Freshman trotting colts and pacing fillies will hit the track on Friday (Oct. 6) in a total of six divisions for the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile.
The colts and geldings will compete in four divisions of the $302,000 International Stallion Stakes, sponsored by the Six Pack Syndicate and Deo Volente Farms. Division one goes as the afternoon’s third race and attracts current divisional star King Of The North fresh off a troubled trip in the Mohawk Million. The Walner colt starts from post four in rein to Mark MacDonald for trainer Ray Schnittker after going on a break from interference in the Mohawk Million but nonetheless recovering to finish fifth. He starts inside of the 9-5 morning line choice Branded By Lindy, who put forth a strong performance when taking a $71,000 division of the Bluegrass last week in 1:52. Yannick Gingras pilots that Chapter Seven colt for conditioner Domenico Cecere.
In the second division, Bluegrass split winner Stride The Hill will face 5-2 morning line choice Classic Hill, whom he bested in 1:53.1 in his maiden-breaking score last week. Tim Tetrick picks up the drive on the Jim Campbell trainee from the pylon post while Scott Zeron sticks with Classic Hill, trained by Marcus Melander, from post four. A trio of other Bluegrass runner-ups – World At War Deo from post two, Rose Run Xtra from post three and Keg Stand from post eight – also compete in the second split.
Marcus Melander pupil Periculum will look to keep his momentum going off a 1:53.1 victory in a Bluegrass division last week when he starts from post two in the third grouping of the International Stallion Stakes. Mattias Melander sits in the bike to the inside of Lucas Wallin trainee Rebuff, who will now have Tim Tetrick in the sulky following a closing third-place finish in the Bluegrass with a :26.4 final quarter.
Lightly raced Slay fronts the fourth division while making his fourth start and scoring from post four. The Tony Alagna trainee has recorded back-to-back victories, the first an 8-1/2-length romp in a two-year-old event and the most recent a 1:52.4 win in a Bluegrass division. Andrew McCarthy drives the 7-5 morning line choice in a seven-horse contest that includes William Wellwood elimination winner Temporal Hanover, who starts from post five with Brian Sears driving for trainer Marcus Melander.
Pacing fillies get underway with their two divisions of the $254,000 International Stallion Stakes, sponsored by the American Ideal Syndicate and Brittany Farms, in the fifth race on the card. Chris Ryder’s breakout filly Niki Hill ships south from a 1:50.2 stroll in the $395,395 Shes A Great Lady at Woodbine Mohawk Park and will put her perfect five-race record on the line from post five with Dexter Dunn in the bike. She enters a group with a pair of strong Bluegrass performers: division winner Boudoir Hanover from post seven with Todd McCarthy driving for trainer Tony Alagna and runner-up to Boudoir Hanover, Lyons Serenity, from post six with Tim Tetrick at the lines for trainer Jim King Jr.
Kentucky Championship winner Dont Fence Me In will try to rebound from a second-place effort in the Bluegrass last week when starting from post five in the second split. Dexter Dunn again has the call on the morning line choice, this time for trainer Tony Alagna, in a field with several returning Bluegrass competitors including third-place finishers Yes And Yes from post one and Galleria Hanover from post three.
Friday’s card features 11 races with the first slated to go to post at 1 p.m. (EDT).
(With files from The Red Mile)