This Saturday at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, Somebeachsomewhere will start from Post 3 in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes, carded as the last race on the 14-dash card.
Somebeachsomewhere and driver Paul MacDonell will be taking on nine other rivals in the dash, including Riggins (PP2, Ra. Schnittker), Upfront Hannahsboy (PP6, T. Tetrick) and Dali (PP9, L. Ouellette), among others.
The highly anticipated rematch between 'The Beach' and Meadowlands Pace victor Art Official will not take place Saturday, as the World Record-holding Art Major colt has drawn into a Bluegrass divisions carded as Race 12.
Art Official and pilot Ron Pierce will also be facing nine rivals, including Share The Delight (PP2, Jo. Campbell), Moon Beam (PP3 Y. Gingras) and On The Brink (PP7, J. Jamieson), among others.
In total, 12 divisions of the Bluegrass will go postward on Saturday, with splits for the three-year-old pacing colts/geldings, three-year-old trotting colts/geldings and two-year-old pacing colts/geldings.
Somebeachsomewhere has not raced since his 1:50.1 victory in the $132,326 Simcoe Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack on September 6. After that race, trainer Brent MacGrath revealed on his blog that after having cut hot fractions and coming home with an uncharacteristic last quarter, 'The Beach' was scoped and a good amount of mucous was found.
In a follow-up blog entry on Friday, September 19, MacGrath noted that after training him, The Beach seemed to be overcoming his ailment and Lexington was a 'go.'
Art Official last raced during both heats of the Little Brown Jug. The Art Major colt prevailed in his first Jug heat, although there were some tense moments.
Art Official and driver Ron Pierce would finish third to Shadow Play in the second Jug heat, pacing his mile in 1:51.3, finishing more than six lengths in arrears to the winner in what went down as a two-heat World Record.
Pierce stated afterward that Art Official was not on his game that day. "Not a hundred per cent. No. No he wasn't," Pierce told the Jug broadcast team. "I've seen this colt a lot better than what he is today."
Many feel that Art Official and Somebeachsomewhere's duel in the World Record-setting Meadowlands Pace was one of the best standardbred races in history. Both colts went unbelievable miles that night (July 19), with Art Official prevailing in a scorching 1:47.