The Bluegrass two year old pacing colts split four ways with each
division of the “Westen Ideal” racing for over $80,000. Division leader
Artspeak returns from a brief freshening in race seven after his Metro triumph
of last month. Unbeaten in six outings, Artspeak tuned up with a 1:52.4
qualifying win over the track last Friday in anticipation of the Bluegrass.
He wears the target of a favorite here for owner/breeder
Brittany Farms, partners Marvin Katz, Joe Sbrocco and In The Gym Partners. Tony
Alagna trains and Scott Zeron drives the son of Western Ideal & The Art
Museum.
Little Brown Jug winner Limelight Beach has been entered in the
three-year-old Bluegrass colt stake named for his sire, super-stallion
Somebeachsomewhere. The stake drew a pair of nine horse fields and each
will race for a purse of $92,600.
Limelight Beach’s division reads the tougher of the two off the
form as he lines up behind the Magical Acres starting gate next to Meadowlands
Pace winner He’s Watching and Jug heat winner Let’s Drink On It. While the Jug
wins were his first of the year, Limelight Beach has been steady throughout and
would eclipse the half million dollar mark in seasonal earnings for Burke
Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, M1 Stable and the Wingfield Brothers. Ronnie Burke
trains and Yannick Gingras drives on Saturday.
The filly pacers split nicely into two fields of eight in the
Darlin’s Delight, each for a purse of $73,300. The first division (race 10)
offers a competitive group featuring the return of last year’s division
leader and Red Mile track & world record holder Precocious Beauty to her
home state of Kentucky. The Art Major filly from Precious Beauty was raised by
breeder/owner Jim Avritt in nearby Lebanon, KY and seems to thrive on the
home cookin’. She’ll face a staunch group here for trainer Gregg McNair and
driver Brian Sears.
