Grand Circuit action was on the go in fast and furious fashion at The Red Mile on Friday afternoon, and Trot Insider has recapped all of today's harness racing happenings from the Lexington, Kentucky oval
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The card featured the International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings and for the two-year-old pacing fillies in addition to the Bluegrass Series for three-year-old trotting fillies and the Tattersalls for the three-year-old filly pacers.
Here’s a recap of today’s events:
International Stallion Stake for two-year-old pacing fillies
So Perfect used a strong surge in deep stretch to cap off the stakes-filled program with a 1:51.3 victory in her $117,000 division of the International Stallion Stake. Yannick Gingras mapped out the come-from-behind score with the Jimmy Takter student.
Ms Malicious (Ron Pierce) led the field past the :26.3 opening panel before Show And Tell (Brian Sears) roared to the lead and supplied the field with middle panels of :54.4 and 1:24.1. Gingras, who was positioned well off the pace for most of the mile, turned So Perfect loose coming off the final turn and she had no problem circling by rivals en route to the going away victory in a career-best clocking of 1:51.3. Whats New Pussycat (John Campbell) was second, with All Tucked Up (Jody Jamieson) escaping late to finish third.
The Brittany Farms’ homebred daughter of Western Ideal-Sounds Perfect has put together a 3-2-3 record in 12 starts. The lion’s share of today’s purse bumped her bankroll to $270,651.
Strike An Attitude got away tenth in her $117,000 assignment, but she turned on the afterburners at the head of the lane and mowed down rivals one by one en route to a 1:52.2 score for the duo of driver John Campbell and trainer Bob McIntosh.
The homebred daughter of Western Hanover-Strike A Balance saw an opening quarter of :28.1 flash up compliments of Southwind Jazmin (Jim Morrill, Jr.), who got rough gaited on the way to the mid-way point. She was overtaken at the inside by Asteria Blue Chip (Tim Tetrick) and on the outside by Shyaway (Brian Sears), and those two battled to the half in :55.1. Shyaway eventually cleared to the lead, and she was on top at the three-quarter station in 1:23.2. Her lead was quickly taken away by Strike An Attitude, who catapulted off cover and then sprinted to the finish line. Southwind Jazmin regained her composure and re-rallied to finish second, with Honky Tonk Woman (Dave Miller) taking home third prize.
Fresh off her win in a division of last week’s Bluegrass Series at The Red Mile, Strike An Attitude improved her juvenile record to 6-3-1 from 13 opportunities. She has built up a cash stash of $457,364 for the partnership of the Robert McIntosh Stables Inc and Paul Ysebaert of Ontario along with the C S X Stables of Ohio.
Bluegrass Series for three-year-old trotting fillies
Impressive Kemp stalked cover for driver Ron Pierce before setting sail in deep stretch and scoring a 1:54.3 victory in her $70,500 division of Bluegrass Series.
The Noel Daley student watched Glide Power (Brian Sears) cruise past the quarter pole in :28.4 before passing the baton to Bramalea Hanover (Tim Tetrick) in the backstretch. Once in charge of the tempo, Bramalea Hanover rolled by the next two junctures in :57 and 1:26. Poof Shes Gone (David Miller) applied first over heat on the leader, with Impressive Kemp sitting on that O’Brien Award winner’s back. Pierce sat chilly behind Impressive Kemp, who kicked her way to the lead and drew away from Poof Shes Gone and Glide Power in a career-best clocking of 1:54.3. Last weekend’s winner of the Kentucky Filly Futurity, race favourite Fashion Feline (Dave Palone), broke at the start and finished last in the seven-filly field.
Impressive Kemp, a daughter of Credit Winner-Emilie Cas El, went 1-for-4 as a freshman while banking just over $47,000. Her victory in the Bluegrass Series improved her sophomore record to 7-3-0 in 17 starts while pushing this year’s earnings to $445,326. She is owned by Jean Cloutier of Stanstead, QC.
