The stars were out and flying at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel as the track hosted a stakes-laden card on Monday, May 4 headlined by the eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby and Oak Grove Trotting Oaks, which produced a pair of track records.

Chris Beaver pupil Endurance, who set the local standard for two-year-old trotting colts last year, added another Oak Grove track record to his resume with a fierce 1:51.3 effort in his seasonal debut in the third of three $67,568 eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Derby. Andy McCarthy waited in third with the 1-2 favourite while Big Ranger (Ronnie Gillespie) hustled to lead in a :27.1 first quarter and continued through a :56 half, at which point Endurance angled off the pylons and built his momentum on the backstretch. Endurance hit his best stride after three-quarters in 1:23 and collared Big Ranger coming off the final turn before spurting away for a 1-1/2-length win over Ai (Yannick Gingras), who popped off a pocket trip for second. Nix Nacken (Dexter Dunn) earned the last berth into the final in third.

Lowering the previous track record set last year by Yannick G Kemp of 1:52.3, Endurance added a seventh win to his card from nine career starts and has now earned $802,373 for owners Super Endurance Stable, Bill Manes, Leo Fleming and Mark Moger. The colt by Captain Corey-Love Session paid $3.18 to win.

Andy's younger brother, Todd McCarthy, oversaw a track-record effort in the first of three $40,541 eliminations for the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks while landing a 14-1 upset with Noel Daley trainee Naked And Famous in a 1:51.2 mile. McCarthy motored his charge out of post seven to lead in a steep :26.4 opener and carried her speed through a :55.3 half and a sprint to three-quarters in 1:22.3 to successfully string out her competition. Naked And Famous spun for home on a widening advantage and hit the beam 7-1/2 lengths better than 2-1 favourite Jailbird Jog (Anthony MacDonald). Carve (Andy McCarthy) gave pursuit from a pocket trip for third to earn the last spot into the final.

Naked And Famous, a daughter of Six Pack-Sleep Tight My Luv, won her fifth race from 13 starts and has now earned $273,966 for owner CTC Stable. In her three-year-old bow, she lowered the previous mark for three-year-old trotting fillies of 1:51.4 set two years ago by Woman Of Passion. The win price was $31.90.

Reigning Breeders Crown winner Spencer Hanover scored in the first of the Trotting Derby eliminations on the day, delivering as the 2-5 favourite in a 1:53.4 effort in his first start at three. After a pair of breaks early from Premier Bluebird (Kyle Wilfong) and Ceo Joe (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), Spencer Hanover floated towards the lead past a :28 first quarter to pocket early leader Geologic (Yannick Gingras) and strolled from there through middle fractions of :57.3 and 1:25.3. He coasted to the finish 2-3/4 lengths better than Geologic with Impossible Bi (Marcus Miller) checking in third another 13-3/4 lengths behind.

Marcus Melander trains Spencer Hanover, a son of Chapter Seven-Secret Passion, for owners Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti. The colt is now four-for-14 lifetime with $934,837 in earnings. He paid $2.86 to win.

Trainer Matt Burkholder took the top two spots in the other Trotting Derby elimination with 2-5 favourite Silverstein (David Miller) scampering to a 1:52.3 win over stablemate Requiem (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.). Miller brushed Silverstein to the lead out of third after a :27.1 opener and pocketed Requiem on the way to a :56.2 half. The leader held steady speed up the backstretch as Chapel (Stephane Guelpa) mildly pushed uncovered on the rim until stalling on the march to three-quarters in 1:24.2. As Chapel retreated, Silverstein accelerated for home and held a solid advantage while drifting in the stretch for a two-length victory over Requiem. Kingmen (Jason Bartlett) kicked from second-over for third to make the final.

Silverstein, a Chapter Seven-Shining Brightly gelding, collected his fifth win from 13 starts. He has now earned $546,367 for owner Dark Horse Farm LLC. The win payout was $2.88.

A few races after Naked And Famous surprised on the lead, odds-on favourite Victorianas Secret cruised to a 1:53.3 victory in the second of three Trotting Oaks eliminations. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. secured the point with his charge out of post seven ahead of Degas (Anthony MacDonald) into a :27.3 first quarter. Victorianas Secret continued on a comfortable lead to a :57.1 half and through three-quarters in 1:25.1 as Degas swelled from the pocket and readied an attack for the stretch drive. Wrenn gave Victorianas Secret a few taps of the whip, and she responded to the challenge in the lane, staving off Degas in hand by 1-1/2 lengths while longshot Chiquita Ba Beeman (Atlee Bender) snagged the last berth into the final in third.

