Three-year-old fillies were the main event for Friday’s festivities at The Red Mile, with a total of five Bluegrass Stakes divisions featured on the card.
Trotting fillies got the Bluegrass party started, with each split going for over $117,000.
Lantern Kronos bounced back from her defeat in the Moni Maker Final when she trotted to a new lifetime mark in the first division for trainer/driver Jimmy Takter. The Viking Kronos – Bell Power lass did all the roadwork, setting fractions of :27.4, :56.1 and 1:25.3 en route to a three and a half-length triumph in 1:52.3.
Celebrity Tribute (Tim Tetrick) was the first-over challenger and finished in second while Epangeline (Ray Schnittker) completed the top three.
Falkbolagen Ab of Sweden owns the 2008 Hambo Oaks runner-up, who is 11-for-14 in her sophomore campaign. With only one off-the-board finish this season, which occurred in the Del Miller Memorial Elimination when she made a break, Lantern Kronos has banked $872,556 for her connections.
Dancing On Stage came into the second split winless in eight attempts this season, but left one-for-nine after pulling off a 54-1 shocker for driver Tim Tetrick. The Moni Maker Champ Diana Hall (Ron Pierce) grabbed the early lead in :28.4, but yielded to Kiss The Dice (Brian Sears) down the backside.
Bella Dolce (Paul MacDonell), who came into the contest riding a seven-race win streak, began the outside flow at the :57.3 half and gave perfect second-over cover to Dancing On Stage. Kiss The Dice kept Bella Dolce at bay on the outside, holding a half-length lead in 1:27.1, but those two battling leaders were quickly passed by a three-wide Dancing On Stage.
Dancing On Stage waltzed her way to the front for Tetrick and held off a rallying Diana Hall by a half-length in a career best 1:55.3. Kiss The Dice was third. Bella Dolce was a disappointing fifth as the even-money favourite.
Jim Campbell conditions Dancing On Stage for owners Arlene and Jules Siegel. Now four-for-19 in her career, the Broadway Hall – Giant Step filly has earnings of $281,639.
Three tilts were offered for pacing fillies, with each division carrying a purse in excess of $81,000.
The Kentucky Sires Stake Champ Btwnyurheartnmine was the easiest of winners in the first division for driver Brian Sears. The Real Desire – Winbak Pam filly settled into the second spot, tracking the Jugette runner-up Sprig Hanover (John Campbell) to the quarter in :28.3. Btwnyurheartnmine brushed to the front in a half of :55.1, while bracing for an outside bid from Stylish Artist (Dave Miller) around the final turn.
Btwnyurheartnmine cruised to the three-quarters in 1:23.1, but had yet to put away a stubborn Stylist Artist. Sears gave the Erv Miller trainee her head and Btwnyurheartnmine opened up in deep stretch, widening her margin to four lengths at the wire in 1:50.1. Respectable (Yannick Gingras) rallied to win the place photo over Stylish Artist.
Robert Cooper Stables LLC and Let It Ride Stables Inc. co-own Btwnyurheartnmine, who is 6-2-0 in 10 tries this season, collecting purses of $291,950.
Lightning Glory went the trip of her life in the second split for driver Andrew McCarthy. When the gates opened, Cherry Bomb (Yannick Gingras) exploded to the lead, but she gave way to Sand Pleasure (John Campbell) at the :27.4 opening quarter. Sand Pleasure’s reign on the top, however, was not long as Dreamlands Latte (Dave Miller) moved third-to-first and took command prior to the :56 half.
As Dreamlands Latte was clearing to the front, McCarthy started the Mcardle – Legacy Of Glory filly first-up from fourth and she drew within a nose of the leader at the 1:24.3 three-quarters. Lighting Glory seized the deep stretch lead and under a heavy drive, she hung tough to hold off See And Be Seen (Ron Pierce) by a quarter-length in 1:51.4. Cheery Bomb re-emerged to finish third.
Anthony Mannino has taken back training duties on Lightning Glory, who is 2-3-2 in 11 starts this season, banking $110,971 for owner Lightning Stable.
Good News Lady followed up her Jugette victory with a score in the third and final tilt for driver Greg Grismore. JK Majorette (Yannick Gingras) showed the most early foot, breaking the first beam in :27.3 before yielding to Pasta Lavista (Mike Lachance) down the backstretch. Grismore had Good News Lady under a stranglehold in fourth, but he let her loose and she blasted to the front after a half in :56.1.
Around the final turn, Good News Lady was ‘all-systems-go’ for Grismore and she opened up a five-length cushion in 1:22.4. The :26.3 third stanza took a little sting out of Good News Lady’s wheels and it began to show in the final eighth as she crawled home to win by a half-length in 1:51.1. Ideal Nectarine (Andy Miller) rushed to get second while Knock Three Times (Dave Miller) finished third.
Brittany Farms, Val Dor Farms and Christina Takter co-own Good News Lady, who is trained by Jimmy Takter. After going winless in her first 12 starts of the season, the Western Ideal – Whats New filly has won three of her last four and now has a seasonal bankroll of $505,598.