The final week of the stakes session at The Red Mile is set to begin on Friday (Oct. 7).
The program will feature three divisions of the $290,400 International Stallion Stakes for freshman trotting colts and geldings, and two divisions of the $253,000 International Stallion Stakes for freshman pacing fillies.
Freshman trotting colts and geldings will open Friday’s action in the first $96,800 International Stallion Stakes division. Following a sick scratch last week, Peter Haughton champ Kilmister (pictured above) will return to Lexington, but this time he will start from post seven after drawing no wider than post two in six of his seven starts. Brian Sears will drive the Marcus Melander trainee against six others all returning off starts in the Bluegrass Stakes, including third-place finishers Excalibur Bi (starting from post three) and Purple Lord (post six).
In division two, Race 4, for the trotting colts and geldings, Gates Hanover has landed post four for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt off a 1:52.3 win in the Bluegrass Stakes and will start just two draws inside of Tony Alagna trainee Ari Ferrari J (post six), who will acquire the hands of David Miller after a 1:54.2 win in the Bluegrass. Dexter Dunn, the regular pilot of both Bluegrass winners, opted to steer Domenico Cecere trainee Winners Bet (post three), the winner of the William Wellwood Memorial who will try to regain footing after breaking stride in the stretch of the Mohawk Million.
The last of the freshman trotting colt and gelding contests goes as Race 7. Espresso will look to live to billing off a 22-1 win in the Bluegrass from post eight and this time scores a better draw from post two with Andy Miller at the helm of the Julie Miller trainee. Crown will compete from post six with Brian Sears in the bike as he rematches Espresso after finishing second from an off-the-pace trip.
Action for the freshman pacing fillies begins in Race 6 with all attention on Twin B Joe Fresh in the first $126,500 division. Chris Ryder’s speedy project will leave from post seven in rein to Dexter Dunn as she once again will face Strong Poison, who has finished behind Twin B Joe Fresh on numerous occasions and now exits a 1:51.3 win in the Bluegrass last week. Yannick Gingras will drive Strong Poison out of post three for trainer Ron Burke.
Race 9 will cap the afternoon’s stakes with the second division for the pacing fillies. Ohio Sires Stakes champ McSeaside will start as the morning-line favourite with Dexter Dunn taking the drive for trainer Ron Burke. She will start from post six in a field of nine which includes Bellisima Hanover (post three), who gets back on track after scratching from the Shes A Great Lady Final, and Zanatta (post nine), who gave futile chase to finish second to Twin B Joe Fresh in the Bluegrass.
The International Stallion Stakes for freshman trotting colts and geldings are each sponsored by the Muscle Hill, Six Pack and Chapter Seven stallion syndicates and by Southwind Farms, Deo Volente Farms and Blue Chip Farms, respectively. Both divisions of the International Stallion Stakes for freshman pacing fillies are presented by the Perfect Sting syndicate and Brittany Farms / Val D’or Farms.
First-race post time is 1 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from The Red Mile)