The fourth leg of the Kindergarten Classic series, a Grand Circuit event for freshman trotters, will be raced Thursday night (September 18) at the Red Mile, and the entry box was filled to the brim once again.
Thirty-eight fillies necessitated four divisions, and three of the four winners from last week will be returning.
Bee The Queen was the fastest, scoring in 1:56 for trainer George Ducharme and owner Alfred Ross. She was a handy winner last week at a hefty $62 win price that likely will not be available on Thursday. She will start from the rail in Race 13 with Corey Callahan listed to drive.
Waiting Room was just a fifth of a second slower than Bee The Queen. She won her split and rewarded her backers with an $85 win payoff. She will return for trainer Julie Miller in the seventh race (first of the Kindergarten races) with LeWayne Miller driving for owners Andy Miller Stable, Little E, LLC and Lawrence Dumain.
Rules Of The Road caught the same division as Waiting Room in her return off last's week's $40 mutuel for Chuck (driver) and Janice (trainer) Connor, who share ownership with the Arden Homestead Stable.
The colts drew three divisions and are led by Indiana-bred Airman Batten, who impressed with a :26.3 final quarter in his 1:57.1 triumph last Thursday. He's picked up over $166,000 while winning eight of nine starts for Paymaq Racing, Harvey Eisman and Greg Gillis. Erv Miller conditions the colt and LeWayne Miller has been the driver for all the colt's races.
Musical Rhythm will be looking to go back to back. He will provide the main challenge to the above-mentioned Airman Batten in Race 14. He closed out a 1:56.4 score with a :27.1 final panel from just off the pace for driver Scott Zeron, who is back in town to steer for trainer Tony Alagna, who conditions for Mystical Marker Farms, In The Gym Partners and Joe Sbrocco.
Wicker Hanover will return off a successful Lexington debut for Red Mile specialist Noel Daley. Wicker broke his maiden in his Lexington debut, and Kyle Bolon will do the driving for Christer Haggstrom in Race 15.
The Kindergarten series will go on hiatus after Thursday and will return with the fifth and last leg at Vernon Downs on Friday, October 17. The $240,000 (est.) finals will take place on November 1 at Vernon Downs.
First post for Thursday’s 16-race card is 7 p.m. The Red Mile will then be dark until the Grand Circuit meet begins on Thursday, September 25.
(Red Mile)