Nine of the 10 three-year-old trotting fillies from last weekend’s Breeders Crown were among the 19 entries in Saturday’s $311,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity at The Red Mile in Lexington. Leading the way was Breeders Crown winner Impressive Kemp
, as well as runner-up Behindclosedoors and third-place finisher Spicy Wings.
A horse must win two heats to win the Kentucky Filly Futurity. The top-five finishers from two first-heat elimination races will advance to the second heat. If a first-heat winner wins the second heat, she is the champion. If a different horse wins, there is a third-heat race-off between the three winners.
Impressive Kemp enters the Filly Futurity off her 1:54.4 victory in the Breeders Crown on October 9 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. Earlier this year, she suffered a six-race stretch in which she went off stride, but she has won three of her last five starts and finished second on the other two occasions. Overall, she has won six of 14 races this season and earned $404,478.
Last year, in her second lifetime start, Impressive Kemp won a division of the Bluegrass Stakes in 1:55.3 at the Red Mile.
“This always figured to be the place for her to shine,” said trainer Noel Daley, who raced Impressive Kemp without shoes in the Breeders Crown and plans to do the same in the Filly Futurity. “We were always confident she would be good here, but it’s nice to be coming here trying to put the icing on the cake rather than trying to make your year.
“It’s a good time of the year for the filly to be good. The Hambletonian Oaks, Breeders Crown and Filly Futurity, those are your numbers to be good, really. Let’s hope it carries on for another week.”
Behindclosedoors also has shown improved form in recent weeks. She had a three-race win streak snapped by her second-place finish in the Breeders Crown, where she was the favourite. Prior to the streak, she was winless in seven races for the year.
“All at once she thinks she can win, so that’s good,” trainer Chuck Sylvester said. “I don’t know [how it happened]. Just all at once she’s much better than she was, that’s for sure.”
Impressive Kemp and Behindclosedoors are in separate first-heat elims.
Elegantimage winner Ultimate Cameron is in the first heat with Impressive Kemp, as well as American-National winner Springtime Volo.
Christiana Hanover, who won the Moni Maker at The Red Mile on August 19, is in the heat with Behindclosedoors. So is Hudson Trot winner Spicy Wings, New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Glide Power, and Simcoe Stakes winner Costa Rica.
Following are the complete fields for the first heats in post position order with listed drivers and trainers.
Elimination #1
1. Up Front Juansteen, Tim Tetrick, Kelly O’Donnell
2. Cantab It All, Jim Morrill Jr., Jimmy Takter
3. Secret Magic, Mike Lachance, Ron Gurfein
4. Ultimate Cameron, George Brennan, Bob Stewart
5. Bramalea Hanover, David Miller, Robert McIntosh
6. Full Tank, Brian Sears, Robert Bencal
7. Fashion Feline, Jim Morrill Jr., Jim Campbell
8. Impressive Kemp, Jim Morrill Jr., Noel Daley
9. Springtime Volo, George Brennan, Jan Johnson
Elimination #2
1. Behindclosedoors, Dave Palone, Chuck Sylvester
2. Action Broadway, Brian Sears, Virgil Morgan Jr.
3. Boinga, TBA, Noel Daley
4. Spicy Wings, John Campbell, Jeffrey Webster
5. Costa Rica, Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter
6. Croquet Style, Yannick Gingras, Anette Lorentzon
7. Christiana Hanover, Riina Rekila, Rekila
8. Glide Power, Brian Sears, Jan Johnson
9. Merger Blue Chip, David Miller, Bjorn “Bernie” Noren
10. Bone A Fide, Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit ustrotting.com.