Kentucky Sires Stakes finals were a chance for a few Kentucky boys to stand in the winner's circle at the Red Mile Sunday night.
In the very first of the eight $175,000 finals, Randy Jerrell drove Armatrading to a 2:00 victory in the event for two-year-old filly trotters. Jerrell also trains two-year-old filly pace champion Cielle, who was driven by Mickey Pryor and bred and owned by Walter Fister. Fister also won the three-year-old colt trot with his homebred Tinder, who was driven by Tyler Smith.
Day-long rains in the Lexington area turned the famous red clay oval at The Red Mile sloppy and the footing was less than ideal for the entire card. The two-year-old colt trot went to Cinnabar Hall, who scored in 2:05.2 for trainer Pete Foley and driver Mike Lachance. Both filly winner Armatrading, who is trained by Ken Oscarsson, and Cinnabar Hall are by Groton Hall.
The pacing sire Third Straight hit a trifecta of sorts in the two-year-old colt pace as his sons Bestbestraight, Straightonliberty and Teahouse Hall crossed the wire first, with Bestbestraight's winning time 1:59.1. Dave Palone drove the winner for trainer Steve Carter, who also trains the second and third-place finishers.
The trotting sire Valley Victor had two winners, with his daughter Petticoat Affair taking the three-year-old filly trot in 2:02.4 and Fister's Tinder winning the three-year-old colt trot in 1:58.2.
The pacing sire Ponder also had two winners, both bred, trained and co-owned by Bob McIntosh. Ponder's son
On Golden Ponder took the colt division in 1:59.2 with John Campbell sending him on a last-to-first journey up the backstretch, then Campbell steered the filly Somethinincredible to a 1:59.2 score in the very next race to wrap up the sires stakes action.
(harnessracing.com)