Joey Putnam took the initiative with Lyin Eyes and rated a powerful mile to hold on for the 1:53.3 victory in the $45,833 Fillies & Mares Open Pace on what became a record-breaking day at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Monday, May 5.

Leaving from post three, Putnam put  7-2 third choice Lyin Eyes into play after back-to-back off the speed efforts and grabbed the lead from 3-2 chalk Kobes Gigi (Marvin Luna) moving past a :27.1 first quarter. Putnam then rationed speed to a :57.1 half and only slightly accelerated up the backside when JKs Shining Star (Randy Crisler) came marching first over. Lyin Eyes held a snug lead to three-quarters in 1:25.3, and Putnam pushed the button at the top of the stretch to scoot away to a near two-length cushion. Dandys Mercy (Marcus Miller) rallied from third over down the center of the track in an attempt to reel in the leader, but Lyin Eyes held firm to the line by a half length. Kobes Gigi settled for third.

A four-year-old mare by Odds On Equuleus out of Miswave Hanover, Lyin Eyes (pictured above) won her eighth race from 29 starts and has now earned $455,079 for owners J. P. Racing LLC, Joey Putnam, and Crazy Parrot Farm LLC. She paid $9.24 to win.

Monday's card also featured a $30,556 mini-series final for $16,667 claimers won by 11-1 shot Normandy Beach, who gave trainer Trey Brinson a hat trick on an afternoon celebrating his daughter's birthday.

Normandy Beach led his competition pillar to post from the rail to register a 1:54.3 upset over Sonic Star (Trace Tetrick) and Americas Fleet (Marvin Luna). Brinson trains the 11-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere-Symphony In Motion for owner Tony Troy. Normandy Beach paid $25.26 to win.

Brinson also won on the day with Capt Karma (Pat Curtin, 1:54.3; $4.50) and later with Talk Racy To Me (Devon Tharps, 1:53.1; $23.94).

Normandy Beach's upset came in the middle of a monumental Pick 4 sequence at Oak Grove, which featured a $7,746.19 carryover that -- with a $25,000 guaranteed pool -- drew $43,637 in new money. The sequence opened with a pair of longshots, starting with Talk Racy To Me and then with The Hulkster (Devon Tharps; $18.34), before wrapping with favourite Western Era (Atlee Bender; $5.22) to pay $23,528.72 on a $1 ticket.

The large Pick 4 pool helped bolster Oak Grove to record-breaking numbers for the third straight year on this post Kentucky Derby Monday. Monday's 13-race card handled a total $582,666.19 USD, up from the previous record set on May 6 last year of $522,939.11 USD. Oak Grove wishes to thank all the bettors for tuning in and hopping into the action.

Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday, May 6 with a 13-race card headlined by a $33,000 USD Open Trot in Race 9. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:45 p.m. (CDT).

(With files from Oak Grove Racing)