Love A Good Story has authored a pretty nice tale this season for trainer Julie Miller and will try to add another winning chapter in Friday’s (Oct. 4) International Stallion Stakes for two-year-old female trotters at Lexington’s Red Mile. The filly, who notched her first Grand Circuit victory last week in a division of the Bluegrass, is the 2-1 morning line favourite in the first of four International Stallion trot divisions.
So far this year, Love A Good Story has won seven of nine races and finished second once. She was a six-time winner in preliminary rounds of the New York Sire Stakes and her only off-the-board finish came in the series final when she started from Post 8 at Batavia Downs. She rebounded from that setback with a 1:52.2 triumph in the Bluegrass, where she clocked the fastest time of the season for a two-year-old filly trotter.
“She bounced back well,” Miller said. “We were hoping she was going to pick it up on the mile track, because she was going to have to, and she responded well. She’s got a very nice gait. She’s a nicely put-together filly and does it with a lot of ease. If they’re not working too hard at their gait, they’re able to go faster.”
Love A Good Story, by Chapter Seven out of Celebrity Lovin, was purchased for $90,000 at last fall’s Lexington Selected Sale and her family includes Dan Patch Award winner Self Possessed. She is owned by Pinske Stables, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Daniel Plouffe.
The filly is eligible to the Breeders Crown later this month at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but Miller is not planning for anything beyond Friday. Not yet, anyway.
“We take it step by step,” Miller said. “I’m sure if we have a good result this week, it’s definitely on the table. She’s eligible and I hope we’re making arrangements to go.”
Love A Good Story will start Friday from Post 1 with Andy Miller in the sulky. Hello Tomorrow – who has finished second in three consecutive races, including the Peaceful Way Stakes and a division of the Bluegrass – is the 7-2 second choice from Post 2. Tim Tetrick will drive for trainer Per Engblom.
Love A Good Story (6), getting up for a win in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.
In the second International trot division, Ramona Hill is the 2-1 favourite over Shishito at 5-2. Both fillies won Bluegrass splits last week. Andy McCarthy drives Ramona Hill for Tony Alagna; Dexter Dunn gets the ride behind Shishito for Engblom.
Ake Svanstedt-trained and driven Common Sense S, another Bluegrass winner, is the 2-1 favourite in the third division, while Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes champion Sherry Lyns Lady, trained by Jim Campbell and driven by Tetrick, is the 9-5 choice in the fourth.
The Red Mile will also host two divisions of the International Stallion for two-year-old female pacers on Friday. In the first, ‘Team Miller’ will send out The Bethinator for her first stakes try. Last week, she won a late closer at Red Mile in 1:50.1, a time that is the second fastest of the season for a two-year-old filly pacer.
The Bethinator brings a five-race win streak to the International. She finished second in her career debut before reeling off three victories at Hawthorne Race Course for trainer Nelson ‘Spider’ Willis. She then captured her bow for the Miller barn at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.
“She wasn’t eligible (for the Bluegrass), so we put her in that late closer,” Julie Miller said. “That was a nice mile and Andy said she was comfortable doing it. We were actually a bit surprised how she did because you never know what they are. We were really happy with that performance. I told the owner if she raced well and won in (1:) 51 or better, she would get the chance to go with the big girls. So, this is her chance this week.”
The Bethinator, by Somebeachsomewhere out of Pleasure Beach, is owned by breeder Megan Rogers Racing Stables. Her family includes Sweet Future, who is the dam of Dan Patch Award winner Sweet Lou and two-time Breeders Crown champ Bettor Sweet.
“She got sick earlier in the year and they were patient with her,” Miller said. “Hopefully all of that is paying off for her. Hopefully she performs well.”
The Bethinator is 8-1 on the morning line. Stakes winner Reflect With Me is the 5-2 favourite for the McCarthy-Alagna duo.
In the second division, Kentucky Sire Stakes champion Gai Waterhouse is the 3-1 favourite for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Domenico Cecere.
Racing will begin at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) on Friday with a Hall of Fame Amateur Series race, followed at 1 p.m. by the start of the regular card.
(USTA)