Wednesday’s action at The Red Mile featured two-year-old pacing fillies that competed in a trio of International Stallion Stake splits, with each division worth in excess of $106,000.
Indulge Me turned a two-hole trip into a winning one for driver Mike Lachance in the first tilt for the freshmen fillies. The Bettors Delight – Summer Child filly flew off the gate from Post 8 and made the front in a furious :26.2. Her lead, however, was short lived as Warrawee Kay (Ron Pierce), who won a division of the Bluegrass last week, popped out of the pocket and took command before the :55 half.
Campus Cutie (Brian Sears) challenged Warrawee Kay first-over around the final turn, with Indulge Me sitting patiently in the two-hole to the three-quarters in 1:24. When Campus Cutie began going in reverse, Lachance moved Indulge Me to the outside and she sprinted home to a length and three quarters victory in a career best 1:52.
Thats The Plan (Jody Jamieson) rallied into the place spot over Shanghai Lil (Yannick Gingras).
Indulge Me is trained by Ed Lohmeyer for the partnership of Robert and Lauren Tucker. A $55,000 yearling purchase, the filly is 5-1-5 in 13 starts, earning $171,145. Indulge Me was a winner on Jug Day when she scorched the Delaware half-mile oval in 1:53.2, taking a division of the Standardbred by over 11 lengths.
The Bob McIntosh trained and Steve Condren driven West Of L A went the trip of her young career to take the second split. There was plenty of early action in the contest, with Precious Stone (Mike Lachance) the first to hold a short lead, before yielding to No Rhyme No Reason (Tim Tetrick) at the :28.1 quarter. West Of L A, who was away in eighth, was forced wide and made a minor skip when Hawaiian Drink (Dave Miller) went on a break down the backside.
Condren steadied West Of L A and she rejoined the outside flow as Notjustaprettyface (Jody Jamieson) became the third new leader in the race. Next up, Up Front Noel (Andrew McCarthy) moved to the outside and brushed her way to the front at the :56 half.
West Of L A was fanning out four-wide from eighth as Up Front Noel continued to lead at the 1:25.1 three quarters. Up Front Noel opened up a couple lengths of daylight in the stretch, but she could not hold off a charging West Of L A, who was flying on the outside and hit the wire first in a lifetime best 1:53.2. Thou Shalt Not (Ron Pierce) was third.
West Of L A was bred and is owned by the Robert McIntosh Stables Inc., C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. The Western Hanover – Los Angeles filly has three wins and four seconds in eight starts this year, banking $148,800 for her connections.
Twist N Clout delivered on her 6-5 promise in the third tilt for driver Dave Miller. Starting from Post 4, the Western Ideal – Economic Clout filly settled into the second spot, tracking Perfectionist (Ron Pierce) to the quarter in :27.4. Palazzo Princess (Mike Micallef) made an eye-catching sixth-to-first move in the second quarter and took command in :56.
Heading to the 1:25 three-quarters, Perfectionist vacated the pocket to overtake the hard-driven Palazzo Princess and Miller followed that move with Twist N Clout, who was travelling second-over. Twist N Clout powered up on the outside for Miller and seized the lead in deep stretch to prevail by three quarters of a length in a career mark of 1:53.2.
Perfectionist finished a game second while It Hurts Me (Brian Sears) was third.
The $40,000 yearling purchase by Val Dor Farms has won five of her nine starts as a freshman while putting $281,529 into the bank. The NJSS champ is trained by Joe Holloway and also has a victory in the Kentuckiana at Indiana Downs as part of her 2008 accomplishments.