Although just three Grand Circuit stakes races were contested on Thursday (Oct. 3) at the Red Mile, there was more than enough fireworks on track – world records, dead heats, you name it.
The program featured a trio of $92,100 divisions of the Trixton International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, and the youngsters surely put on a show.
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Real Cool Sam (5) and Big Oil (inside) in the International Stallion Stakes.
Real Cool Sam extended his career unbeaten streak to nine in his division, even though he had to finish in a dead-heat in order to do so. Real Cool Sam and Big Oil – the latter of which was sent off at odds of 32-1 – were inseparable at the wire in their split, which was the last of the day’s International Stallion Stakes divisions.
Big Oil sat third to a :27.2 first quarter, which was recorded by Gangster Hanover, who had Capricornus sitting the pocket behind him. Real Cool Sam, who was sent off as the 1-2 favourite, raced fourth up the backstretch before driver David Miller slowly edged from the pylons through the :55.3 half.
Real Cool Sam ranged closer to Gangster Hanover as the field circled the final turn, but Capricornus had room to pull from the pocket in the vicinity of the three-quarters pole, which was clicked off in 1:24. Capricornus was holding onto a narrow lead in the stretch while Big Oil was brushing past Gangster Hanover on the inside. Big Oil sprinted towards the front while Real Cool Sam was getting up in the three-wide path. Real Cool Sam ground past Capricornus in the final strides to hit the wire in tandem with Big Oil. The duo stopped the clock in 1:52.1.
In the dead-heat win, Real Cool Sam, who is a Muscle Hill gelding, broke Amigo Volo’s world record. Amigo Volo had originally lowered the world record in the Bluegrass, but had trotted back to his record mark earlier in the program.
“When [the photo] was taking so long, I was hopeful for a dead-heat, but I didn’t think we got it,” Real Cool Sam’s trainer, Jim Campbell, said after the race. “Today was his ninth start and I didn’t want to come out of here with 10 starts and then — the plan is, if everything’s okay, to go the Breeders Crown. I didn’t want him getting used hard; [it’s] been over three weeks since he raced last at Chester. When they hadn’t raced like that and you go abuse them too much too soon [then] they don’t race the way you want them to. This way it worked out perfectly — Dave gave him a good drive; the way you’d want the colt driven”
Real Cool Sam, who is a Fashion Farms homebred, has earned $443,063. He paid $2.20 to win.
Big Oil, a Father Patrick colt trained by Julie Miller, won his second race in what was his eighth career start. He has now earned $91,605 for owner-breeders Jason and Douglas Allen and co-owner Ron Allen. The 1:52.1 mile was a life’s mark for Big Oil.
“Last week we kind of used as a confidence booster for him,” Julie Miller said after the race. “I thought Andy raced him [really’ well and we thought today to give him a chance. I’m leaning towards [not sending him to the Breeders Crown]. We may put him away and have a great three-year-old.”
Andy Miller piloted the $16.60 winner.
King Alphonso, victorious in the International Stallion Stakes.
King Alphonso wired his competition with a 1:52 mile in the opening division of the International Stallion Stakes.
Trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt swept King Alphonso past pylon-starter Beyond Kronos to take the lead into the first turn. Even-money favourite Rome Pays Off, who was rough-gaited at the start, raced last in the field of seven through the :27.1 opening quarter before angling first over into the backside.
Rome Pays Off marched into a :55.2 half to race at King Alphonso’s wheel circling the final turn, but began to retreat past three-quarters in 1:24.1. King Alphonso strolled through the stretch with wide strides pursued by pocket-sitter Beyond Kronos in second. Its Academic rolled down the centre of the course for third.
A colt by Muscle Hill bred by Order By Stable, King Alphonso won his second race from seven starts, earning $128,395 for owners Ake Svanstedt, Bender Sweden, Little E LLC and Douglas Sipple. He paid $6.80 to win.
Amigo Volo, victorious in the International Stallion Stakes.
Taken to the centre of the course after trotting a bad step, Amigo Volo quickly regained his footing and surged past his competition to equal his then-1:52.3 world record while winning the second division of the International Stallion Stakes.
After having started from Post 7, driver Dexter Dunn floated Amigo Volo into fourth on the first turn before E L Ideal led the field through the first quarter in :26.4. E L Ideal decelerated up the backstretch as Amigo Volo nearly broke into a gallop, but kept his stride as Dunn veered the Father Patrick gelding to the centre of the track. Amigo Volo progressed uncovered towards the leader past the :55.3 half.
“It wasn’t his gait—he was sort of running out a touch there,” Dunn said after the race. “He was playing around with his head a little bit. It was more like he lost a little bit of concentration there and threw himself off stride. [So I] sort of moved him out of the way and he just hit his gait straight away.”
E L Ideal clung to command as Amigo Volo matched strides passing three-quarters in 1:24. Amigo Volo then lunged to the lead straightening for the finish and strode clear of E L Ideal. Synergy finished third.
“He did it really nicely,” Dunn also said. “Those plugs are still in.”
Amigo Volo has now won four of his eight starts and has banked $214,696 in purses for owners Pinske Stables and David J. Miller. Carter Pinske conditions the gelding bred by Kentuckiana Farms LLC and Jorgen Jahre Jr. He paid $3.40 to win.
Each division of the Trixton International Stallion Stakes was sponsored by Deo Volente Farms, where 2014 Hambletonian Winner Trixton stands stud.
“This is truly a special place. It’s an honour and a pleasure to be here,” Mike Gulotta, CEO of Deo Volente Farms, said in the winner’s circle after Race 3. “I love the crowd; I love the racing. Together with the sale, it’s a perfect venue. It’s a place to showcase some great, great horses.”
Grand Circuit action will resume at the Red Mile on Friday (Oct. 4) with four divisions of the $290,200 Muscle Hill International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies — sponsored by Southwind Farms — and two divisions of the $239,000 Arlene Siegel Memorial International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies — sponsored by Jules Siegel and Fashion Farms. Racing will get underway with first-race post at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from the Red Mile)