Ariana G starts from post two in the second of three divisions of the $183,900 Cantab Hall Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Filly Trot, sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms and Brittany Farms.
The winner of 18 races over 22 starts matches up with Dream Together, who finished second to the Jimmy Takter-trained daughter of Muscle Hill, from the Cantab Hall mare Cantab It All, in the $385,000 Elegantimage Stakes. Owned by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, Yannick Gingras will drive the earner of more than $1.5-million.
Jimmy Takter also sends Thats All Moni, a Cantab Hall filly out of the Pine Chip mare Moms Millionaire, in the first filly trot split. A winner of eight races over 20 starts, she exits a fourth-place finish as the even-money favourite in the $160,000 Moni Maker stakes, and will start from post five for owners Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld. Tim Tetrick drives the earner of $425,264.
The final filly trot division attracts Dream Baby Dream, co-owned-trained and driven by Rod Allen. By Muscle Hill from the Andover Hall mare I Believe, the winner of three races in 18 starts is co-owned with Joe Palermo III. Earning $149,747, Dream Baby Dream will start from post four following a fourth-place finish in the Elegantimage Stakes.
Off a 1:49.1 victory in the Jenna’s Beach Boy at Hoosier Park, Huntsville, a Somebeachsomewhere colt from the Western Hanover mare Wild West Show, starts from post five in the second of three divisions of the $220,200 Somebeachsomewhere Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace, sponsored by the Somebeachsomewhere Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms. Owned by trainer Ray Schnittker along with partners Ted Gewertz, Steven Arnold, and Crawford Farms Racing, he has won 15 races over 24 starts in his career, earning in excess of $1.6-million. Tim Tetrick will drive the 2016 freshman pacing champion.
In against Huntsville is Filibuster Hanover, who won the Little Brown Jug in a mild upset, starting from post one. Ron Burke conditions the Somebeachsomewhere gelding, from the Western Hanover mare Fashion Ecstasy, for owners Burke Racing Stable, Joe Di Scala Jr., Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi. A winner of five races in 27 starts, Yannick Gingras steers the earner of $633,258.
Miso Fast leads the opening division of the colt pace. A son of Roll With Joe out of the Artsplace mare Sakura Hanover, the Ron Burke trainee has won seven races in 30 starts, collecting $520,618 for owners Burke Racing Stables, Our Horse Cents Stables, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi. Matt Kakaley will start with him from post five off a third-place finish in the final of the Little Brown Jug.
The final colt pace split features Blood Line, a standout two-year-old during last year’s Grand Circuit season. Winning only one race this season, the Jimmy Takter-trained son of Somebeachsomewhere, from the Western Ideal mare Blood Diamond, has a total of three wins to his credit over 25 starts, compiling $240,039 in earnings for owner Diamond Creek Racing. Mark MacDonald will drive from post two.
Art Scene, runner-up to Downbytheseaside in the Messenger Stakes elimination and final, goes from post six against Blood Line. Following his Messenger efforts, the American Ideal colt, from the Artsplace mare Lover Of Art, blazed around Mohawk Racetrack, taking the $162,838 Simcoe Stakes in a lifetime-best 1:49.4, winning by five lengths. Winning three races over 15 starts, the Tony Alagna trainee exits a fourth-place finish to Huntsville in the Jenna’s Beach Boy. Scott Zeron will drive the earner of $269,436 for owners Brittany Farms, Alagna Racing, In The Gym Partners, and American Art Stables.
Exiting a 1:51.4 victory in the $560,880 Canadian Trotting Classic, Ron Burke trainee What The Hill headlines the third of three divisions of the $216,300 Explosive Matter Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot, presented by the Explosive Matter Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, facing off against fellow Hambletonian finalists Devious Man, from post five, and International Moni, from post seven.
Positioned between, David Miller will start from post six with the Muscle Hill colt from the Angus Hall mare K T Cha Cha. Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stable, Jerry & Theresa Silva, and Deo Volente Farms, What The Hill has won eight races in 24 starts, earning $801,747.
John Butenschoen sends a pair in the opening split of the colt trot, with Bills Man starting from post three and Giveitgasandgo from post nine. Bills Man, a colt by Credit Winner out of the Yankee Glide mare Silver Springs, has won five races in 27 starts, earning $368,675 for owners William Wiswell and M&L of Delaware Inc. Off a fourth-place finish in the Canadian Trotting Classic after winning his elimination in 1:53.2, Corey Callahan is in the bike.
Giveitgasandgo, a ridgling by Yankee Glide from the Andover Hall mare Mazda Hanover, has won 12 races in 25 starts, collecting $420,089 for owners Harmony Oaks Racing Stables, David Miller, Lawrence Means, and Vip Internet Stable. Andrew McCarthy will drive.
Butenschoen’s other glamour boy trotter, Dover Dan, starts from post eight in the second Bluegrass colt-trot split. The colt by Andover Hall, from the legendary Royal Troubador mare CR Kay Suzie, enters off a second-place finish in the Canadian Trotting Classic, and has eight wins in total to his credit over 26 starts. Owned by William Wiswell, Jean Goehlen, and Eugene Schick, he has earned $505,947, and will be driven by Corey Callahan.
Sweeping the Jugette, Caviart Ally headlines the second of two divisions for the $177,500 Galleria Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Filly Pace, presented by Fashion Farms. The Noel Daley-trained daughter of Bettors Delight, from the No Nukes mare Allamerican Cool, has won eight races in 29 starts, including the $252,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship, earning $596,243 for owner Caviart Farms. Andrew McCarthy will be in the bike from post one.
Racing sharply in the New York Sires Stakes all season, Tequila Monday highlights the opening split, starting from post three. Owned by Northfork Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey, the Chris Oakes-trained daughter of American Ideal, from the Ponder mare Margarita Monday, enters off a fourth-place finish in the Jugette final, following a second-place effort in the elimination. Winning 11 races in 22 starts and earning $4503,453 in the process, David Miller will drive.
Sunday’s program at The Red Mile is the first matinee of the Grand Circuit meet, with races kicking off at 1:00 p.m. EDT, which will be the first-race post for the remainder of the meeting.
(with files from The Red Mile)