Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Unreasonable journeyed first up on the rim and easily ground down her competition to post the top mile of the afternoon's Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) events in winning her division for three-year-old pacing fillies on Tuesday afternoon, July 8 at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Driver Marcus Miller landed in fourth out of post three with Unreasonable as Duration (driven by Scott Zeron) ripped from the outermost post to the lead into a :26.1 first quarter. Duration continued on the muscle to a :54.3 half, where Miller readied Unreasonable for a move off the pylons approaching the backstretch. Unreasonable marched forward under wraps and zipped past Duration through three-quarters in 1:23 to then scoot away in the lane and win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:52. Treacheryinthedark (Todd McCarthy) followed the winner's move from second over for second while Accede (Yannick Gingras) tipped out of a pocket ride to grab third and Baret (Andy McCarthy) closed for fourth.
A daughter of Huntsville, Unreasonable collected her fifth win from 14 starts and has now earned $286,341 for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc. and David J. Miller. She paid $2.46 to win.
Driver Geremy Bobbitt scored the biggest win of his young career when Rod Debeck pupil Captain Arturovico scored a 16-1 upset in the fastest division of KYSS for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Bobbitt found a second-over ride after 3-5 favourite Ayeaye Captain Deo (Todd McCarthy) cut early fractions of :27.3 and :55.4. Falcon (Marcus Miller) pressed first up on the rim and matched strides with Ayeaye Captain Deo through three-quarters in 1:25.1 while Bobbitt loomed three wide for the stretch drive. Captain Arturovico built momentum in the stretch as Falcon jumped into a gallop, and he surged forward to collar Ayeaye Captain Deo by a head in the closing strides of a 1:53 mile. Bourbon County (Dexter Dunn) finished third and Handsome Stranger (Andy McCarthy) closed for fourth.
Captain Arturovico, a gelding by Captaintreacherous, has now won seven times from 10 starts this season and eight times from 19 starts in his career, earning $105,050 for owner Rod Debeck. He paid $34.60 to win.
Grande Via (Yannick Gingras) blitzed 6-5 leader Te Quiero Lindy (Andy Miller) at an opportune point of the final turn to bag a wrapped-up win in the quickest mile of the three KYSS divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings. Gingras secured the pocket to Te Quiero Lindy, who carved a tempo of :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3 while unfettered on the point. As Miller gave his charge a few taps of the whip to the final turn, Gingras fanned off the pegs and slid forward to put a head in front spinning for home. Grande Via held his advantage over Te Quiero Lindy in the sprint to the finish to cross the beam a half length better in a 1:54.3 mile while Sky Legacy (Dexter Dunn) took third and Beaujolais Breeze (David Miller) finished fourth.
Andrew Harris trains Grande Via, a colt by Muscle Hill, and shares ownership with William Pollock and Bruce Areman. He broke his maiden with the victory, his 16th outing in the career, and paid $21.76 to win.
Admiring (David Miller) put her rivals to sleep with a pillar-to-post win in the fastest of the two KYSS division for three-year-old trotting fillies. Despite starting from post seven, Miller crossed over to the lead just entering the first turn and posted fractions of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:25.1 in progress to a widening victory by four lengths. Belmont (Dexter Dunn) gave futile chase from a pocket trip in second but did just hold off late-charging 1-2 favourite Ms Prada (Yannick Gingras), who took third. Get It All (Mattias Melander) finished another four lengths behind in fourth.
Richard "Nifty" Norman trains Admiring, a filly by Walner, for owners Tony Holmes and June Zent. She won her fourth race from 19 starts, has now earned $150,007 and paid $15.72 to win.
Big Shoes won the first division with a gate-to-wire performance in 1:55. Yannick Gingras was in the bike for the trip through fractions in :28.2, :57.2, and 1:26.1 before nosing out My Degenerate (Andy Miller) at the wire for the win. Yannick G Kemp (Todd McCarthy) was third with Onemore Volo (Andy McCarthy) fourth.
Ron Burke trains Big Shoes, a son of Greenshoe, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Knox Services Inc as he won his fourth race in six outings this year and eighth race from 17 career outings. He now shows $302,814 in career earnings. He paid $6.94 to win.
Herecomesdajudge and Andy Miller rounded through panels in :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.2 with a front-end journey to a 1-3/4 length score in his division in 1:55.2. Bacchus (Scott Zeron) was second with Global Sensation (Dexter Dunn) third and Yo Sheldon (Verlin Yoder) fourth.
Herecomesdajudge, a sophomore son of Muscle Hill, is trained by Julie Miller for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., T L P Stable, Carol Huffman, and Patrick Hoopes. He won his first race of the season and his fourth career race. In 18 lifetime starts, he shows $129,166 banked. He paid $25.38 for the win.
Delray Beach matched the performance of the day's winners with a gate-to-wire triumph in 1:53.3. With Dexter Dunn in the bike for Nancy Takter, Delray Beach left from post four and got parked to the quarter in :28.1 before taking command. Setting the tempo of a half in :57.1 and three quarters in 1:25.1, Delray Beach was cleared for home with a 1-1/4 length victory. Special Select (Atlee Bender) was second, Brigade (Yannick Gingras) was third and Banderas (Scott Zeron) was fourth.
The son of Tall Dark Stranger is owned by Black Horse Racing, John Fielding, and Morrison Racing Stables as he won his second race from six starts this year. In his career, Delray Beach has banked $161,046 to go along with a record of 5-2-3. He paid $8.92 to win.
Clarissa W and Todd McCarthy teamed up for race 10's edition of the KYSS. The pair were parked in second through the first quarter in :27.1, then took control of the field and timer with a half in :56.1 and three quarters in 1:25.1. Without looking back, Clarissa W continued home to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:55.1. Spicy Nice (Yannick Gingras) was second over Monkey Wine (Mattias Melander) in third and Super Freak (Scott Zeron) in fourth.
The sophomore daughter of Googoo Gaagaa is trained by Julie Walker, who co-owns Clarissa W with Erinwood Equine Inc and Nancy Holmes. She moved her record to 2-2-2 for the year with three career victories and a lifetime total of $109,612. She paid $10.04 to win.
Finally, Reckless Abandon was a winner from pillar-to-post with Todd McCarthy in the seat for Virgil Morgan in the last split of the day. T. McCarthy sent the Cattlewash daughter to the top and they controlled the timer through fractions in :26.2, :55.4 and 1:24.1 before winning by three quarters of a length in 1:53.3. Caviart Delight (Andy McCarthy) was second, Karma (Yannick Gingras) was third, and Bequeath (Dexter Dunn) was fourth.
A winner of three starts this year, Reckless Abandon is owned by breeders W J Donovan and Donal Murphy. She shows a record of 6-2-3 in 13 career starts with $311,773 banked. She paid $4.02 to win.
Racing continues at Oak Grove on Sunday (July 13) for closing week of the 2025 meet. Monday's (July 14) card will feature the eight finals of KYSS for two- and three-year-olds of both gaits and sexes, with total purses for that day close to $1-million. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:25 p.m. (CDT).
(Oak Grove)