Freshmen trotting fillies found themselves in the spotlight at The Red Mile on Thursday afternoon, with four divisions of the Bluegrass Series kicking off Grand Circuit action
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Cedar Dove rallied from out of the clouds to take her $87,500 division in a time of 1:59.1 for driver Ron Pierce and trainer Noel Daley. The daughter of Andover Hall-Pine For Her watched Hot Off The Press (Andy Miller) dictate the pace through panels of :29.2, 1:01.2 and 1:31.4 before sprouting wings. Cedar Dove uncorked a :26.4 final frame to prevail by half a length over Pilgrims Truffles (John Campbell). Hot Off The Press had to settle for the show dough.
Sent off as the even-money favourite despite coming into the rich test as a maiden, Cedar Dove improved her rookie record to 1-1-0 in three tries for the partnership of Adam Victor & Son Stble of New York, NY and John Fielding of Toronto, ON. The $55,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale has banked $56,250 to date.
Brooklyn survived a first-over trip to win the $88,500 second division for the team of driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Frank Antonacci. The Conway Hall-Anna Karins Girl miss watched Epona Blue Chip (Ray Schnittker) and Sashay (Ron Pierce) take turns on the lead through splits of :29, :57.4 and 1:28.2 before brushing to the top and prevailing by three-quarters of a length in a time of 1:59.2. Epona Blue Chip held on bravely to finish second, while Unique Bluestone (Dave Magee) finished third.
Sent off as the even-money choice, Brooklyn bettered her record to 4-1-0 from just six trips postward. The $100,000 Lexington Select Yearling Sale purchase gave the Adam Victor And Son Stble of New York, NY the sweep of the first two divisions. Her lifetime earnings jumped to $68,249 with the win.
Lady Rainbow and Wincinnatti hit the finish line together in a time of 1:57.4 and then shared the winner’s circle in the $88,500 third division. Crème De Cocoa (D.R. Ackerman) got away with sensible splits of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:30.2 before being overtaken by a host of backfield challengers. Wincinnatti (John Campbell) and Lady Rainbow (Rick Zeron) both fired home in a :27-second clip en route to sharing the win in a time of 1:57.4. Third prize went to Miss Sue V (Brian Sears)
Lady Rainbow, who is owned by Rick Zeron Stables, The Camel Club Stable, Rojan Stables and Herb Chambers, now owns a 3-1-2 record from just seven trips to the track in 2010. The homebred daughter of Muscles Yankee-Sunshinenlollipops bumped her bankroll to $167,489 with the win.
Wincinnatti, who races for the Allens – Jason, Doug and Ronald, improved to 2-1-0 in five attempts while pushing her earnings to $36,187. The 1:57.4 performance was a lifetime best effort for the daughter of Windsongs Legacy-Enbeecee, who was purchased for $140,000 from the 2009 Harrisburg Yearling Sale.
Tight Pants swept the field in the $88,500 final division for the duo of driver David Miller and trainer Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman. The daughter of Muscles Yankee-Soutaine Hanover, who was eighth at the three-quarter pole in the eight-filly affair, used a :27-second final frame to get up for the 1:59 decision. She drew off to win by a pair of lengths over Caitrin Hall (Tim Tetrick), with third-place finisher Massive Drama (John Campbell) another three-quarters of a length in arrears.
The victory extended Tight Pants’ winning streak to six-in-a-row while pushing her lifetime earnings to $134,080. The homebred is owned by Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee.