Undefeated now in ten starts, Jimmy Takter trainee Manchego strolled around the track to take the second of five divisions of the $289,000 Muscle Hill International Stallion Stakes (ISS) two-year-old filly trot presented by Southwind Farms on Friday (October 6) at The Red Mile.
Positioned fourth heading to the quarter, Manchego made her move to the front following a :28.2 quarter established by S M S Princess. She circled to the top past the three-eighths pole, from there trotting the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:24.3 before kicking clear of Dbomb, advancing uncovered to take second, and S M S Princess relegated to third.
By Muscle Hill out of the Cantab Hall mare Secret Magic, Manchego has amassed $563,948 in earnings for owners Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Herb Liverman. The $2.10 winner was driven by Yannick Gingras.
Hey Blondie stormed through the centre of the course to take the opening ISS split in 1:53.1.
Venus Duharas grabbed the top, going a quarter in :28.3 before letting Lily Stride, sitting second, take the front into the backstretch. Hey Blondie, positioned fifth, edged first-over at the half in :56.4, picking up cover from Prianha Fury moving into the far turn. Past three-quarters in 1:25.2, Hey Blondie fanned off cover, overtaking Lily Stride into the eighth pole and advancing to the line in front of Piranha Fury, who lost stride up and through the wire, giving Lily Stride second via disqualification and placing Piranha Fury third.
Owned by Steve Jones, Mary Kinsey Arnold, Paul Bordogna, and David Mc Duffee, Hey Blondie, by Cantab Hall out of the Muscles Yankee mare Winbak Blondie, won her fourth race in nine starts, increasing her career earnings to $168,348. Trained by Chuck Sylvester and driven by Andrew McCarthy, she paid $4.20 to win.
Winning her fourth consecutive start, Basquiat took the third ISS division in 1:52.4.
Foxy Fantasy set the tempo, going a quarter in :28.2 and a half in :56.3 before bearing first-over pressure from Seviyorum entering the turn. Clearing the top, Seviyorum led at three-quarters, with Basquiat, riding her cover into the turn, drawing alongside in 1:24.4 before powering by in the stretch. The two were clear of Southwind Angelica, who took third.
Owned by the Order By Stable, Basquiat, by Cantab Hall from the Windsongs Legacy mare Thatsnotmyname, won her sixth race in eight starts, earning $194,151. Trained by Jimmy Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras, she paid $5.80 to win.
Looking For Zelda took the fourth division of the ISS, going wire-to-wire in 1:54.
After 3-2 favorite Strawberry Hanover broke at the start, Looking For Zelda set the first quarter in :28.4, Looking For Zelda soon underwent pressure from Deschanel, first-over from fourth, at the half in :57.2. Maintaining control through a 1:25.2 third-quarter, Looking For Zelda held off a late bid from Live Laugh Love and Swing It Cathy to win.
A winner of seven races in nine starts, Looking For Zelda, by Break The Bank K out of the Conway Hall mare My Winning Way K, returned $4.40 to win. She has earned $221,675 this season for owner Robert Key. She’s trained by Norm Parker and was driven by Matt Kakaley.
Grinding first-over, Nixie Volo bested 6-5 favoruite Top Expectations, winning the final division of the ISS in 1:53.4.
Sitting fourth as Top Expectations went a quarter in :29.1, Nixie Volo rushed first-over in the backstretch, drawing alongside the pacesetter through a :58 half and continuing to match strides through a 1:25.2 third-quarter. Nixie Volo took a slight advantage over Top Expectation in the stretch, maintaining that lead through the wire while Perfect Summer K, off a rail trip, weaved into contention to take third.
Trained by John Butenschoen, Nixie Volo, by Yankee Glide out of the Windsongs Legacy mare No Im Not, won her third race in eight starts and has earned $71,300 for owners Kentuckiana Racing Stable, VIP Internet Stables, 83 Racing, and Eddie Gran. Driven by Corey Callahan, she paid $14.60 to win.
Grand Circuit racing resumes at The Red Mile on Saturday (October 7) with four divisions of the $232,000 Captaintreacherous ISS two-year-old colt and gelding pace, presented by the Captaintreacherous Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms; three divisions of the $197,900 ISS two-year-old filly pace, presented by Woodbine Entertainment Group; the $136,000 My MVP Allerage Farms Trot, sponsored by Jeff and Paula Gural, and the $119,000 Mister Big Allerage Farms Open Pace, sponsored by Muscara Standardbreds.
First race post for the Saturday program is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
(Red Mile)