Vernon Beachy trains Victorianas Secret, a filly by Tactical Landing-Victoriana, for owner Ryan Smith. She won her first start of the year and her third lifetime from 10 starts, earning $137,161 in her career. Her backers received $2.62.

Custom landed a knockout blow to 2-5 favourite Setyoursightshigh (Dexter Dunn) in the last Trotting Oaks elimination with an explosive late burst to win in 1:52.4. Jason Bartlett sat mid-pack with Custom to a :27.1 first quarter cut by Setyoursightshigh and was locked at the pylons by the parked-out Burningforyourlove (Stephane Guelpa), who flushed cover from Ginger Tree Lex (Andy McCarthy) in fourth. Custom was mired in traffic to a :55.4 half and gradually inched off the pylons while Setyoursightshigh strode handily to three-quarters in 1:24.1 under a challenge from first-up Country Glide (David Miller). Setyoursightshigh quickened for home as Country Glide faltered, giving room for pocket-sitter Little Road (Brady Brown) to take a late shot. But Bartlett found clearance out of the two-path to the centre of the track in the stretch, and Custom swiftly reached top gear to nail Setyoursightshigh at the line by a half-length. Little Road held third.

Per Engblom trains Custom, a filly by Walner-Golden Mary Fr, for owners Engblom Farm LLC and Thomas Lind-Holm. She won her fourth race from nine starts to up her earnings to $85,429 in her career. She paid $8.78 to win in her seasonal debut.

The top three finishers from each elimination will go through an open draw for their respective finals, the $500,000 USD Oak Grove Trotting Derby and $300,000 USD Oak Grove Trotting Oaks. The pair of finals are the headline events at Oak Grove on Preakness Saturday, May 16, the culminating day of the $2.75 million USD Festival of Racing. The card, which begins at 12:45 p.m. (CDT), will be followed by a concert from country music star Jake Owen.

Yo Tillie Equals Oak Grove Track Record

Yo Tillie emerged the top performer from the seven $67,568 divisions of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) second preliminary for four-year-olds on the Monday undercard with a track-record-equalling 1:51.4 mile to win the lone event for trotting mares. She worked past a revved-up Winnpanzee (Yannick Gingras) to the lead in a :26.3 first quarter and continued at a solid clip of :55.1 and 1:23, all while Winnpanzee followed contently from second. R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) mounted a first-over bid but plateaued into the lane, locking Winnpanzee in the pocket until the final 1/16th. She attempted a late attack on Yo Tillie but came calling too late as the pacesetter crossed the line a measured winner by three-quarters of a length. R Dutchess held third.

Tying the track record for aged trotting mares set three years ago by Yanaba, Yo Tillie took her 21st win from 26 lifetime starts and grew her bankroll to $1,839,743. Andrew Harris trains the daughter of Tactical Landing-Consolidator, who has won both starts at three after going 11-for-12 and earning Dan Patch divisional honours last year, for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. She paid $2.62 to win.

Two-time Ontario champion Crack Shot, driven by Doug McNair, delivered a 1:51.3 win at 1-9 odds in the first KYSS division for pacing males. McNair circled the heavy favourite to the lead after a :27.1 first quarter and rated him through middle splits of :55.3 and 1:23.3 before the stallion cruised home an easy winner by 1-1/2 lengths. Somelousomewhere (Tim Tetrick) closed first-over for second with Captain Arturovico (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallying off a ground-saving trip for third.

Winning in his seasonal debut, Crack Shot collected his 12th victory from 25 starts and has now earned $777,876. Gregg McNair trains the son of Bettors Delight-Beautyonthebeach and shares ownership with Dale Hunter, Frank Brundle and George Kerr. The win price was $2.18.

Gimpanzee Dancer took top honours with a 1:51.2 victory in the first of two KYSS divisions for trotting horses and geldings. Driver David Miller followed tempo-setter My Degenerate (Tyler Miller) from third to a :26.4 first quarter but inherited the pocket past a :55.4 half when Whiskey Wow (Atlee Bender) bobbled into a gallop. Gimpanzee Dancer gradually reeled in My Degenerate on the way to three-quarters in 1:23.3 and pounced in the lane for a half-length victory. Boots N Beer (Joey Putnam) finished third, another 5-1/2 lengths behind.

