First-round winners Lupin K, Highway Queen and Arson lead the 22 rookies slated to compete in their respective $25,000 second-round Kentucky Sire Stakes events on Sunday (June 25) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, but some new arrivals to the series promise to pose significant threats, as well.
The two-year-old colt trot, carded as the first of nine races on the program, shapes up as a likely rematch between Lupin K, who rode the pocket to a 9-1 upset on June 12, and Pick Pocket, who overcame road trouble and rallied to miss by a neck as the 3-5 favourite. Pick Pocket, a son of Walner-Cant Have My Moni who retains the driving services of Anthony MacDonald for trainer Eric Patalan, was made the 6-5 morning line choice from the pole over 8-5 second choice Lupin K, a Six Pack-Destiny K S gelding whom Andy Miller will drive from the outside post in the field of five for trainer Don Campbell.
Neither of the top two finishers in the first round of the two-year-old filly trot return in the second round (race two), but Readly Success (Andy Miller, post one, 7-5), who finished third in 1:59.1 in her career debut, will face a pair of precocious first-time starters in Allegiant and Miss Dior. Allegiant, a daughter of Tactical Landing-Too Good For You trained and driven by Vernon Beachy, is the 2-1 second choice from post two after winning a June 13 qualifier at The Meadows by 20-3/4 lengths in 1:58.2. Miss Dior's lone qualifier, on June 10 at Harrah's Hoosier Park, was over two full seconds slower, but the Jay Hochstetler-trained daughter of Six Pack-Sweet Thing equalled Allegiant's :28.3 closing speed and similarly won by a widening 15-1/4 lengths. Verlin Yoder will drive the 4-1 third choice from post three in the field of five.
All five fillies who participated in the first round of their series return in Sunday's fourth race, with Highway Queen — one of three Tony Dinges trainees in the field — stamped the early even-money favourite after rallying to defeat stablemates Fearless Bettor and Barefoot Belle in the first round. Joey Putnam retains the drive on Highway Queen, a daughter of American Ideal-Onemorefortheroad who will start from post two, after her 1:55.4 first-leg win. The other Dinges trainees, Fearless Bettor (Atlee Bender, 7-2) and Barefoot Belle (John MacDonald, 5-2), will start from posts four and five, respectively.
The quartet of stakes concludes with the two-year-old colt pace, carded as race six. Arson (pictured above) and Tua Many Captains, the top two finishers in the first round, are the top two morning line choices, at 2-1 and 5-2, respectively. Arson, whom Anthony MacDonald will again drive for Eric Patalan, will start from post two in the field of seven after using a :27 closing kick to rally out of midfield and defeat pacesetter Tua Many Captains, again slated to be driven by Andy Miller, by 1-3/4 lengths. Joining them is newcomer Snap Count (John MacDonald, post four, 4-1), who won his June 14 qualifier at Magical Acres, in New Jersey, in 1:59.1 by way of a first-over push through a quickening final three-eighths of the mile. Paula Wellwood trains the son of Betting Line-Tessa Hanover.
As many as the top eight point-earners in each division will be eligible to compete in the $100,000 series finals on July 4.
First post for Sunday's program at Oak Grove is 3 p.m. CDT.
(Oak Grove)