The dynamite team of trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras landed a natural hat trick early in the 15-race session of Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) action at Oak Grove on Monday (June 23) while Gingras added an additional visit to the winner's circle later in the day to lead all drivers with four wins on the card.
Burke and Gingras' marquee win of the afternoon came in the first of three $54,795 splits for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings when What Nooo Waaay (pictured above) posted the fastest mile by his division with a 1:53.3 effort, which was two-fifths of a second shy of the fastest mile on the whole day. Gingras worked a pocket trip behind pacesetter Funky Buddha (driven by Todd McCarthy) through fractions of :28.2, :57.2 and 1:26.2 before promptly pulling pocket with Papi Rick (Andy McCarthy), who broke at the start, rushing on the rim from last. What Nooo Waaay avoided getting locked at the pylons and sparred gamely with Funky Buddha to the finish to grab the victory by a neck while Always Has Been (Scott Zeron) saved ground and chased in third with Papi Rick fading to fourth.
A homebred son of Check Six for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, William Switala, James Martin and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, What Nooo Waaay paid $3.26 to win in his debut.
One race earlier, Burke and Gingras found the winner's circle with even-money favourite Ms Prada, who posted the fastest mile of the four KYSS divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies with a 1:53.1 effort. Ms Prada led her competition pillar to post, setting a sensible clip of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:25. She spun for home in hand to win by 1-3/4 lengths over pocket-chaser Belmont (Dexter Dunn) in second while Swoop (Andy McCarthy) saved ground to take third from Best Friends Girl (David Miller), who levelled off from a first-over push and settled for fourth.
Ms Prada, a daughter of Greenshoe, races for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Beasty LLC, Joseph Di Scala Jr., J & T Silva and Purnel & Libby. She won her fifth race from seven starts this season and her sixth from 19 starts overall, good for $259,365 in earnings, and paid $4.04 to win.
Eternal Blush (Yannick Gingras) kicked off the hat trick for team Burke with a 1:57 stroll in the first of two KYSS divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies, returning $3.22 to win as the 3-5 favorite. Gingras collected his fourth win of the day around the mid-point of the card when Spicy Nice ($3.02 to win) found the winner's circle from a first-over grind to win in 1:54.2.
Caviart Daisy (Andy McCarthy) posted the top mile of the two KYSS divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies when overhauling 2-5 favorite Barbuda Belle (Yannick Gingras) to win by a half-length in 1:54.4. Jamie Sullivan trains the daughter of Sweet Lou for owner Frank Chick. The filly paid $13.14 to win.
In addition to What Nooo Waaay, Clouseau (Dexter Dunn) rallied late to score in 1:54.3 in the second division for two-year-old pacing colts. Trained by Kevin Lare, the son of Captaintreacherous won by 2-1/4 over Prolific Blend (Scott Zeron) and Dont Shut Me Down (Atlee Bender) while returning $12.58.
The third and final division for pacing colts was won in front-end fashion by the Noel Daley trained Hurrikanelouiexiii (Andy McCarthy) in a matching 1:54.3. The son of Sweet Lou-Hurrikane Empress won by 1-1/4 over Fourbettor (Todd McCarthy) and Thiago Hanover (Yannick Gingras) and paid $4.32 to win.
The second split for sophomore trotting fillies saw Spicy Nice provide Gingras with yet another win, going first-up en route to a 1:54.2 victory. The daughter of Tactical Landing won by 1-1/2 lengths over Super Freak (Scott Zeron) and Made Of Gold (Andy McCarthy) for winning trainer Nancy Takter.
Todd McCarthy teamed up with Aperfect Annie to win the third split for three-year-old trotting fillies, assuming command just beyond the quarter before coasting to a two-length score in 1:55.1. Carter Pinske trains the daughter of Googoo Gaagaa who paid $3.68 as the favourite.
The fourth and final division went to another daughter of Googoo Gaagaa, Clarissa W (Scott Zeron) in first-over fashion at 10-1. The Julie Walker trainee wore down Kngtstlkrs Pistol (Dexter Dunn) and Admiring (Dave Miller) to score in 1:53.2.
Patricks Belle (Todd McCarthy) and Jailbird Jog (Anthony MacDonald) tied for top honours among the two-year-old trotting fillies as they both scored debut victories in 1:56.3. Patricks Belle coasted on the point and waded off a charge from even-money chalk Victorianas Secret (Scott Zeron) to win by 1-1/4 lengths while Jailbird Jog ripped off cover in a :56.3 back half to soar to a 1-3/4-length win geared down over pocket-popper Setyoursightshigh (Dexter Dunn). Aaron Johnston trains Patricks Belle, a daughter of Father Patrick, for owners Jennifer Johnston and Brian Taylor while Eric Patalan conditions Jailbird Jog of owners Thestable Jailbird Jog, P23 Bloodstock and Hutchison Harness LLC. Patricks Belle paid $5.54 to win and Jailbird Jog returned $4.56.
Demonic Niko (Atlee Bender) scored from an overland journey in the third division for trotting fillies, winning by a head over Dont Look Back (Todd McCarthy) and Julie Palema (Andy Miller) to secure victory in 1:58. Erv Miller trains the daughter of In Range who paid $6.98 to win.
Zephyr Kemp (Dexter Dunn) registered the top mile of the day for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings towards the tail of the card when winning the last of the three splits for his division with a 1:56.2 performance. Dunn put the Marcus Melander pupil on the point and held firmly in the stretch to win pulling away by 2-3/4 lengths over Lethal Legacy, who sat a pocket trip, in second. The son of Calgary Games, returning $3.38 to win, competes for owners Kemppi Stables Oy Inc., Suojalampi Stable Inc., PCW Racing LLC and Sjoblom Racing Inc.
In the first division for rookie trotting colts, the Jeff Cullipher trained TJs Dream (Todd McCarthy) went on a first-over grind to score in 1:57 over Kountry Tab (Pete Wrenn) and Requiem (Dave Miller). It was the career debut for the son of Father Patrick-Dream Baby Dream owned by Juff Cullipher and Pollack Racing.
Exactly (Mattias Melander) used similar tactics en route to a 1:57.2 score over Number Seven (Andy Miller) and Darlin Boy (Scott Zeron). Marcus Melander trains the son of Bar Hopping-Gracefilly Hanover who also maid his career debut a winning one while paying $8.92 to win.
Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday (June 24) at an earlier first post of 9 a.m. (CDT) to avoid the extreme temperatures from the heat advisory later in the day. Tuesday's card features KYSS divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, three-year-old pacing fillies as well as the four $150,000 USD finals of KYSS for four-year-olds. The race card scheduled for Wednesday (June 25) also has an earlier post time of 11:25 a.m. (CDT) in anticipation of extreme temperatures and to accommodate the Lasix schedule.
(With files from Oak Grove)