Bar Slide took her $70,500 division in gate-to-wire fashion for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Joe Holloway.
The Yankee Glide-Marla Bar miss hustled the field through fractions of :28.2, :57.3 and 1:27.2 before uncorking a :28-second final frame en route to the 1:55.2 decision. Race favourite Ultimate Cameron (John Campbell), who sat a pocket trip until the mid-way point of the far turn, made a brief bid to go after the lead before leveling off and finishing second. Sweetspellosuccess (Brian Sears) finished third.
The victory was the fifth of the 2010 campaign and the eighth lifetime tally for Bar Slide, who has built up a $648,692 bankroll from 24 lifetime assignments.
Behindclosedoors put last week’s debacle in the Kentucky Filly Futurity behind her thanks to a 1:55.1 score in her $70,500 division of the Bluegrass Series. Dave Palone mapped out the come-from-behind tally with the Chuck Sylvester-trained daughter of Andover Hall-Margarita Nights.
Munis Blue Chip (Ray Schnittker) walked the field to the quarter pole in a :30-second clip, and that prompted Palone to gear up out of the two-hole with Behindclosedoors. She easily brushed to the top and was the leader at the half in :59.2. Costa Rica (Ron Pierce) had sprung into action in the backstretch and in a matter of strides she sprinted to the lead going into the final turn. Action Broadway (Brian Sears) applied pressure to the leader all the way to the three-quarter pole in 1:26.3 before Costa Rica turned her aside. Costa Rica, however, couldn’t fend off Behindclosedoors who used a strong stretch kick to surge to the wire in 1:55.1. Costa Rica held on for the runner-up award, and third prize went to Action Broadway.
“She shook her head and run into the gate a little last week and it was just one of those things; that was the first one she’s every made,” said trainer Chuck Sylvester. “This week she was a little more relaxed and she was better. The last month she’s been very good. We had flip flops on her and we put a little light half round up front today and she was good.”
After a 4-for-10 rookie campaign, Behindclosedoors has followed suit with a 4-for-14 sophomore season for the partnership of Mel Hartman of Ontario along with Herb Liverman and David McDuffee of Florida. The lion’s share of the purse lifted her earnings to $538,380.
Tattersalls for three-year-old pacing fillies
Naughtytiltheend played giant killer for the tandem of driver Andy Miller and trained Erv Miller when she pulled off a 60-1 upset over the 1-9 favourite, Put On A Show, in their $159,000 division of the Tattersalls.
You See L A (John Campbell) broke the beam at the quarter pole in :26.3 before taking a back seat to Best Boss (Mike Lachance), who sprinted to the top in the backstretch and threw down a :54.1 opening half. Put On A Show (Tim Tetrick) was on the move out of the four-hole as the field headed into the final turn, and in a matter of strides she muscled her way to the point and sped past the three-quarter pole in 1:23. Seriously (Jody Jamieson) came on late along with Naughtytiltheend, with the latter getting up in the final strides in a career-best clocking of 1:50.2. Seriously and Put On A Show finished in a dead-heat for second.
Unraced as a rookie but now 7-for-24 as a sophomore, Naughtytiltheend has salted away $276,867 in earnings. The daughter of Western Ideal-Cam Swifty is owned by Diamond Creek Farm LLC of Paris, KY.
Ticket To Rock found late room in deep stretch and sprinted past the leaders to win the $159,000 Tattersalls in 1:52 for the team of driver David Miller and trainer Jeff Webster.
The daughter of Rocknroll Heaven-Odds On J P, fresh off a win in last week’s $185,000 Bluegrass Series in Lexington, shot to the lead from post eight and seven foes lined up behind her at the quarter pole in :28.1. Rock N Soul (Yannick Gingras) rallied to the lead up the backstretch and rolled through middle panels of :56.1 and 1:25. Northwest Hanover (Tim Tetrick) made a spirited bid against the leader around the final turn, but both of those fillies were no match for Ticket To Rock once Miller angled her to the outside of the track. She surged past for the 1:52 score over Northwest Hanover and Hulas Z Tam (Patrick Lachance).
