Trainer Tony Alagna swept both pacing divisions of the first round of the Kentucky Standardbred Development Fund Series for four-year-olds when I Did It Myway and Boudoir Hanover powered to victory in their respective $50,000 events on Sunday (April 23) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel. Iwont Backdown As and Eternal Lee won the trotting divisions.
In the mare pace, carded as Race 4, Boudoir Hanover overcame a wide journey and stalled cover to register a 1:52.4 score in her seasonal debut.
The Captaintreacherous mare and driver Todd McCarthy got away eighth in the overflow field of 10 from their second-row starting spot while stablemate Dont Fence Me In (Scott Zeron) worked to clear Msdinosis Bluegrass through a :26.2 first quarter. With just over a lap to go, Boudoir Hanover moved fourth-over but remained in eighth place through middle splits of :56 and 1:24.1 before being forced three-wide around the weakening Always Gonna B You in the outer tier while Galinaruckus applied stern first-over pressure. Boudoir Hanover fanned four-wide turning for home and cascaded to the lead in the final 40 yards, putting 1-1/4 lengths on runner-up and fellow Alagna pupil Style For A Mile (Dexter Dunn), who pushed three-wide off the home turn. Dont Fence Me In finished third.
Riverview Racing, Alagna Racing, Caviart Farms and Plouffe and Head own Boudoir Hanover, now a nine-time winner with $915,922 in career purse earnings. She paid $4.64 to win as the 6-5 favourite.
The Alagna Armada's sweep of the trifecta in the mare pace came just one race after sweeping the exacta in the male pace, which was carded as Race 3. I Did It Myway and Andy McCarthy took a more direct path to the winner's circle, grinding forward wide of three other leavers to clear for control past a :27.2 first quarter and maintaining it through splits of :55.2 and 1:23 before edging two lengths clear of the late-emerging Taurasi (Dexter Dunn) to win in 1:50. All Or Nothing (Scott Zeron) was a one-paced third from an earned pocket.
The son of Captaintreacherous has now won 13 times in his career and has amassed $953,798 for Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Dan Latore and Alagna and Fodera Racing. He paid $4.24 to win.
Favourites prevailed in both trotting divisions as well. In the male trot, which opened the 11-race program, ACL Stuteri Ab and Kjell Johansson's Iwont Backdown As ($3.74 to win) parried a late challenge from Majestic J to win in 1:57.4. Tony Hall drove the Lionhunter gelding for trainer Anette Lorentzon. The mare trot, carded as race seven, saw Andy McCarthy complete a stakes driving double when Eternal Lee ($2.96) sustained a first-over push to wear down pacesetter Disclosure and evade Pioneer As to win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:54.2. Roger Cullipher trains the Southwind Frank mare for Murray Ferguson Jr.
The second preliminary leg of the series is slated for May 1; all four $150,000 finals will take place on May 29.
Live harness racing at Oak Grove resumes Monday, April 24, with a 13-race card. First post is 3 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT).
(Oak Grove)