Wayne Oke trainee Stride The Hill found his way back to the winner's circle of the top class at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel, taking the $35,000 Open Trot going coast to coast in 1:54.1 on Monday (June 26).
Driver Kevin Wallis cleared command with Stride The Hill to a :28 first quarter, where DGs Caviar (driven by Joey Putnam) broke stride and created an opening for 8-5 favourite Its A Herbie (Verlin Yoder) to tuck into the pocket. Stride The Hill faced no challengers to a :57.1 half and readied for the sprint up the backside, where Its A Herbie pulled pocket and laid his shot on the leader towards three-quarters in 1:25.3. Its A Herbie could not gain on Stride The Hill spinning for home, so the four-year-old Muscle Hill gelding straightened for home and scooted 3-1/4 lengths clear to the finish to nab the afternoon feature. Bluebird Deacon (Atlee Bender) finished third and Saint Antoine (Randy Crisler) took fourth.
Stride The Hill won his 10th race from 40 starts and has now earned $214,812. He competes for owner A Piece Of The Action LLC. The winner paid $14.52.
Big Christian (Atlee Bender) barrelled down the center of the course to deliver as the 4-5 favourite in the co-featured $22,500 Open 2 Trot.
The four-year-old Swan For All gelding landed seventh while Pilgrims Image (Matt Krueger) powered forward and cleared command to a :27.3 first quarter. He continued to roll through a :56.3 half and to three-quarters in 1:25.4, but folded in the final quarter of a mile as Just For Us (Carson Conrad) loomed out of the pocket to grab the lead. But Bender charged Big Christian down the center of the track to finish with the most momentum and snag a half-length victory in 1:56.1. Pilgrims Image settled for third and Luckey Stormin (Joey Putnam) finished fourth.
Anthony Lombardi owns Big Christian, a six-time winner from 16 starts and an earner of $64,252. Erv Miller trains the $3.60 winner, who was part of a hat trick for the conditioner. Miller also won with Partner Dolan (1:58.4) and Chickaboo (1:52).
Live harness racing resumes at Oak Grove on Tuesday with a 13-race card. Tuesday's racing features sophomores in action for their second preliminary of Kentucky Sire Stakes action with six total divisions on tap between the colts and fillies against their respective sex and gait. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 3 p.m. (EDT).
(Oak Grove)