Millionaire T C I kept plugging down the centre of the track after unbeaten tempo-setter Karl in a fist fight to the finish that went by way of photo to T C I in the second of five divisions for the $341,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday, Oct. 6 at The Red Mile.

T C I and David Miller took the lead from post five to a :28.4 first quarter and gracefully relinquished control as 3-5 Karl (Yannick Gingras) brushed out of third to the backstretch to take the lead. The betting principles trotted one-two through a :56.4 half and to three-quarters in 1:24.4, where David Miller began looming off the pylons with T C I. Karl accelerated for home but T C I continued with wearing pressure through the final eighth of a mile, to which Karl responded but fell short at the beam by a scant nose. Southwind Metric gave chase behind the pair for third and Fly By took fourth.

“We were going pretty easy fractions and I knew it was going to be a sprint,” said Miller. “My horse, he felt great. I moved him over and halfway through the stretch I pulled his plugs and he gave a little surge there. He likes to put his nose in front.”

Ron Burke trains T C I, a winner in 10 of 11 starts and $1,295,870 in the bank for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi. The colt by Cantab Hall paid $4.16 to win.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt collected a pair of the five frosh trotting colt dashes beginning in the opening race with a 27-1 upset by Mr Bluebird in 1:53.1.

With even-money favourite Smart Schooner breaking stride behind the gate, 6-5 second choice Hankins Hanover pushed for the lead alongside Wild Ticket to a :27.4 first quarter. Svanstedt settled Mr Bluebird into third and waited to ply his attack through dawdling middle half sectionals of :57 and 1:26.1. Mr Bluebird took flight in the sprint for home and slid to command with ease to score by 1-1/4 lengths over Wild Ticket with Hankins Hanover fading to third and Lindys Coyotito taking fourth.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” co-owner Jeff Gural said of Mr Bluebird’s upset. “Ake said in Florida this was his best colt, and then when we came north the horse wasn’t good. He started to get better, last week he raced better and I thought maybe [he’d improve]. Truthfully, I thought this was the least likely horse [of mine] to win.”

Mr Bluebird bagged his second win from seven tries and added to a bankroll now worth $56,444 for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Little E LLC and Torbjorn Swahn Inc. The colt by Six Pack paid $56.76 to win.

Bryant Bros S and Svanstedt gamely fended off their challengers to take the third division in 1:54.2.

Away second through a :28.1 first quarter, Svanstedt circled Bryant Bros S to the lead before a :57.1 half. He then snagged a breather to three-quarters in 1:27 as 7-5 favourite Ordained plugged uncovered towards the top. Ordained kept pushing forward through the stretch but Bryant Bros S kept battling back to win by a nose. Flight Landing grabbed third and Magic Hill finished fourth.

“He’s a big horse,” said owner Perry Soderberg. “When he came over from Sweden, we bought him in Sweden, he was kind of skinny. He grew quite a bit, but we’re taking our time with him. He’s not ready 100 percent I don’t think. Most likely he has the Kindergarten and Valley Victory if he’s still doing well. I think he’s going to be very good next year if we’re lucky.”

A colt by Varenne, Bryant Bros S broke his maiden in his seventh try and has now earned $70,805 for owner Soderberg Bloodstock LLC. He paid $6.42 to win.

Marcus Melander trainee Security Protected rebounded off a loss in the Mohawk Million with a resounding win in 1:52.4 to win in the fourth division.

Driver Tim Tetrick moved Security Protected out of third after a :28.2 first quarter to take the lead from 15-1 shot Show Me past a :56 half. The remainder of the mile became an exhibition for Security Protected as he sprinted for home off three-quarters in 1:25.2 to open three lengths on Show Me to the finish, who held second from even-money favourite Winter Soldier as he levelled off from a first-over bid in third.

“He’s been racing good all year to be honest, and then we took a shot in [the Mohawk Million, but] were parked on the outside there… it was a tough trip for him,” said Melander. “He hasn’t raced many races on big tracks, so [1:]52.4 today, I was very impressed with that.”

Security Protected competes for owners Howard Taylor, Brad Grant and Order By Stable AB. The colt by Father Patrick won his fourth race from eight starts and has accrued $245,930 in earnings. Off as the second choice in the betting, he paid $7.32 to win.

Pick Pocket pulled back-to-back upsets after a double-digit win in the Bluegrass to land another double-digit score in the final International Stallion Stake dash for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings.

