Western Graduate ($6.00) won the $128,000 Courageous Lady Pace at Northfield Park Saturday night, defeating Michelle’s Power in the tightest finish in stakes history. Only a nose separated the pair in the 1:53 mile. Yannick Gingras drove Western Graduate for trainer Mickey Burke and owners Sylvia Burke, Tom Cherichello, George Leon and Lawrence Kerr.

 

The win, her 8th in 18 seasonal starts, pushed her career earnings to $582,322. Go On BB was third. Go On BB led at the 26.3 quarter, and Michele’s Power rocketed to the front before the half-mile, which was reached in 55.1. She continued to lead at the 1:22.3 three-quarter call, but was unable to hold on at the wire.

 

With the win, Western Graduate becomes the first Jugette champ since Towner’s Image turned the trick in 1993. The win gave trainer Mickey Burke a sweep of Northfield’s three major races, as he also conditioned Battle of Lake Erie winner Maltese Artist and Won The West, who took a split of the Heineken Premium Light Cleveland Classic earlier this year. (Northfield Park)