After going 2-for-12 as a freshman, Ticket To Rock has followed up with a sparkling record of 11-1-2 in 17 starts this season. The career winner of $634,341 is owned by Jack Darling Stables Ltd of Ontario and Jerry Silva of New York along with Let It Ride Stables Inc and Robert Cooper Stables LLC of Florida.
International Stallion Stake for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings
Kashs Cantab pulled off a 21-1 upset for in his $89,300 division thanks in large part to some excellent rating by driver John Campbell.
The Danny Collins-trained son of Cantab Hall-Ocala Kash watched Fort Valley AS (Andy Miller) lay down a :28.3 opening panel before going on the offensive. Campbell brushed Kashs Cantab to the engine and the colt stole away with marshmallowy middle panels of :58 and 1:28 before firing home in :28.3 for the 1:56.3 decision. Spring Goal (Dave Miller) was the next to cross the line, while race favourite Big Rigs (Tim Tetrick) rallied late to grab the show dough.
It was the third win of the season in 10 tries for the homebred, who has banked $132,628 to date for the partnership of Wayne Zollars of Mt. Vernon, OH and Slaughter Racing Stb LLC of Prospect, KY.
Manofmanymissions, fresh off his 1:53.2 World Record performance in the Breeders Crown at Pocono Downs on October 9, was a front-stepping winner in his $88,300 division for the Miller brothers – trainer Erv and driver Andy.
The son of Yankee Glide-Armbro Vanquish watched Way Back When (Dave Miller) throw down a :29.1 opening panel before brushing Manofmanymissions to the lead. Once on the engine, Manofmanymissions supplied splits of :57.4 and 1:27.1 before firing home in :27.4 en route to the 1:55.1 victory. Blue Porsche (Trevor Ritchie) was next best, and Mr Web Page (Dave Magee) rounded out the top three finishers.
I think he just needs some time to mature,” said driver Andy Miller. “He’s a real growthy colt and he just needs some time to fill out. He was pretty comfortable today. He coasted around there, and the biggest thing is just to keep his mind on business.”
The victory was the fourth in six tries for the youngster, who was a $215,000 purchase from last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. He has stashed away $432,900 for the partnership of Mystical Marker Farms LLC of Indiana, M Biasuzzi Stable of Florida and John Carver of Illinois.
Luckycharm Hanover pulled off a 9-2 upset in the $88,300 opening division for the tandem of driver John Campbell and trainer Jeff Webster.
Campbell hustled the son of Andover Hall-Lady Luck to immediate command from post six, and the colt had the field lined up behind him at the quarter pole in :29.1. Swan In A Million (David Miller) challenged and then overtook Luckycharm Hanover as they passed by the mid-way point in :58.1. Swan In A Million got a bit “pacey” around the final turn and eventually rolled into a break, and as a result the lead position was inherited by Luckycharm Hanover. He tripped the beam at the three-quarter pole in 1:27.4 and easily turned aside race favourite Neal (Brian Sears) in deep stretch en route to the 1:55.3 score. Pegasus Blue Chip (Jody Jamieson) was a distant third.
"Nobody else left, and when the was no speed inside he crossed over rather easily," said driver John Campbell. "He trotted home strong last week; had traffic and had to come three-wide early off the turn. There didn't look like much pace in the race today at the gate, and he's quite versatile at the gate so that's a big edge. My horse trotted strong the last quarter, but I was worried about Neal coming at me because he was very impressive last week. This horse was good last week, too, and he came back with a strong race today."
The victory improved Luckycharm Hanover’s rookie record to 2-3-3 in 10 starts, and the lion’s share of the purse bumped his bankroll to $170,727. Purchased for $90,000 at the 2009 Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Luckycharm Hanover is owned by Arthur Rudolph and Bernard Owen of Florida along with the Rudolph Stables Inc of New York.