Driver Anthony MacDonald planted Pick Pocket on the point to a :28 first quarter and found himself in the pocket as Mars Hill wanted the lead up the backside. Mars Hill cleared control out of third by a :56.1 half and strolled through the final turn while Situationship powered along the rim out of fifth. By three-quarters in 1:25.1, Mars Hill tried to quicken with the challenge from Situationship, but Situationship slid by with more steam. Though MacDonald had a seam to veer off the pylons and to the center of the course to give Pick Pocket open road. He responded and collared Situationship at the beam by a neck in 1:53.1 with Mars Hill third and Thinker Monkey fourth.

“He got a great trip in behind a horse that looked a little vulnerable,” said MacDonald. “I was able to sneak my way out and he punched through.”

Eric Patalan trains Pick Pocket, a son of Walner, for owners TheStable Pick Pocket Group and Hutchison Harness LLC. He won his fourth race from 10 starts and has now earned $155,860. Pick Pocket paid $22.94 to win.

Geocentric Stays Unbeaten in Eight with International Stallion Stakes Win

Brian Brown’s undefeated Sweet Lou filly Geocentric once again found the winner’s circle to tally her streak up to eight with a 1:49.3 victory going first over to win the second of three divisions for the $254,500 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies.

Starting from the pylon post, Geocentric raced fifth to a :27.3 first quarter, where Canigetalouploup rushed forward to take the lead from Genie Hanover. Canigetalouploup kept the tempo chugging through a :55.4 half and to three-quarters in 1:23.1 while Tim Tetrick moved methodically to the outside with Geocentric and gradually reeled in her rivals to the top of the stretch. Geocentric ranged to within a length of Canigetalouploup coming for home and downed her rival with ease through the straightaway to open two lengths to the finish with Genie Hanover holding third and Flawless taking fourth.

“I think we were in the right place at the right time [to buy her as a yearling],” said Brown. “She was just a nice looking horse, she was correct in every way you could look at her and she fell in our price range.

“She probably had a little more work done in this last month than she has all year,” Brown also said. “Feet, we switched to razor pads for this start. It looked like it helped her, in her last start she looked a little knotty. I’ve tried to stay out of her way all year. She’s just been one of those horses that everybody says from day one you knew were good. Every time you trained her, just nothing went wrong with her.”

Geocentric has now earned $536,751 for owners Milton Leeman, Alan Keith, James Stambaugh and Joe Sbrocco. She returned $2.10 to win.

My Girl EJ delivered in the first division off a bottled-up third-place finish in the Shes A Great Lady final to win as the 7-5 choice in 1:49.1.

The Ron Burke-trained daughter of Sweet Lou raced headstrong through a :27.3 first quarter until driver Dexter Dunn let her roll to the lead before a :55 half. My Girl EJ carried her speed through the final turn to three-quarters in 1:22.4 and stayed resolute through the lane to hold off the late charge from 9-5 second choice Blue Pacific by a half length at the finish. Watching You closed for third and pocket-sitter Caviart Belle faded to fourth.

“She’s been good all her life… she’s had tough trips and tough luck, but she’s been good every start,” said co-owner Howard Taylor.

Winning her third race from nine starts, My Girl EJ has now earned $260,285 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Elizabeth Novak and Howard Taylor. She paid $4.90 to win.

Ron Burke had another winner when Camerican pulled pocket and powered past pacesetter Peace Talks to win in 1:50.3.

Grabbing control to a :27.3 first quarter, Camerican yielding command up the backstretch as Peace Talks pushed out of third to seize the helm by a :55 half. Peace Talks slowed proceedings to three-quarters in 1:23.1 to brave for the sprint to the finish and engaged when Camerican pounced from her seat, but Camerican kept persistent pressure to the finish. Peace Talks caved by a neck to the 5-2 second choice with Asweetbeachhere taking third and Miraculous Deo closing for fourth.

Camerican, a daughter of American Ideal, races for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Lawrence Karr, M1 Stable LLC and Jack Piatt III. She won her third race from 10 starts and has now banked $187,612. She paid $7.56 to win.

Each division of the $254,500 Perfect Sting International Stallion Stakes was sponsored by the Perfect Sting Syndicate, Brittany Farms and Val D’Or Farms.

Racing at The Red Mile resumes on Saturday, Oct. 7 with four divisions of the $348,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies and four divisions of the $285,000 International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. First-race post time at The Red Mile is 1 p.m. (EDT).

(The Red Mile)