The Sunday evening program at The Red Mile was dedicated to showcasing the stars of the Kentucky Sires Stakes program, as an eight-pack of $300,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes finals went postward
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Here’s a recap of tonight's rich finals:
$300,000 KYSS Final (Three-year-old filly trotters)
Dancing Filly knocked off the odds-on favourite B Nicki in the first event of the evening in a time of 1:56.2 for the tandem of driver Ron Pierce and trainer Kevin Thomas. The daughter of Like A Prayer-Aspenglow sat fourth to the quarter pole before brushing to the top and laying down middle split of :58.3 and 1:27.3. A :28.4 final frame was more than enough for the filly to win by a little more than a length over B Nicki. Dont Call Us rounded out the top three.
Bulletproof Enterprises of Boca Raton, FL owns the seven-time winner, who has put together a 4-0-1 record in her first eight starts of the season. The $150,000 payday lifted this year’s earnings to $185,170 and her overall bankroll to $399,440.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Two-year-old filly trotters)
By popular demand, Felicity Hall had no problem flogging her foes for the duo of driver Michel Lachance and trainer Fred Grant. The heavily favoured daughter of Like A Prayer-Favorite Hall sat just off the pace for the first three-quarters of the mile before uncorking a :29.2 closing kick to post the 1:58.3 score. It was nearly three lengths back to runner-up Tala Lady, while Just A Valley Gal was a distant third.
Bred and owned by Walnut Hall Ltd. of Lexington, KY, Felicity Hall is now undefeated in four lifetime starts. She has stashed away $185,426 along the way.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Two-year-old colt and gelding trotters)
The win streak is now four-in-a-row and counting for Victors Future, who pulled off a mild upset to the tune of 4-1 over race favourite Quantum Lightning. Trace Tetrick worked out the winning trip for the Jeff Smith-trained son of Valley Victor-Baby Bella, who froze the teletimer in a career-best clocking of 1:56.3. Quantum Lightning was second and third prize went to Victory Nut.
Victors Future has assembled a 4-0-1 record in six lifetime starts for owners Terry and Cynthia Kinsley of Columbus and James and Fred Everhart of Greenfield, OH. The lion’s share of the purse bumped the youngster’s bankroll to $173,140.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Three-year-old colt and gelding pacers)
It was a clean sweep in the KYSS for Sheer Desire, who capped off a four-race stint at The Red Mile with a 1:49.4 victory in come-from-behind fashion in tonight’s final for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Ronnie Burke. Returning to the scene of last year’s 1:49.3 World Record performance in the Bluegrass Stakes, the son of Real Desire-Carolache hauled down pacesetter Carnivore in the closing strides. Real Image was third.
It was the sixth win of the season and the ninth lifetime tally for the career winner of $323,492, who is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Randy Ringer, JJK Stables LLC and Lawrence Karr.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Three-year-old colt and gelding trotters)
Dan Noble held on for dear life behind Up Front Prayer, who towed the teamster through some wild fractions to take his KYSS assignment. The speedy son of Like A Prayer-Banshee Hall rolled the field through splits of :28, :55.2 and 1:24.3 before finishing off the mile with a :31.2 closing panel for the 1:56 decision. Kibbutz Dream was a distant runner-up and Like A Hush grabbed the show dough.
Jim Arledge, Jr. conditions the gelding for owner Ed Mullinax of Amherst, OH. The victory was the fourth of the season in 11 tries for Up Front Prayer, who went winless in six starts as a rookie. The $150,000 payday lifted his overall earnings to $194,991.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Three-year-old filly pacers)
The biggest upset in the KYSS tilts was turned in by Palazzo Princess, who erupted for a 21-1 upset over her sophomore rivals. Aaron Merriman mapped out the winning trip for the Paul Kennedy, Jr.-trained daughter of Jate Lobell-Hawaiian Exotica, who stopped the clock in 1:51.3 en route to defeating Notjustaprettyface and Shanghai Lil.
Owned and bred by Paint Creek Farms of Rochester, MI, Palazzo Princess now owns a 6-2-1 record in 14 starts this season. She has managed to stash away $266,559 to date.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Two-year-old filly pacers)
Driver Andy Miller and trainer Don Swick joined forces to score with maiden-breaker Ultimate Best. The daughter of Cambest-Bolero Ultima swung off cover turning for home and used her late kick to notch the 1:52 decision over Best Boss and Sand Windsor.
Robert Bende of Tabernacle, NJ and Kimberly Swick of Royal Palm Beach, FL share ownership on the freshman filly, who owns a 1-4-1 record in nine trips postward. Her lifetime earnings soared to $169,200 with the win.
$300,000 KYSS Final (Two-year-old colt and gelding pacers)
The win streak for High Def Z Tam is now four-in-a-row and counting thanks to his 1:53.3 triumph for the tandem of driver Michel Lachance and trainer Richard Ringler. The son of Real Desire-Caribbean, who equaled his lifetime mark with the victory, knocked off The Beach Boy and Onemoreroundocrown to bring his rookie record to 4-1-0 in five starts.
Z Tam Racing LLC of Nanuet, NY and Patrick Lachance of Manalapan, NJ share ownership on the juvenile, who now boasts an impressive bankroll that stands at $175,000.