The Red Mile hosted the first leg of the Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) for two-year-old pacers with two divisions of both colts and fillies racing for a purse of $30,000 and Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter came to play.
In the first colt division, Grand Teton steamrolled the field in the stretch for the Takter-Brett Miller combo, winning going away in 1:52.4.
Away mid-pack, Miller followed up third over with the 1-9 favourite as You Said It took the field into the final bend, where Trajectory loomed up to challenge as they passed the three quarters in 1:25.4. When shown racetrack, Grand Teton found a faster gear and was by the field in a blink. Gone Again rallied for second and Whos Better was third. The winner is a Diamond Creek homebred by first crop sire A Rocknroll Dance from their prolific producer Western Montana.
Santa Rosa converted a ground saving trip by Brett Miller, closing up the inside for the win in 1:52.4 in the first KYSS filly split.
Post-time favourite Let’s Fall In Love set the fractions with pressure Angelou, parked first over past a :56 half and 1:25.1 third-quarter before giving way. Fine Art followed in second and Tipp City rallied for third. Santa Rosa is a Brittany Farms homebred on both sides by Western Ideal from Art’s Vintage and was winning for the first time in her fourth try. She is also a product of the Takter barn.
Brett Miller made it four and Takter three consecutive wins with heavy-favourite Decoy, lasting over the late rally of Key Advisor in 1:52.4.
Miller settled Decoy in fourth early as Key Advisor left to the top from post 7, then brushed the colt up to take over as they passed the half in :55.4. Going a :29.4 third quarter breather under minimal pressure, Decoy opened up three lengths off the turn and held safe to the wire, with Key Advisor second and Tiffany Marie was third. The winner is a son of top sire Somebeachsomewhere and was a $110,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase by Brixton Medical, RAW Equine and Joe Sbrocco.
Band Stand was a 1:51.4 winner in the final of the evening’s stakes for driver Joe Bongiorno.
Joe pulled the filly first over against Dance Blue, who took over going to the half in an attempt to complete the KYSS sweep for the Takter-Miller duo. Band Stand gradually ground that rival into submission through a testing 1:23.2 three quarters, moving to a clear lead in the stretch. Band Stand held safe right to the wire, while Shakewhatmamagaveu finished second, just holding off the close of Pure Paradise in third. The winner is trained by Tony Alagna for owner Brad Grant who gave $40,000 for the A Rocknroll Dance filly in Lexington last fall.
Live racing resumes at The Red Mile on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. with the Kentucky Sires Stakes for three-year-olds.