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Sallysmokingun's record mile heads Great Lakes Stakes

Sallysmokingun's record mile heads Great Lakes Stakes

July 29, 2026 10:53 AM | Anonymous

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sallysmokingun's record mile heads Great Lakes Stakes

from the Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — Lance Baylis' Sallysmokingun sat off dueling leaders and pounced in the stretch for a track-record 1:57.3 victory in the $20,500 Great Lakes Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Monday (July 27) at the Fowlerville Family Fair.

With Brandon Bates at the lines for trainer Tim Roach, Sallysmokingun latched onto second-over cover behind Ima Victorious (driven by Ty Goodell) just before pacesetter Lady Victorious (LeWayne Miller) completed the first half in :59.3. Ima Victorious advanced steadily up the backstretch to force Lady Victorious' hand to the 1:28 three-quarters, towing Sallysmokingun into striking range. In the stretch, Sallysmokingun rallied off cover and eclipsed the dueling leaders to win by a widening length and knock 1-2/5 seconds off the previous divisional track mark of 1:59, set by Princess Michi and driver Peter Wrenn in 2007.

Sallysmokingun, a daughter of Captain Victorious-Girllookatthatbody, is now a seven-time winner from 17 starts with $63,590 in career earnings. She gave Bates and Roach their second Great Lakes win, after the tandem had previously scored a 6-3/4-length, 2:01.2 win with 2-year-old pacing filly All The Best for Green Rock Stable.

Driver David Lake and trainer Kent Hess also teamed up for a stakes double, winning with 3-year-old trotting filly Weezabouttofindout (2:02) and 3-year-old pacing gelding What Ma Says (1:58.2).

Rounding out the octet of Great Lakes Stakes winners were 2-year-old trotting filly Mite B The Life (2:05.1, Marshall L. Makin), 2-year-old trotting gelding Life Blue Bayou (2:06.2, Vince Copeland), 2-year-old pacing gelding Mega Rolls (second-placed-first, Ty Goodell) and 3-year-old trotting gelding Powerful Ending (2:02.2, LeWayne Miller).

In total, $164,100 in purses were disbursed on the eight-race Monday program.

Tuesday's (July 28) 14-race card featured the fifth round of the Michigan Colt Stakes Blue Division, led by a 7-3/4-length, 1:59 win from Believeincaptain in the first of three sections for 3-year-old male pacers. Kody Massey drove the Captain Victorious-Believeincarrie colt for trainer Allen Sisco.

Massey and Sisco also teamed to win with 2-year-old pacing gelding Kirk (2:01) and 3-year-old pacing gelding Handsome Joe (2:01).

Bates and Roach followed their Great Lakes Stakes double with a Colt Stakes hat trick, taking top honors with a trio of sophomores: pacing gelding Victorious Boomer (2:00.1), pacing filly Maize N Boo (2:00.4) and trotting filly Claires Samone (2:05.2).

Not to be outdone, Kelly Goodwin led all conditioners on Tuesday with four winners, all 2-year-olds: trotting filly Campten Curves (2:13.1), trotting gelding Rigz (2:10.2), pacing filly Krypto Key (2:03.4) and pacing gelding Full Body Slam (2:04). Ty Goodell handled the driving duties on all of Goodwin's winners, along with Bill Webb trainee What Spooks You, who overcame early trouble to post a 2:04.1 win in another division of the 2-year-old male pace.

The Michigan fair harness racing circuit reconvenes in Harrison, Mich., on Wednesday, Aug. 5, and Thursday, Aug. 6, with post time both days at noon.