With only one week remaining until the $2.4-million Kentucky Sire Stakes ‘Night of Champions’ at The Red Mile, three-year-olds took to the track for one last chance to earn enough points to make their respective $300,000 finals
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Rockincam is now 6-for-6 after scorching around the red clay oval in a career-best clocking of 1:50 in the lone $30,000 K.Y.S.S. leg for three-year-old colt pacers. Don Irvine, Jr. had the son of Cambest-Migraine on the go early as he found himself parked third on the outside through an opening quarter of :27.2, which was led by 4-5 favourite, Razzle Dazzle (John Campbell).
Rockincam was up to take command as the field raced up the backstretch, and he hit the half on the lead in a blistering :54.4. Blueridge Fortune (Ricky Macomber) rushed up and cleared for the lead as the field raced into the far turn and through three-quarters in 1:22.2. Rockincam was right back out to rally in the center of the track as the field turned for home, with Campbell tipping Razzle Dazzle three wide, as the top trio had put some separation on the rest of the field.
Rockincam responded with a :27.2 final quarter to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Razzle Dazzle. Defending champion, High Def Z Tam (Pat Lachance), rallied to finish third.
The winner, who is trained by Warren Harp, is a homebred colt owned by Stephen Farrell of Ocala , FL. Ironically, John Campbell was listed to drive Rockincam after winning leg one with the colt, but had already committed to trainer Jerry Silverman and Razzle Dazzle, the runner-up. Don Irvine, Jr. said he wasn’t sure if he would be back up in next week’s $300,000 final, but hoped to get the drive.
“They told me to do whatever I thought I had to do with him in here tonight,” Irvine commented. “And the mile is just unbelievably impressive when you consider he was making only his sixth career start. He was such a pleasure to drive, and allowed me to give him a breather in the third-quarter when I let Ricky (Macomber) go. I think he can go at least a second faster, maybe more.”
Best Boss, in rein to Pat Lachance, was a dominant winner in the $30,000 K.Y.S.S. event for three-year-old filly pacers, as she took the lead just past the half and sprinted away to win by 3-1/4 lengths in a career-best clocking of 1:51. After the dominant win tonight and the eight-length victory in the opening leg, the daughter of Cambest-Head of the House figures to be a heavy favourite in next Sunday’s $300,000 final.
Nannina, with Brad Hanners at the lines, also made it back-to-back K.Y.S.S. victories as she took the $30,000 event for three-year-old trotting fillies. Hanners left with the daughter of Valley Victor-Nannina Ambrosio from post nine and tucked fourth through the opening quarter. Nannina would continue racing in fourth until the final turn, when she brushed to the lead to overtake the defending champion, Felicity Hall (Don Irvine, Jr.). Those two would slug it out down the lane, with Nannina holding her off by 1-1/4 lengths in a lifetime-best clocking of 1:56.1.
Three-year-old trotting colts were the only group to split into two $15,000 K.Y.S.S. divisions on Sunday night, with Onmyagame and driver Dave Magee easily taking the first with a gate-to-wire score by 6-1/4 lengths in 1:56. Onmyagame finished fourth in the opening leg ten days prior, and is a son of The Wizard-Outback Kristy.
Rome and driver John Campbell turned the tables on Victors Future (Don Irvine, Jr.), to take the opposite $15,000 K.Y.S.S. division for three-year-old colt trotters. The son of Valley Victor-Brescia rallied from fifth at the three-quarter pole to take the lead in the stretch and post a half-length win over Victors Future in 1:56.3. The win was his first in seven career starts for trainer-lessee Buck Sprinkle.
(The Red Mile)