Freshmen trotting colts and geldings took centre stage at the Red Mile on Thursday afternoon in five divisions of the Bluegrass Stakes, with each division offering a purse in excess of $97,000.
Syrinxian found the finish line just in time to take his $97,000 division in a career-best clocking of 1:57.4 for driver Ron Pierce. The son of Windsongs Legacy, out of the great mare Syrinx Hanover, made multiple moves in the mile en route to prevailing in a four-horse photo.
Howthehaloareyou came on strong in the stretch to finish in the runner-up spot while Wuthering Hanover took home the show dough.
Steve Elliott conditions the $57,000 Harrisburg Yearling Sale purchase for the Swedish partnership of Natan Schlachet and Salomon RYTZ. The colt has put together a 2-1-0 record and banked $50,400 in his first three starts.
Judge Joe and Jeff Gregory rallied from off the pace to take the second split, which toted a purse of $98,000, in a personal best clocking of 1:56.4. The 3-5 favourite, who hangs his harness bag in the barn of trainer Doug Ackerman, defeated Top Chef and Tymal Wingman.
The Doug Ackerman Stables Inc.'s homebred, who is 5-3-0 in his first eight starts, upped his lifetime earnings to $193,649 with the victory.
The complexion of the third division of the Bluegrass Stakes changed drastically due to the scratches of the undefeated freshmen stars, Tom Cango (5-for-5) and Donttellmywife (7-for-7).
Their misfortune, however, proved to be the good fortune of Even Better Odds. The son of Cantab Hall enjoyed a ground-saving trip for the majority of the mile before pulling the pocket and rolling to a lifetime best clocking of 1:55.2.
Tim Tetrick was at the lines behind the Chuck Sylvester trainee, who delivered on his 4-5 pari-mutuel promise by defeating Manningly and Lindys Dynasty.
Brittany Farms, Blue Chip Bloodstock and Dynasty Stable share ownership on the $60,000 Harrisburg Yearling Sale purchase, who lifted his earnings to $108,223 with the win. The colt has put together a 3-2-1 record in his first six starts.
Encore Encore and driver Tim Tetrick took advantage of a ground-saving trip en route to posting a 1:55.4 victory in the fourth division. The slight 8-5 favourite edged past pacesetter Photoforwin, who laid down panels of :29.2, :59 and 1:27.1, in the closing strides. Victory Blue Chip rounded out the top three.
Rich Gillock conditions the son of Broadway Hall for owner/breeder Bob Key of Leechburg, PA. The colt now boasts a 6-1-2 record and earnings of $194,015 in 10 starts.
The final division featured an intriguing match-up between the highly touted twosome of Muscle Hill and Swan For All. In the end, Muscle Hill continued his dominance in the division with a 1:55 score for trainer Greg Peck and driver Brian Sears.
The son of Muscles Yankee, who earlier this year captured the $500,000 Peter Haughton Memorial at the Meadowlands, took over the lead in the backstretch and cruised to a comfortable win over Swan For All and Cesar A Blue Chip. The 1:55 performance equaled his lifetime best.
"I'm pleased with him today because it was the toughest division," said trainer Greg Peck. "I shipped him down before Labour Day and got a couple of qualifiers into him to get him familiar with the surroundings. We'll see how he comes out of today's race and go from there."
Muscle Hill, who was a $55,000 Harrisburg Yearling Sale purchase, now sports a 5-1-0 record and earnings of $412,601 in just six starts. He is owned in partnership by Jerry Silva of Long Beach, NY and T L P Stable of Kearny, NJ.
Earlier on the program, Standupnkissme equaled the fastest mile of the season for two-year-old pacers when he blazed his way to a 1:50.3 score in a $13,000 late closer. David Miller engineered the winning trip for the son of Stand Forever, who hails from the stable of trainer Jim Mulinix.
Annieswesterncard, a two-year-old gelded son of Western Hanover, stepped to a 1:50.3 victory earlier this year at Indiana Downs in the $76,000 Elevation Stakes final. Carnivore, a Real Desire colt, also produced a 1:50.3 mile at the Red Mile on August 31 in a $300,000 KYSS final.
It was the gelding's third consecutive victory, and it improved his record to 8-1-0 in 10 starts. The homebred, who upped his bankroll to $87,957 with the win, is owned by DM Stables LLC, William Rufenacht and Denny Miller.