The Always B Miki-Shebestingin colt Perfect Sting strides into Saturday’s Grand Circuit competition at The Red Mile looking to keep a perfect record intact.

Unbeaten in seven starts, the Joe Holloway prodigy fought gamely to win in Bluegrass action last week, holding off Summa Cum Laude by a half length in 1:50. The pair meets again in the second of three divisions for the $299,100 Betting Line International Stallion Stake Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace—sponsored by the Betting Line Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farm. David Miller will drive Perfect Sting from post 7 while Summa Cum Laude starts from post 5.

Also joining the match up are Abuckabett Hanover, looking to rebound after finishing sixth as the 1-5 favourite in the $540,000 Metro Pace, and Bayfield Beach, who finished second in the Metro Pace.

Metro Pace elimination winner Highlandbeachsbest competes in the opening division of the Betting Line following a second-place finish in the Bluegrass. The Nancy Takter-trained Somebeachsomewhere colt starts from post 3 with Tim Tetrick in the bike against Almanac, who scored a victory in the $50,000 Kentucky Commonwealth Final three weeks ago. Todd McCarthy drives that Brian Brown-trained A Rocknroll Dance colt from post 5.

A pair of Bluegrass victors converges in the final Betting Line split. Southwind Gendry—an Always B Miki gelding—starts from post 6 as the 9-5 morning-line choice off a five-race win streak including a 1:50.2 victory over the Lexington oval last week.

His stablemate, the Sweet Lou colt Lous Pearlman, draws post 8 following a 1:49.1 swoop with Matt Kakaley in the bike. Between the two starts the Somebeachsomewhere colt Exploit, the 35-1 winner in the Metro Pace, for trainer Tony Alagna and driver Andrew McCarthy.

Freshmen trotting fillies share the spotlight with four divisions of the $304,000 International Moni International Stallion Stake—sponsored by the International Moni Syndicate & Hanover Shoe Farm.

Insta Glam exits the Mohawk Million with a fourth-place finish and now starts from post 6 in the opening division of the International Moni. The Nancy Takter-trained Father Patrick filly caught many eyes earlier in the year leading into the Jim Doherty Memorial, but a break as the 2-5 favourite in the elimination struck her out of the final. Yannick Gingras has the reins of the filly regaining her stride against Hello I Love You, the Tony Alagna-trained Trixton filly who won in Bluegrass action last week.

Beautiful Game finished second to Hello I Love You as the 6-5 favourite and will try to hit the finish first in the second split of the International Moni. The Richard “Nifty” Norman trainee has held the honour of bridesmaid in six of her last nine starts with her lone homerun coming in a prelim of the Kentucky Sires Stakes in August. David Miller drives the Muscle Hill filly from post 3 as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, with Lucas Wallin trainee May Karp earning morning-line favouritism with an 8-5 listing from post 4.

Anoka Hanover will aim to parlay her Bluegrass victory into the third division of the International Moni. The Noel Daley-trained Donato Hanover filly rolled off cover in the stretch to land on the line first in a 1:54 mile and now starts as the 7-5 morning-line choice. Todd McCarthy has the reins from post 3, directly outside of Julie Miller trainee Gotta Believe—a three-time starter with Andy Miller in the bike as she leaps into the Grand Circuit off a 1:53.1 win last week.

Presto pounced on You Ato Dream to win the Bluegrass last week, but the Jeff Gregory-trained Donato Hanover filly will get a shot at redemption in the final division of the International Moni. Gregory rolled You Ato Dream to the lead last week but grew leg weary off quick fractions, giving way by a head in the stretch as Presto capitalized off a pocket trip. Presto will start inside of You Ato Dream from post 2 with trainer Ake Svanstedt in control of the Trixton filly. Bluegrass winner and Bar Hopping filly Pub Crawl also competes in the final division, drawing post 6 for trainer Julie Miller and driver Andy Miller.

The Saturday card features a total 11 races, seven of which being Grand Circuit contests. Racing gets underway with first-race post slated for 1:00 p.m.

(The Red Mile)