Round 2 of the Kentucky Sires Stakes will take place Thursday night (August 20) at the Red Mile, with single races for all eight divisions for two and three-year-olds. The races will set the stage for Kentucky Super Night on Sunday, August 30, which will feature the eight finals worth $175,000 apiece.

All four of last year’s two-year-old champions are back in action this year, including Cinnabar Hall, who won the 2014 Two-Year-Old Colt Trot final. Cinnabar Hall was winless in 10 starts this year heading into the opening round of the KYSS on August 9, but the son of Groton Hall emerged with a career-best 1:55.4 victory. Cinnabar Hall will start from Post 5 in the lone division for three-year-old colt trotters.

Bestbestraight, last year’s two-year-old colt pace champion, heads into Thursday’s KYSS event with just one Kentucky fair start under his belt in 2015. That race, on July 25 at the Red Mile, was the Steve Carter trainee’s first appearance since he won the 2014 final last August. Bestbestraight will start from Post 4 in a field that includes first-round winner Corsica Hall from Post 3. Aaron Merriman, the leading dash-winning driver in North America this year, will make the trip to Lexington to drive Bestbestraight.

Reigning filly trotting champ Armatrading will start from Post 2 in her lone six-horse split. Armatrading made a break as the betting favourite in Round 1, with that contest won by 11-1 Crime Wave Hall, who will start from Post 4.

Cielle, whose seven wins last year included the Two-Year-Old Filly Pace, will start from Post 1 in the single division for the three-year-old filly pacers. Cielle finished second in the KYSS opener behind Twilight Princess, who will start from the outside Post 7 for driver Aaron Merriman and rides a four-race win streak.

Post time for the 13-race card is 7 p.m.

(KYSS)