Hambletonian winner Ramona Hill began to shorten in stride in the final sixteenth as Absattitudexpress hit her best stride, towering down the centre of the course with enough momentum to nail Ramona Hill at the finish of the final division for the $209,600 Bar Hopping Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Filly Trot — sponsored by the Bar Hopping Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farm — on Sunday (Oct. 4) at the Red Mile.

Absattitudexpress, pictured victorious in the Bluegrass Stakes.

Ramona Hill ranged off the pylons from fourth by a :28.1 first quarter and crossed to the lead by a :56.4 half. Ms Savannah Belle began to fan off the pylons from third to three quarters in 1:24.2 tracked by Absattitudexpress, who then fanned off cover for the stretch drive. With the plugs pulled, Ramona Hill fought to hold the lead as Ms Savannah Belle and Absattitudexpress reeled in the tempo setter. To the finish Absattitudexpress rolled quickest and landed a 34-1 upset over Ramona Hill in 1:51.4 with Ms Savannah Belle third and Dune Hill fourth.

Paying $70.20 to win, Absattitudexpress won her fifth race from nine starts this season and her seventh from 12 overall, earning $188,200 for owner-breeder Stop The Jade Farm LLC. Tim Tetrick drove the Trixton filly for trainer Lucas Wallin.

Next Level Stuff, pictured victorious in the Bluegrass Stakes.

Next Level Stuff lunged from the pocket past tiring pacesetter Panem to win the first division of the Bar Hopping in 1:51.3.

Panem, the 7-5 favourite, took command with Next Level Stuff settling into second moving to the first quarter in :28. Sans Defaut edged first over from fifth to a :55.4 half, locking 2-1 second choice Love A Good Story at the pylons, with Swett Shirley Mae tracking cover second over.

Gaining ground to three quarters in 1:23.4, Sans Defaut began to tire turning into the stretch while Panem maintained the lead. A gap opened for Next Level Stuff to sprint out of the pocket as Panem shortened in stride, and the Sebastian K S filly shot to the front in the final stages to secure the victory. Love A Good Story shook loose from a shuffled trip to rally for second at the centre of the track while Panem held third and Sweet Shirley Mae finished fourth.

Scoring her fifth win from 10 starts this season and her 11th from 20 overall, Next Level Stuff has earned $363,916 for owner-breeder Runthetable Stables. Tim Tetrick drove the $7.40 winner for trainer Jim Campbell.

Sorella, pictured victorious in the Bluegrass Stakes.

Hambletonian Oaks winner Sorella commandeered the field heading to the half and hit the finish on the better end of a three-horse photo to take the second division of the Bar Hopping in 1:51.1.

Sorella settled into the pocket circling the first turn as even-money favourite Hypnotic AM took the lead. Up the backstretch Sorella stayed put in second until driver Yannick Gingras circled the Muscle Hill filly to the lead before a :55.4 half. Sister Sledge floated first over from third into the far turn while Hypnotic AM raced slightly off the pylons to three quarters in 1:24.4 before fully edging from the pocket into the stretch.

Hypnotic AM inched closer to the lead coming into the final eighth. Spoiled Princess sprinted at the pylons into the mix while Sorella battled between horses in the skirmish to the finish. Hypnotic AM had her plugs pulled in the final sixteenth and made a final lunge after Spoiled Princess and Sorella to just miss victory, settling for third while Spoiled Princess took second and Sorella held on for victory. Sister Sledge finished fourth.

Co-owned by breeder Elmer Fannin with Crawford Farms Racing and Brent Fannin, Sorella scored her seventh win from 10 starts this season and her ninth from 19 overall, earning $620,737. She paid $5.40 to win.

Grand Circuit competition will resume at the Red Mile on Friday (Oct. 9) with the International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and two-year-old pacing fillies. First-race post time is slated for 1:00 p.m. (EDT).

(Red Mile)