Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee Women Layer took another step towards another series sweep in Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) action at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel when scoring a 1:49.2 win in hand in the lone $68,493 dash for four-year-old pacing horses and geldings on Monday afternoon, June 2.

Leaving from post seven, driver Todd McCarthy floated forward with Women Layer and found cover to follow while parked into a :25.4 first quarter. Better Is Nice (Andy McCarthy) grabbed the lead but soon yielded to first-over Lou Hill (Dexter Dunn) while Women Layer advanced and soon brushed to grab the lead into a :53.3 half. Once on the point, McCarthy coasted for a slight breather to three-quarters in 1:21.4 before shutting the door and kicking away under wraps to a 2-3/4-length win over Better Is Nice. Lou Hill tired in third while Steely Knife (Yannick Gingras) gave chase in fourth. 

Women Layer, a gelding by Sweet Lou, remains unbeaten from five starts this season. He won his 17th race from 26 starts and has now earned $730,267 for owners Let It Ride Stables Inc., Douglas Overhiser, Jeff Fought Racing and Larry Wills. He paid $2.88 to win. 

Bath Bomb rebounded early in the card to score a 1:50.1 win in the lone $68,493 KYSS division for four-year-old pacing mares. Andy McCarthy fired Bath Bomb towards the top and secured a pocket seat to 4-5 favourite Asweetbeachhere (Todd McCarthy) heading to a :26 first quarter. He followed the chalk to a :54 half and through most of the backstretch before launching off the pegs when Fearless Bettor (Brett MacDonald) started charging forward on the rim. Bath Bomb locked eyes with Asweetbeachhere after three-quarters in 1:21.4 and easily put away her rival spinning for home. She then held off Fearless Bettor in the stretch to notch a neck victory while Peace Talks (Dexter Dunn) snagged third, another three lengths behind, and Asweetbeachhere tired to fourth.  

A daughter of Lather Up trained by Per Engblom, Bath Bomb has now won eight races from 21 starts and earned $345,300 for owner Morrison Racing Stables. She paid $5.02 to win. 

Toms Muscle landed an 8-1 upset in the first of two $68,493 KYSS divisions for four-year-old trotting horses & geldings with a 1:54.1 effort. Driver Ernie Hendry and Toms Muscle found cover to follow after a :27.1 first quarter when Hung Over (Dexter Dunn) pulled off the pylons to attack new leader Pisces Rising (Yannick Gingras), who cleared command from even-money favourite Ways N Means (Andy McCarthy) moving to the second turn. Hung Over progressed on the rim and matched strides with Pisces Rising to three-quarters in 1:25.4 while Hendry lifted Toms Muscle three-wide and built momentum for the stretch drive. Toms Muscle took the lead as Hung Over lost ground and Ways N Means waited for room from the pocket. Hendry built a two-length cushion off the turn and held just a wide enough advantage to hold off the late charge of Ways N Means by a head while Hung Over gave chase in third and Show Me (Pat Curtin) finished fourth.

Peggy Grant owns and trains Toms Muscle, a gelded homebred by Long Tom. He won his fifth race from 30 starts and has now earned $141,925. He paid $19.42 to win. 

Splendid and Tony Hall also scored an upset in the other $68,493 KYSS split for four-year-old trotting horses & geldings, winning in 1:52.4. Hall procured a pocket trip to Ordained (Yannick Gingras) after a :26.3 first quarter and coasted along while 6-5 favourite Convoy Hall (Todd McCarthy) attempted to push first over on the rim. The chalk floundered in his push through middle fractions of :55.4 and 1:24 while Splendid swelled from the pocket. Once Convoy Hall levelled off spinning for home, Hall angled outside and slid by Ordained to notch an 11-1 win by 1-1/2 lengths. Ordained held second while Pennteller Hanover (Brett MacDonald) kicked from last for third and Convoy Hall settled for fourth. 

Todd Rooney trains Splendid, a stallion by Father Patrick, for his Rooney Racing and co-owner Trotting For Bourbon. The trotter won his 11th race from 29 starts and has now banked $311,523. He paid $24.58 to win. 

Woman Of Passion scored a repeat win in the lone $68,493 KYSS split for four-year-old trotting mares. After getting strung to a :26.2 first quarter, Todd McCarthy and Woman Of Passion backed the tempo through middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:24.1. Pizzelle (Andy McCarthy) advanced first over as the race slowed and tried to mount a challenge on the pacesetter turning for home, but Todd McCarthy kept his charge to task to register a 1-1/2-length win in 1:52.4. Danger (Robert Taylor) sat a pocket trip for second while Pizzelle settled for third and Black Velvet As (Tony Hall) rallied from a shuffle to last for fourth. 

Carter Pinske trains Woman Of Passion, a homebred daughter of Walner, for owner Al Libfeld. She won her 15th race from 29 starts and has now earned $636,665. She paid $2.56 to win. 

Oak Grove also contested a pair of $45,206 Open pacing events on the undercard. Saulsbrook Victor (Brett MacDonald; $6.10 to win) avoided first-turn trouble by rolling down the road to a pillar-to-post win in 1:50 in the Open Handicap Pace. Jada Caroline (Atlee Bender; $27.92) worked a stalking trip in the $45,206 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace and pounced to overtake pacesetter Pressure Cooker (Todd McCarthy) and late-closing Lyin Eyes (Joey Putnam) to win by a neck in 1:50.2. 

Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday, June 3 with a 13-race card headlined by the $33,000 USD Open Trot, carded as Race 9. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:25 p.m. (CDT).

(Oak Grove)