Seven of the top 10 Standardbreds in the most recent Hambletonian / Breeders Crown poll will be in action during a star-studded finale to the Grand Circuit meet at The Red Mile on Sunday, Oct. 8.

The $472,000 Tattersalls Pace draws two divisions towards the tail of the card with a marquee matchup in division two, Race 13. Linda Toscano trainee Its My Show draws to the far inside, himself a world-record holder for sophomore geldings with a mark of 1:46.4 taken over this oval. And then drawn to the far outside in the nine-horse field sits Confederate, himself a world-record holder for sophomores with a mark of 1:46.1 taken over this oval. The Tattersalls Pace marks the first matchup between the two millionaires since Its My Show clung to victory in the Pepsi North America Cup back in June.

Division one collects Diamond Creek’s Sweet Lou colt Cannibal from post seven against a former peer in Seven Colors, who was purchased privately earlier this year by trainer Andrew Harris and team. Seven Colors starts from post one off a runner-up finish in the $850,000 Little Brown Jug final and keeps Dexter Dunn in the sulky while Cannibal has Yannick Gingras in the bike for trainer Nancy Takter. The nine-horse field also includes Ken Hanover, entering off a second-place finish to Confederate in Bluegrass action last week. Dave Miller opts to drive him from post four over 2022 Breeders Crown winner Ammo, who picks up Tim Tetrick on his return to the races off a fifth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes consolation back in September.

Having secured the second jewel of Trotting’s Triple Crown, Tactical Approach will look to add another onto his resume when he starts as the 3-1 morning line favourite in the $450,000 131st Kentucky Futurity, which wraps the 15-race card. 

Tactical Approach trotted a down-the-road effort last week to clock a 1:50.1 mile in winning his division of Bluegrass against the likes of Air Power and French Wine, who sandwich him on the starting gate. Scott Zeron drives the Nancy Takter pupil from post seven in the 11-horse contest.

Oh Well, second to Tactical Approach in the Hambletonian, has the chance to strike revenge from post five. Tim Tetrick steers the Marcus Melander son of Muscle Hill off his 1:51.2 performance in Bluegrass action last week. His stablemate Kilmister, who missed the Hambletonian final from an off-the-board finish in his elimination, also enters off a Bluegrass win in 1:50.3 against Point Of Perfect, who’s drawn to his inside. Brian Sears drives Kilmister, the third of four entrants for Marcus Melander, from post 10.

Revenge also comes in the grasps of Ron Burke’s Muscle Hill colt Celebrity Bambino, who was the Hambletonian favourite and faltered after cutting the fractions. Celebrity Bambino ships to Lexington off a game 1:51.4 victory in the $660,000 Canadian Trotting Classic final and keeps Yannick Gingras in the bike from post two.

The Kentucky Futurity’s companion event, the 58th Kentucky Filly Futurity, goes as Race 10 on the closing-day card and also draws an overflow field of 11.

Last year, Special Way dazzled over the clay for trainer Ake Svanstedt in progress to a Breeders Crown win. However, hiccups of sickness and precaution along with a defeat in the Kentucky Sires Stakes final to Mommamia Volo – racing from post three in the Filly Futurity – have opened the spotlight for her stablemate Bond, who starts a few slots wider from post nine. Bond grabbed second in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks and has not lost in her last three starts, claiming the $250,000 Delmonica Hanover at Pocono Downs and the $381,000 Elegantimage at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Ake Svanstedt will pilot Bond while Special Way acquires the duties of Tim Tetrick from post seven.

That created a vacancy on the Hambletonian Oaks winner Heaven Hanover, who starts from post six. Marcus Melander teamster Brian Sears grabs the drive on the filly trying to get back to the winner’s circle after her last-to-first triumph to win on the first Saturday in August. The daughter of Father Patrick enters off a fourth-place finish in her Bluegrass division to Walner Payton, who lands post two after a headstrong closing victory in that 1:51.4 mile that saw her trot a final quarter in :25.3.  

The $230,000 Glen Garnsey Memorial sees the star sophomore pacing fillies split in separate divisions after a sterling face off in the Bluegrass last week. Sylvia Hanover lands in the first division, Race 8, and starts from post five in rein to Bob McClure against six rivals including fellow Bluegrass division winner McSeaside from post two. Twin B Joe Fresh starts from post six in the second division with Dexter Dunn in the bike for trainer Chris Ryder off her runner-up effort from off the speed to Sylvia Hanover.

Sunday’s card opens with the four aged divisions sparring in their respective dashes of the Allerage Farms. The Mare Trot goes as Race 1 and lures M Ms Dream in a five-horse affair off a second-place finish in the $240,000 Dayton Oaks. She draws just inside of Warrawee Xenia, who keeps Tim Tetrick in the bike.

The Mare Pace follows with a five-horse affair highlighted by Virgil Morgan Jr.’s star pacing mare Grace Hill from post two. Doug McNair comes to town for the five-year-old daughter of Always B Miki off her back-to-back wins, taking the $162,800 Milton Stakes and the $242,500 Dayton Distaff.

Ake Svanstedt’s elegant import Alrajah One IT lands the pylon post in the $135,000 Allerage Farms Trot off an upset loss to Hillexotic in the $240,000 Dayton Trotting Derby. Dexter Dunn stays in the bike of the Maple Leaf Trot winner making just his third start of 2023 following a late-season injury that shelved him last year. Ron Burke’s double millionaire Its Academic lands post seven in the field of 10.

The Allerage Farms Open Pace gathers seven including defending champion Allywag Hanover, who struck the upset of the year last year when nailing Bulldog Hanover in a 1:46 effort off a pocket ride. Todd McCarthy drives the six-year-old gelding by Captaintreacherous from post seven for trainer Brett Pelling and faces yet another speed freak in four-year-old Downbytheseaside gelding Bythemissal, who looks to return to the winner’s circle off defeats in the Hoosier Park Pacing Derby and the Dayton Pacing Derby. Yannick Gingras drives the gelding for trainer Ron Burke from post four.

The 15-race extravaganza to wrap the Grand Circuit meet at The Red Mile gets underway at 1 p.m. (EDT). Sunday’s card features high-money guarantees with mandatory payouts: four $10,000-guaranteed pools for the Pick 6 (starting in Race 1), Early Pick 5 (Race 3), Late Pick 5 (Race 8) and Late Pick 4 (Race 12). The Red Mile will also feature $20,000 guarantees for the Early Pick 4 (Race 6) as well as in the Trifecta pools for the Kentucky Filly Futurity (Race 10) and the Kentucky Futurity (Race 15). Red Mile also offers an industry-low 12 percent takeout on its Pick 5 and Pick 4.

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(The Red Mile)