A much-anticipated rubber match between I Did It Myway and All Or Nothing — both two-time preliminary winners — headlines the culmination of the Kentucky Standardbred Development Fund (KSDF) four-year-old series on Monday, May 29 at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
All Or Nothing, whose 1:48.2 win in his May 22 preliminary was the fastest mile ever at Oak Grove, and I Did It Myway, who won the first and third legs, are the favoured pair on the morning line in the $150,000 final for male pacers, carded as the third race on the 13-race program. Dave Palone is slated to drive All Or Nothing, who was installed the 6-5 early favourite, for trainer Robert Bath from the outside post six, while Andy McCarthy will steer Tony Alagna trainee and 7-5 second choice I Did It Myway from post five.
The other three $150,000 finals have clearer early favourites, but they aren't lacking for upset potential, either.
In the mare pace (race one), Boudoir Hanover has been installed the 4-5 morning line favourite after winning three preliminaries and will start from post two with Todd McCarthy aboard for Alagna. Her lone defeat in the series came in the second leg, when she closed to within a neck of stablemate Queen Of Success (Andy McCarthy, post one, 5-1). Anette Lorentzon trainee Ainthesamewithoutu figures to be a factor as well given narrow misses in the second and third legs. Tony Hall will drive the 4-1 second choice from post five in the seven-mare field.
In the mare trot (race four), Yanaba brings an unblemished three-for-three series record into the final. After skipping the first leg, she tore through the final three legs in 1:54.1, 1:52 and 1:51.4, most recently keeping Adore Me a scant nose at bay in track-record fashion. John MacDonald will drive the even-money early choice from post two for Jack Rice, who took over the training duties of the Trixton mare from Dan Daley in April. Eternal Lee, who amassed a win and two second-place finishes in preliminary competition, is the 7-2 second choice from the pole with Andy McCarthy aboard for Roger Cullipher. Pioneer As, who finished third or better in all four early legs, is the 5-1 third choice for the Hall/Lorentzon tandem.
The male trot (race seven) wraps up the quartet of KSDF four-year-old finals with Nancy Takter trainee Keg Stand returning to Oak Grove after rallying for third in high-level conditioned company at The Meadowlands on May 20. The son of Bar Hopping won both his KSDF series appearances, in 1:54.1 and 1:52.4, respectively. Yannick Gingras will drive the 4-5 morning line favourite from post six. Among those looking to topple him are Golden Wall As (Hall, post two, 9-2), a 1:52.3 winner in Open company on May 15, and Longshot (Chris Lems, post three, 5-1), who closed into a narrow defeat to Keg Stand on May 9 before suffering an uncharacteristic break in the final preliminary.
For free handicapping resources, including detailed trip notes from entrants' past races and commentary from racing analyst Ray Cotolo, visit oakgrovegaming.com.
Live harness racing at Oak Grove takes place on Sunday and Monday afternoons now through June 5 before Tuesdays are added to the weekly schedule beginning the week of June 11-13. First post every day through the meet's closing day of July 10 is 3 p.m. (CDT).
(Oak Grove)