Always Cam and driver David Miller came roaring down the stretch to win the $300,000 Beeders Crown Mare Pace on Saturday night at The Meadowlands.

USTA Photo

Always Cam owner Nan Cameron, right, receives congratulations from Lori Miller of the Eternal Camnation Stable after Always Cam's upset victory in the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace.

The daughter of Western Hanover sat well off the pace established by Loyal Opposition to the :27.1 quarter and by Burning Point at the :52.4 half and 1:20.3 three quarters.  On the outside much of the mile, Always Cam worked her way toward the front of the field and was in third place at the head of the stretch, bearing down on Loyal Opposition, who had the lead entering the stretch. 

Miller moved the mare to the lead in deep stretch and got the 1:49.2 win by one and three quarters lengths.  Bunny Lake closed from sixth for second, Loyall Opposition was third and behind her Eternal Camnation and Carolina Sunshine. 

"This year she started off the year sick," said co-owner Wendy Cameron.  "She's never been sick before and we had a little bit of tough time getting her started.  She missed two legs of the Classic Series and we had a little bit of a tough time getting her started.  But the last three weeks, she's felt very strong. She was ready for tonight and David did a great job with her." 

Always Cam is owned by Cam Land LLC of Washington, Pennsylvania, the mother/daughter team of Nan and daughter Wendy Cameron and trained by Bill Zendt with assistance from Wendy Cameron.  Always Cam, a five-year-old, prepped for the Breeders Crown by racing in the Preferred Handicap at The Meadows, near the Cameron's home. 

Defending Breeders Crown Mare Pace champion Eternal Camnation finished fourth.  "If Burning Point didn't come to the front, I thought she would have had a chance to win," said trainer and co-owner Jeff Miller.  "She raced very big tonight.  But when Burning Point cleared, she stopped in front of us and he (driver Eric Ledford) couldn't get her going again.  But I'm really happy for the Always Cam people.  They're very nice people and they've been close a number of times.  It's a nice win for them."

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