Kentucky Futurity day at The Red Mile in Lexington, KY, was a stakes-laden, star-filled program from start to finish and we've put together a comprehensive recap

of today's events.

Here's what transpired on the 13-race program:

$10,000 Allerage Farm elimination

It was a front-stepping masterpiece for Shark Gesture, who added to an already impressive resume with a 1:49.2 score for driver George Brennan and trainer Ray Remmen. The six-year-old son of Cams Card Shark-Simple Gesture was parked by Mister Big to the quarter pole in :27 before clearing to the top and supplying middle fractions of :53.4 and 1:22.3. He summoned up :26.4 closing speed to hold off Mister Big and Art Official. Martha Maxine, who finished last in the 11-horse field, was the only pacer elimination from advancing to next week’s final.

“He’s a tough horse, and he’s been a tough horse throughout his whole career," said George Brennan. "I figured if I could get him on the point, I figured we’d get a great position for next week. Mister Big was good today and so was Shadow Play and you can never count out Won The West. It is going to be a great race next week.”

Norman Smiley, Gerald Smiley and T L P Stable share ownership on the 20-time winner, who has put together a 7-7-0 record in 26 trips to the track this season. He has banked $935,970 this year and more than $1.9 million to date.

$125,500 Bluegrass Series – 3CP

After a disappointing trip to Delaware for last week’s Little Brown Jug, Vintage Master rebounded with a 1:49.4 performance in his Bluegrass Series assignment for the team of driver Dan Dube and trainer Jimmy Takter. Dube rolled the heavily favoured son of Western Ideal-Arts Vintage through fractions of :26.4, :54.4 and 1:22.3 before stepping home in :27.1 to seal the deal over Carnivore and Hypnotic Blue Chip.

The homebred, who races for Brittany Farms of Versailles, KY and the Brian P Monieson Revtrust of Northbrook, IL, won for the fourth time this season in 18 tries after going winless in 12 tries as a rookie. The colt has banked $1,239,283 to date.

$139,800 Bluegrass Series – 2CP

Noel Daley trainees finished first and second in this affair, with All Speed Hanover get the nod over stablemate Better Again in a time of 1:50.3. It was a career-best clocking for the son of Cams Card Shark-Allamerican Cool, who was driven to victory by Ron Pierce. Rounding out the top three was Paynes Landing.

The colt, who was a $60,000 purchase from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, is now a three-time winner in five lifetime starts for partners John Fielding of Toronto, ON and Adam Victory And Son Stable LLC of New York, NY. The youngster has banked $77,300 along the way.

$125,500 Bluegrass Series – 3CP

In an event that featured non-stop action, Vertical Horizon came out on top in his second start under the guidance of trainer Tracy Brainard. The son of Western Ideal-Summer Mystery and driver Tim Tetrick found were parked to the quarter pole in :27.4 before finding the front. They were pressed to the half in :55.1 before releasing that foe to the lead. Straight Shooting, who was prompted to the three-quarter pole in 1:24 by Lightning Elvis, put away that rival before re-engaging in battle with Vertical Horizon. Tetrick had more than enough late pace with Vertical Horizon to post the 1:51.1 score over Annieswesterncard and Straight Shooting.

The victory was the fourth of the season 18 attempts for Vertical Horizon, who is owned by Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, FL. The lion’s share of the purse bumped his lifetime earnings to $304,002.

$139,800 Bluegrass Series – 2CP

Heavily favoured Rockin Image had no problem disposing of eight foes in his assignment for the tandem of driver John Campbell and trainer Jimmy Takter. The strapping son of Rocknroll Hanover-Kikikatie floated off the gate and tucked into an early four-hole while Perrito Caliente whacked out a :26.4 first fraction. Campbell hit the throttle shortly after that opening marker, and the colt cleared to the top without a tussle. He produced middle splits of :54.2 and 1:23 before finishing off his rivals with a :27.4 final frame. The career-best clocking of 1:50.4 was more than enough to defeat Perrito Caliente and Aracache Hanover.

“He’s an extremely nice colt and he has the power to be a top horse,” said trainer Jimmy Takter. “It is not ideal conditions to go a really fast mile today. They [Rocknroll Hanover offspring] are really special, I started out with two of them and they are both quite impressive.“

Susan Grange’s Lothlorien of Cheltenham, ON owns the youngster, who won for the second time in six starts. He has banked $170,486 to date.

$139,800 Bluegrass Series – 2CP

Dan Dube wasted no time in hustling the Bruce Saunders-trained Rock N Roll Heaven to the lead, and the rookie son of Rocknroll Hanover-Artistic Vision didn’t look back once he cleared to the engine. The youngster motored through splits of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:24.3 before unleashing a punishing final frame of :25.4 en route to posting the career-best clocking of 1:50.2. Shoobees Place was a distant runner-up, and Woodstock finished third.

Frank Bellino of Bronxville, NY, who purchased the colt earlier this year from Roy O’Hagan, holds the papers on the multi-talented colt who improved his freshman record to 4-4-1 in nine starts. The lion’s share of the purse lifted his cash stash to $614,186. Trainer Bruce Saunders indicated the colt will be shut down for the remainder of the season. He wasn’t made eligible to next week’s International Stallion Stakes or this month’s Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack.

$5,000 Open Pace

It was a coast-to-coast decision for the classy veteran Sharky Osborne, who chopped out fractions of :26.3, :54 and 1:22.2 before rolling home in :27.2 to post a 1:49.4 decision for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Josh Green. The eight-year-old son of Cams Card Shark-Shady Past, who equaled his lifetime mark in the process, drew away from runner-up Armbro Durable and third-place finisher Reminic.

Gary Minner of Salisbury, MD and Peter Richardson of Willards, MD share ownership on the 39-time winner, who has put together a 5-1-0 record in his first nine starts of the season. The gelding has banked more than $666,000 in his career.

$5,000 Open Trot

Michel Lachance lulled a talented group of square-gaiters to sleep with Lanson, who front-stepped to a 1:54 score for trainer Don Swick. The five-year-old son of Self Possessed-M Stewart threw down panels of :29.1, :58.3 and 1:27.1 before thundering home in :26.4 to soundly defeat Gift Kronos and the heavily-favoured Buck I St Pat.

The victory was the sixth of the campaign for Lanson, who has banked $437,631 to date for the Royal Wire Products Inc. of North Royalton, OH.