Front-stepping Queen Of Success survived late charges from her left and right to keep a scant nose in front of a stacked finish in the $50,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes second preliminary for four-year-old pacing mares on Monday afternoon at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel to pull one of many upsets in the stakes action.
Leaving from post five, driver Andy McCarthy motored Queen Of Success to the fore and cleared stablemate Dont Fence Me In (driven by Marvin Luna) past a :26.1 first quarter. Their other stablemate, 1-5 favourite Boudoir Hanover, landed fifth and began an uncovered journey passing the stands while Queen Of Success snagged a breather to a :55.1 half.
Queen Of Success sprinted up the backside as Boudoir
Tony Alagna trains Queen Of Success, a four-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous, for owners Alagna Racing LLC, Caviart Farms and Robert LeBlanc. The win is her ninth from 26 starts and adds to a bankroll now worth $318,288. She paid $27.38 to win.
An upset came in the other pacing event when All Or Nothing zipped along the highway to hold off 1-9 favourite I Did It Myway and win in 1:50.2.
The four-year-old son of Always B Miki clocked a clip of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:22.4 while battling firm at the pylons through the lane to keep I Did It Myway at bay by three-quarter lengths. Wolftrax settled for third and Caviart Camden took fourth.
All Or Nothing won just for the fifth time from seven tries and added to his coffers now worth $104,289. John Cummins owns the Robert Bath trainee, who paid $15.56 to win. Andy Miller sat in the sulky.
Yanaba pulled a slight upset in the four-year-old mare trot with a near blowout win over 1-2 favourite Eternal Lee in 1:54.1.
Driver John MacDonald pulled the throttle early and, through fractions of :28.3, :57 and 1:24.1, opened a 7-1/2-length lead on her competition to the final turn. The swift tempo began biting into Yanaba as Eternal Lee reeled her in off the turn, but the Jack Rice pupil dug in to the finish to hold by a length with Pioneer As another nine lengths behind in third and Fleurie taking fourth.
Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley and Oleg Ivutin own Yanaba, a four-year-old daughter of Trixton who has now won five times from 24 tries and earned $175,475. Sent off as the second choice at 9-2, she paid $11.88 to win.
The only favourite to deliver in the Monday stakes action was Keg Stand, a four-year-old stallion by Bar Hopping who coasted around the Oak Grove oval to a 1:54.1 win at 2-5.
The Nancy Takter trainee led through splits of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:26 to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:54.1 over TNT Blue Chip, who fought through a first-over push to hold second from late-charging Longshot. Golden Wall As tired to fourth.
The son of Bar Hopping races for owners Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter and John Fielding. He won his seventh race from 25 starts and has now earned $392,166. Keg Stand paid $2.86 to win.
Sweet Mr Pinetucky upset the foes he faced in the $24,000 Open Trot. With 3-5 favourite Kildare King breaking midway through the stretch, Sweet Mr Pinetucky powered past off a pocket trip while holding off Perlucky by a half-length to win in 1:55. Lester Raber owns the nine-year-old gelding by Pinetucky who nabbed the 37th win of his career and has now banked $464,328. Andrew McCarthy piloted the $40.24 winner.
Betting remained strong at Oak Grove as the all-time handle record stood for just a week. After bettors churned $229,000 through the windows last Monday (April 24), money barrelled through hand-to-fist to register a handle of $358,845 from 12 races. The record last Monday featured a 13-race card.
Live harness racing at Oak Grove resumes Sunday, May 7 and features a $1,460.80 carryover in the Late Pick 5, which covers Race 6 through Race 10. First post is 3 p.m.
(With files from Oak Grove Racing)