Grand Circuit action will start with a bang on Friday (Oct. 9) at the Red Mile, as New York Sire Stakes champ Test Of Faith will put her six-race win streak on the table in a matchup against two fillies returning stateside.
Test Of Faith will start from Post 7 and is the 5-2 morning line favourite in the first of two divisions of the Arlene Siegel Memorial International Stallion Stakes Two-Year-Old Filly Pace—sponsored by Jules Siegel and Fashion Farms. The Brett Pelling-trained Art Major filly will battle with against Caviart Audrey -- the Nancy Takter-trained Somebeachsomewhere filly exiting a 1:52.2 win in the $341,250 Shes A Great Lady Stakes -- as well as Notorious Pink, the Shes A Great Lady runner-up conditioned by Tony Alagna. David Miller will have the reins on Test Of Faith, while Yannick Gingras will drive Caviart Audrey from Post 5 and Tim Tetrick steers Notorious Pink from Post 2.
Kentucky Sire Stakes champ Blue Diamond Eyes will try to rebound off a second-place finish in the Bluegrass last week when she starts from Post 5 in the second division of the Arlene Siegel Memorial. David Miller again has the assignment behind the Ron Burke-trained Captaintreacherous filly who suffered defeat last week to Fire Start Hanover, who will start from Post 2 for trainer Richard 'Nifty' Norman and driver Dexter Dunn.
The Friday card also features three divisions for the $258,800 Six Pack International Stallion Stakes Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot, sponsored by the Six Pack Syndicate and Deo Volente Farms.
Venerate leads the opening division from Post 3 as he returns to the site of his Kentucky Sire Stakes crush after sliding to victory in the inaugural edition of the Mohawk Million. Andy Miller will drive the Love You colt -- listed as the 7-5 morning line favourite -- for trainer Julie Miller against Ake Svanstedt trainee Southwind Tyrion, the William Wellwood Memorial runner-up who rallied with a :26.3 final quarter last week to finish third in the Bluegrass. Pennsylvania Sire Stakes runner-up In Range will also try to bounce back off a sixth-place effort as the odds-on choice in the Bluegrass.
Making just his fourth start, aptly-named Svanstedt trainee Delayed Hanover heads into the second division of the Six Pack off a 1:53.4 victory in the Bluegrass last week — trotting a final quarter in :26.3. Svanstedt will again have the reins from Post 6 and neighbours hometown favourite Cuatro De Julio, the Trixton colt trained by Marie Ortolan Bar and driven by Al Eferstein.
The final split of the Six Pack pins Peter Haughton winner Zenith Stride against Moonstone S, runner-up in the Haughton and entering this race off a third-place rally in the Bluegrass. Brian Sears opts to drive the Mark Harder-trained Muscle Hill colt off a sixth-place finish over the Lexington oval last week and will start from Post 2. David Miller nabs the drive on the Marcus Melander-trained Muscle Hill colt who starts from Post 1.
A total of five Grand Circuit events will head to post during the 11-race card. First-race post time is slated for 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
(Red Mile)