Last night at the Red Mile was the last chance for Kentucky-sired two-year-olds to earn points and punch their tickets into the $2.4 million night of champions coming up on Sunday, August 31 at the speedy Lexington oval.
There were plenty of great races on the 18-race, stakes-filled card, and the $50,000 third leg of the Kentucky Sires Stakes for freshman pacing fillies provided perhaps the most thrilling stretch drive of the entire 2008 meet.
The race started out with everyone getting away in post position alignment until pilot Mike Lachance moved Co Ed Desire, the 3-5 favourite and undefeated Real Desire filly, to the top as the field of eight straightened out up the backstretch.
Lachance cleared just before the half (:55.3) and began to feel the presence of her main rival, Shanghai Lil, as they circled the final turn. Shanghai Lil is a daughter of Jennas Beach Boy who is trained by Pete Foley, and reinsman Peter Wrenn had the filly grinding out a first-over trip to pull dead even with the leader at the head of the lane.
The two fillies were deadlocked for nearly the entire quarter-mile stretch drive, and in the end it was Co Ed Desire benefiting from the inside trip to put a head in front on the wire in 1:53.1.
The filly improved her record to a perfect five-for-five for the Fred Grant barn, and owner Scott Woogen of Mechanicsville, Virginia. Co Ed Desire has used virtually the same tactics in all of her career starts, making her way to the front end before the half-mile marker and sprinting to victory.
The two fillies will no doubt be two of the heavy favorites when they meet up with eight other rivals in the $300,000 final on Sunday, August 31.
Both Mike Lachance and Ron Pierce recorded five victories on the card.
To view the charted lines, click here.
The final legs of the KYSS for three-year-olds will be raced this upcoming Sunday, with a first post at 6:30 p.m. for the 16-race card.
(The Red Mile)