McLain Ward and Goldika galloped into the ring meaning business during the jump-off of the $75,000 New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix. As the first to go in the seven-horse tiebreaker, Ward knew he had to go clear and post a time the others would fail to catch.
Yet in a risky bid for the winning portion of the purse and a two-year lease on an Audi Allroad Quattro, Ward made a gambler's decision. He added an extra stride in one line, but his speedy mare made up ground and time with precise turns, clinching the win Sept. 26 in New Albany, Ohio.
