By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY—
Despite an hour-and-a-half delay provoked by a blown transformer near the first
turn, the $336,000 Bluegrass for two-year-old filly trotters was contested in
four divisions on Thursday, September 25.
Scratched down to
a field of four in the pari-mutual spectrum, Wild Honey, off a world-record
1:55.2 mile at Delaware, Ohio, coasted around the Lexington oval to win in
1:55.2, with a :26.3 final quarter.
Able to put up
fractions of :29.2, :59.3 (:30.1), and 1:28.4 (:29.1), Wild Honey led foes Onda
Di Mare, Love Me Madly, Shafina Hanover, and Hot Stuff, respectively, in her
gate-to-wire performance. They remained in that order as Wild Honey sprinted to
the wire in :26.3 to win in 1:55.2.
Owned by
Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, and Herb Liverman, the Cantab Hall-U
Wanna Lindy-S J’s Photo daughter paid $2.10 to win. She’s trained by Jimmy
Takter and driven by Yannick Gingras. Winning seven of eight starts, the Pennsylvania
Sires Stakes champion has now amassed $312,656 in earnings.
Jolene Jolene,
sent off the 8/5-second choice, equaled the world record for freshmen filly
trotters of 1:52.1 in division two of Bluegrass action.
Classical Annie
circled around Scented Roses to secure command through a :28.2 first quarter.
Passing three-eighths, Jolene Jolene made a furious bid from fourth to
commandeer the field.
Clearing in a :56.3 (:28.1) half-mile, her lead began to
grow into the far turn.
Leading by 5
lengths through a 1:24 (:27.2) third quarter, driver David Miller kept Jolene
Jolene to task while Lock Down Lindy tried to close, as well as Gold Cora and
Sweet Thing. As Lock Down Lindy broke, Gold Cora and Sweet Thing took over
second and third while Jolene Jolene was striding to an 8-length victory in
1:52.1 (:28.1).
Returning $5.40
to win, the Muscle Hill-Celebrity Speedie-Malabar Man daughter is owned by
William Donovan and trained by Jonas Czernyson. The 1:52.1 effort is a lifetime
mark for the filly trotter, and this win puts her season’s earnings at
$207,527.
Fresh off a
victory in the Kindergarten Series, Lilu Hanover claimed victory in the third
division of the Bluegrass in 1:54.2.
Getting away on
the lead, Lilu Hanover led Armatrading, That’s So Ironic, and Annaliina as she
marched to the quarter. Passing that station in :29, Annaliina was sent two
wide and began to brush by her competition. She took the lead from Lilu Hanover
through a half of :57.2 (:28.2).
Around into the
far turn, Armatrading pulled first over to challenge Annaliina for control.
Lilu Hanover sat steady in the pocket through a 1:27.1 (:29.4) third-quarter.
Midway into the stretch, Lilu Hanover pulled the pocket and managed to split
Annaliina and Armatrading to get a nose in front and extend to a length in
1:54.2 (:27.1). Annaliina was second, Concentration was third and Armatrading
was fourth.
A daughter of
Andover Hall-Lady Luck Hanover-Donerail, she is owned by Marvin Katz and Al
Libfeld, trained by Jimmy Takter and Scott Zeron guided her to victory. Paying
$5.20 to win, the 1:54.2 mile is a lifetime mark for Lilu Hanover.
Bee The Queen
capped the stakes action with a 1:54.1 victory over
Allerage Star and
Crunchess Finale dueled for control through a :27.3 first quarter. Clearing the
front into the backstretch, Allerage Star maintained her lead past the half in
:55.2 (:27.4). Driver Brian Sears gave Bee The Queen the cue to go entering the
far turn, flushed from fourth by Sarcy.
Within a matter
of strides, Bee The Queen secured control. Sarcy stalked uncovered while
Allerage Star was to her inside in the pocket. Bee The Queen trotted by
three-quarters in 1:24.3 (:29.1).
Sarcy broke
turning for home, and Allerage Star swung out of the pocket, but failed to
rally by Bee The Queen. Wiclet Hanover from the back closed into second, as
well as Kirsi Hanover into third as Bee The Queen was victorious in 1:54.1
(:29.3).
Owned by Alfred
Ross and trained by George Ducharme, the Donato Hanover-Bee Line-Self Possessed
filly paid $5.40 to win. Her 1:54.1 victory is a lifetime best, and her
season’s earnings are now at $63,392.
Live racing
resumes Friday, September 26 with the $287,600 Bluegrass for two-year-old filly
pacers and the $393,000 Bluegrass for two-year-old colt trotters. With three
divisions for the fillies and four for the colts, post time is set at
7:00pm EDT.
