The Trixton mare Yanaba pounced, sat and struck from the pocket to land a repeat win in Kentucky Sires Stakes action with a track-record 1:52 mile in the $50,000 third preliminary for four-year-old trotting mares on a rescheduled card Tuesday afternoon (May 9) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel.
Driver John MacDonald motored Yanaba for the front and cleared command past a :27.1 first quarter before yielding control to odds-on favourite Eternal Lee (Andy McCarthy). Eternal Lee clocked a :54.4 half and then grabbed a breather to three-quarters in 1:24 as Pioneer As (Tony Hall) marched first over towards the final turn. Eternal Lee plugged along on the lead into the lane while MacDonald tried to feed racetrack to Yanaba. Once she had clearance, the Jack Rice trainee burst through and by Eternal Lee to a 1-1/4-length win at the beam. Pioneer As settled for third and Adore Me (Andy Miller) finished fourth.
Yanaba competes for owners Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley and Oleg Ivutin. She won her sixth race from 25 tries, has earned $200,475 and paid $10.42 to win. Her 1:52 mile lowers the previous track record for aged trotting mares of 1:53 set by Beltassima in July of 2022.
In the $50,000 male trot, Keg Stand (Dave Palone) became the only other repeat winner when he won their third preliminary in 1:52.4.
The Nancy Takter-trained son of Bar Hopping parked through a :27.2 first quarter and crossed to the cones towards a :55.4 half as he then backed the tempo to three-quarters in 1:25. He sealed Longshot in the pocket with Just For Trix (Andy Miller) marching first over into the final turn and staying level with the leader off the corner. Longshot shook loose but deep in the stretch, coming after Keg Stand too late and a half-length shy of victory at the beam with Just For Trix third and Iwon't Backdown As (Tony Hall) fourth.
Keg Stand collected his eighth win from 26 starts and has now earned $427,002 for owners Black Horse Racing, Christina Takter and John Fielding. He paid $3.86 to win.
A pair of Tony Alagna pupils achieved retribution in the $50,000 divisions on the pace. In the mares' dash, Boudoir Hanover (Todd McCarthy, 1:52 winning mile; $3.28 to win) made amends at odds of 3-5 to go mostly coast to coast and win by a nose over a fast-charging Ainthesamewithoutu (Tony Hall). The victory was the 10th from 29 starts for the daughter of Captaintreacherous, who races for Riverview Racing LLC, Alagna Racing LLC, Caviart Farms and D. Plouffe and S. Head. Her stablemate I Did It Myway (Andy McCarthy, 1:49.2; $3.02) popped pocket and just reached the victory over pacesetter All Or Nothing (Dave Palone) to win in the male pace. The son of Captaintreacherous won his 14th race from 31 starts and added to an account now worth $991,298 for owners Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, Don Latore and Alagna and Fodera Racing.
The Tuesday undercard featured a $24,000 Open Pace won in near pillar-to-post fashion by Isitlikeitlooks (1:51.2; $10.40). The seven-year-old gelding by Tellitlikeitis grabbed the top past a :26.4 first quarter and kept his competition at his whim and all behind him through middle splits of :55.2 and 1:23.4. First-over True Blue Lindy (Todd McCarthy) flattened late to finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length, with American Dreamer (Devon Tharps) third off a pocket trip. Joe Putnam trains the 42-time winner from 141 starts who competes for owners J P Racing LLC and driver Joey Putnam.
Live harness racing at Oak Grove resumes Sunday, May 14 for a return to the regular Sunday-Monday rotation. This week only, the draw schedule has shifted at Oak Grove. The entry box for both Sunday's and Monday's card will close Wednesday, May 10 at 1 p.m. (CDT).
First-race post time at Oak Grove is 3 p.m. (CDT).
(Oak Grove)