Endurance and Brandon Blvd won their $111,111 Kentucky Sire Stakes divisions to star on a two-card day of freshman stakes action at The Red Mile on Wednesday Aug. 6 as the track hosted a rescheduled program in the morning, followed by its regular afternoon racing.
The two-year-old male pacers contested stakes events on the early non-wagering slate, which was postponed by a day due to thunderstorms, and the rookie trotting colts and geldings went to battle on the later card.
Endurance won his fourth straight KYSS event with a commanding performance in the sole Kentucky Championship Series contest for trotters. Leaving from post five in the field of nine, the son of Captain Corey-Love Session set fractions of :28.4, :57.2 and 1:25.3 while Silverstein (Dave Miller) gave chase in second the entire mile. Endurance simply had too much on this day, crossing the line a length in front in 1:53.1. Lindy Living (Yannick Gingras) closed from seventh at three-quarters to finish third.
Bred by Steve Stewart and Martti Ala, Endurance's record is now four-for-five, and he has earned $210,255. Chris Beaver trains him and shares ownership with Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, and Mark Moger. Endurance is the third foal out of his dam and was a $19,444 yearling purchase. His dam (Muscle Massive, $28,643) is a half-sibling to Triumphant Caviar (Sjs Caviar, $811,547), Prayer Session (Like A Prayer, $777,990), Theatrical Session (Broadway Hall, $192,637), and Centurion ATM (Sjs Caviar, $731,374). The colt paid $3.40 to win as the favourite.
Brandon Blvd drew off to win his Kentucky Championship Series tilt for pacers in an impressive 1:49.3. The son of Downbytheseaside-Alexis Faith and Tim Tetrick left from post six in the nine-horse field. Todd McCarthy and Funky Buddha assumed command and set splits of :27, :54.4, and 1:22.2. Entering the final bend, Brandon Blvd, who patiently sat in fifth for the majority of the mile, was looming in second. The colt paced his final panel in :26.2 to overtake Funky Buddha and prevail by 2-1/4 lengths. Ubrute (Gingras) finished third.
Trained by Andrew Harris, Brandon Blvd was bred by Crawford Farms. He was purchased under the name of Wayne Harvey for $574,324 at last year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by owners Harris, Bill Pollock, and Bruce Areman. Brandon Blvd is a half-sibling to Karma (Tall Dark Stranger, $185,096). He is the second foal out of Alexis Faith (American Ideal-Cannae Cammie), who earned $615,088 during her racing career. Brandon Blvd is now three-for-three with $117,885 in his bank account.
There were three $41,667 Kentucky Commonwealth Series divisions for trotters and a pair for pacers.
In the first trotting division, Scott Zeron and Inexpressable hit the finish line a length in front in 1:56 for trainer Lucas Wallin. Gorilla Sighting (Andrew McCarthy) was second, and An Honest Buck (Tim Tetrick) took the show spot. Inexpressable is by Walner and out of Ineffable. He broke his maiden in his second start for owners Wallin Racing Stable Inc. and Karin Walter. Inexpressable paid $2.96 to win as the public’s top selection.
Onassis (Gingras) trotted to the second victory of his career in 1:55.3 in the second division by a head over Nicholson (Dexter Dunn) and favoured Nofreak Volo (Tetrick). The winning son of Greenshoe-Sherrys Lady is owned by Melco Devim Inc., Joe Sbrocco, and JAF Racing LLC. The colt is now two-for-four. Onassis, trained by Nancy Takter, paid $7.82 to win as the third choice.
Taking a drop in class from the Championship Series, San Patricio returned to the winner’s circle in the third split with Tetrick holding the lines for trainer John Butenschoen in a lifetime-best 1:55. Imperative (Andrew McCarthy) was second by four lengths and Negotiation (Austin Hanners), who finished fifth, was promoted to third. San Patricio, a son of Swan For All-Kaikoura, is owned by Tony Holmes, Michael Holmes, June Zent, and Timothy Thornton. He paid $3.68 at the windows as he improved his career record to three-for-five.
The colt Up In Place (Andrew McCarthy) broke his maiden by a nose in 1:51.2 in the first Commonwealth Series division for pacers. He took the pocket from post nine in the field of 10, went to the front in the stretch, and held off Downbythelakeside (Todd McCarthy) at the wire. Drink To That (Scott Zeron) rounded out the triactor. Up In Place, a Tony Alagna-trained son of Lather Up-Helens Place Girl, is owned by John Barnard and Alagna Racing LLC. He is now one-for-two.
Winnercircleseeker broke his maiden in this third attempt as he captured the second pacing contest with Gingras in the bike in 1:51.2. Fletchers Field (Geremy Bobbitt) was second over Watchfire (Andrew McCarthy). Winnercircleseeker is trained by Ron Burke and was second and third in his previous trips to the post. The son of Sweet Lou-Dont Forget is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Larry Karr, Phillip Collura and Brad Grant.
The first card also contained two $20,833 Kentucky Golden Rod events for pacers with three for trotters carrying the same purse on the second program.
Mattias Melander steered Midwind Chimp ($10.34) to victory in the first trotting division for trainer Marcus Melander in 1:56.4. The son of Gimpanzee-Boccone Dolce is owned by S R F Stable. Deuce Pop ($3.82), a son of Tactical Landing-Atlantic Crest, took the second division in 1:55.2 for driver Todd McCarthy, trainer Randal Jerrell, and owners Jerrell, Stewart, and Atlantic Trot Inc. Captain Naughty (Dunn, $4.12) won the third division of the Golden Rod in 1:56.1 for trainer Justin Lloyd. By Captain Corey and out of Msnaughtyashill, the colt competes as a homebred for Denise Dennis.
In the first pacing Golden Rod division, Sneaky Squeaky scored for trainer-driver Joe Bongiorno and owner Morrison Racing Stable. The son of Heston Blue Chip-Squeaky was clocked in 1:53.1. Thiago Hanover (Gingras), a son of Tall Dark Stranger-Trillions Hanover, broke his maiden in the second division in 1:51.1 for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Karr, Knox Services Inc., and Beasty LLC.
Cloud Monster and Louaville won their respective $13,889 pacing divisions of the Kentucky Wildcat. The trotting Wildcat winners were Finn Mccool ($5.34) and Never Say Die ($3.28).
(With files from The Red Mile; photo of Endurance winning on Aug. 6)