Chris Beaver trains Gimpanzee Dancer, a son of Gimpanzee-Weslynn Dancer, and co-owns him with Carolina Acosta and Derek Ivany. The stallion won his third race from five starts this season and his ninth race from 34 starts in his career, earning $536,424. He paid $2.46 to win.

Go Dog Go romped in the other KYSS dash for trotting males. Todd McCarthy floated towards the lead with the stallion while wide of breaker Herecomesdajudge (Tyler Miller) passing a :27.2 first quarter and planted him onto the point heading for the second turn. After setting a :56.1 half, Go Dog Go began peeling away from pocket-sitter Fifty Rivers (Dexter Dunn) and first-up Vugoo (David Miller) on the way to three-quarters in 1:23.3. He widened his lead further under a strong hold in the stretch to cross the line 7-1/4 lengths better than Vugoo in 1:52. Fifty Rivers finished third.

Go Dog Go, a stallion by Greenshoe-Primary Target, is trained by Carter Pinske for owners Wiesman Farms LLC and Al Libfeld. With two wins in two starts at four, he is now nine-for-24 lifetime with $909,507 in bankroll. He returned $2.26 to win.

Harrisburg Heist landed the quickest win in the pair of KYSS splits for pacing males that bookended the 15-race card, stopping the clock in 1:50. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. sent him on a first-over attack out of fourth after early fractions of :27 and :55.3 carved out by stablemate Banderas (Yannick Gingras), and Harrisburg Heist swiftly drew to equal terms with the leader after three-quarters in 1:22.3. Turning for home, Harrisburg Heist pushed past Banderas with ease and withstood a late charge from Higher Ground (David Miller) to hold onto the victory by a length, earning his first win in two starts in 2026. Higher Ground, rallying off a pocket trip, settled for second with Banderas finishing third.

Harrisburg Heist, trained by Ron Burke, has won 14 times from 33 career starts and has earned $831,489. The gelding by Downbytheseaside-Cashaway races for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He paid $5.18 to win.

Unreasonable vaulted off a helmet to score the faster win of the two KYSS splits for pacing mares with a 1:49.1 effort as the 3-5 favourite. Dexter Dunn bided his time while Duration (David Miller) sped to the point and cut quick fractions of :26, :54.2 and 1:21.1 before tiring in the final quarter. Odds On Chesapeake (Todd McCarthy) pulled off the pylons from third moving to the final turn and reached for the pacesetter while Unreasonable, perching onto her cover, launched three-wide through the bend and hit her best stride into the lane. Unreasonable muscled past her rivals and crossed the line 1-1/4 lengths better than Odds On Chesapeake while Champagne Room (Yannick Gingras) shook free from a pocket trip for third.

Andrew Harris trains Unreasonable, a daughter of Huntsville-Roaring To Go, for owner Punisher 11 Stable LLC. Now two-for-two on the year, the mare won her 13th race from 28 starts, earning $1,063,549 in her career. She returned $3.44 at the mutuels.

Rose delivered as the odds-on favourite in the other KYSS split for distaff pacers off a similar second-over trip to stop the clock in 1:50.1. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. waited in fourth as Aintnothingucando (Yannick Gingras) fired for the lead into a :26.2 first quarter and parked The Last Martini (Doug McNair), who remained at the leader's side passing the stands. Rose eventually edged off the cones to catch cover from The Last Martini after a :54.3 half and readied a three-wide charge past three-quarters in 1:22.2. Rose kicked strongly for the finish and overhauled Aintnothingucando in the stretch to notch a half-length victory with Caviart Delight (Todd McCarthy), emerging from a locked pocket late, taking third.

Rose, a daughter of Sweet Lou-Rosemary Rose, is four-for-six on the year for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Jack Piatt III and Larry Karr. The Ron Burke-trained mare improved to 11-for-27 lifetime and has now earned $746,328. She paid $3.88 to win.

Oak Grove Crushes Handle Record

Gamblers showed up with enthusiasm for the blockbuster day of stakes racing at Oak Grove on Monday, which featured just over $850,000 in purses. The 15-race card easily became the biggest betting day in the six-year history of the track with $873,180.47 USD wagered, besting the previous handle record from last year of $582,666.19 USD by 50 per cent.

The $2.75 million USD Festival of Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday with a 14-race card. Oak Grove will also have a special card of racing on Sunday, May 10 for Mother's Day and will also host corgi races alongside the day's harness racing action. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:10 p.m. (CDT).

(With files from Oak Grove; photo of Endurance winning on May 4)