Off at odds of 120-1, Strip It Down AS reeled in tempo-setter Asiago and nailed the 1-9 favourite on the wire to upset in Saturday’s first of two $30,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies at The Red Mile.
Asiago took control early and faced little challenge while setting a clip of :28.4, :56.1 and 1:24. Driver Elliot Deaton had Strip It Down AS positioned third and sent the son of Archangel after Asiago rounding towards the top of the stretch. Asiago led by open lengths into the sixteenth pole but Strip It Down AS cut into the leader’s margin and stuck a head in front at the finish in a 1:52.4 mile. Asiago settled for second while Back Splash gave chase a couple lengths back in third.
Returning $242.80 to win, Strip It Down AS won her second race from four starts this season and her fourth from 11 overall, earning $60,929. Anette Lorentzon conditions the filly for owner-breeder ACL Stuteri AB and co-owner Kjell Johansson.
Driver Andy Miller placed French Cafe on the front and set a slow tempo when going coast to coast with a 1:54.3 mile in the second KYSS filly division.
The Julie Miller-trained daughter of Father Patrick took command from Whispering Oaks in second and Caterina Hall in third. French Cafe controlled the speed through fractions of :29 and :58 before enduring minor first-over pressure from Fade Into You circling the final turn. Race favourite Queen Of Trixs sat second over passing three-quarters in 1:26.1 before angling towards the center of the track for a final-quarter sprint. French Cafe maintained the front through the lane while Queen Of Trixs gave pursuit from second, with Fade Into You holding third.
Winning her second race from six starts this season and her fifth in 15 overall, French Café has earned $117,900. The homebred for Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld returned $5.20 to win.
Chin Chin Hall hustled off cover in the stretch drive to take the opening division of KYSS for sophomore trotting colts in 1:52.4.
Sheer Muscle moved for the lead with Thunder venturing wide to take control past a :29 quarter. Pilot Discretion, sitting third, brushed for the front and cleared command while accelerating towards a :56.4 half.
Super Schissel tipped first over and ranged forward to match strides with the leader nearing three-quarters in 1:25.2. Chin Chin Hall followed from second over and fanned wide at the head of the stretch. Pilot Discretion clung to command as Super Schissel stalled between horses before Chin Chin Hall kicked past the two in progress to a two-and-a-quarter length victory. Pilot Discretion held second while Super Schissel settled for third.
A Walnut Hall Limited-bred gelded son of Cash Hall, Chin Chin Hall won his third race from five starts this season and his fifth from 12 overall, earning $259,680. Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman conditions the $4.40 winner for owners Oldford Racing LLC and David McDuffee.
Stalking duelling leaders around the final turn, driver Andy Miller sent Yankee Glide gelding Zacks Got The W towards the center of the track to grab victory in the second KYSS colt division.
The Erv Miller trainee sat pocket to Manatlas, who passed the first quarter in :27.4. Seven Hills, racing fourth, angled first over and marched towards his stablemate after a :56.1 half. The pair raced side by side when approaching three-quarters in 1:24.4 while Andy Miller moved Zacks Got The W from the pocket to the outside of the battling leaders when straightening for the finish. Zacks Got The W dashed to the lead nearing the finish while Guaranteed, also stalking the leaders, rallied even wider for second. Seven Hills held third.
Owned by Ervin Miller Stable Inc, Greg Gillis and Harvey Eisman, Zacks Got The W won his second race from 11 starts, earning $34,120. Fredericka and Elizabeth Caldwell bred the $19.20 winner.
KYSS action resumes at The Red Mile on Sunday, Aug. 25 with two $30,000 divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and a $30,000 single 12-horse dash for sophomore pacing fillies. The card will start at 7:00 p.m.
(The Red Mile)