The current point leader in both the filly
and colt standings for the
Kindergarten series will be racing over the Kentucky clay at The Red Mile on
Thursday night as no fewer than seven divisions will be contested, each for a
$10,000 purse. Forty fillies made for a nice even four divisions of ten
and the colts line up as a nine and two tens in the Grand Circuit event.
Lady Clarabella sits atop the filly roster
with 100 points as a result of her two-for-two record in the series. She won
her division of leg two at Tioga in 1:57.2 and rewarded her backers handsomely
with a $45 mutuel payoff. She begins from post 9 in the fourth race on Thursday
at a generous 6-1 morning line. Andy McCarthy is aboard for Randy Beeckman who
trains the Lear Jetta filly for breeder Paul Kinnear and his partner Dreamland
Farms.
Another homebred filly with a promising
future is Allerage Star who will open the series action as the 3-1 pick in race
two. She’s won three of five this season, including a Kindergarten leg at The
Meadowlands, Tompkins-Geers and most recently Reynolds Grand Circuit stakes for
owner/breeder Jeff Gural’s Little E, LLC and partners Jason Settlemoir, Dave
Stolz and Art Geiger.
She’ll have the services of Scott Zeron in
the sulky for conditioner Howie Okusko, Jr. on Thursday.
The colt divisions are later in the card and
series leader French Laundry looks to continue his perfect Kindergarten record
for trainer/driver Jimmy Takter in race ten. French Laundry was a winner in the
Champlain stakes at Mohawk in his last, a mere five days after a series success
at Tioga.
The nicely bred colt has now recover over
$95,000 of his $115, 000 yearling purchase price for Christina Takter, John
& Jim Fielding, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld.
He will encounter an interesting new
shooter for the series in Indiana champ Airman Batten. This Swan For All colt
has won seven of eight starts including three INSS finals and $161,500 for
owners Paymaq Racing, Harvey Eisman and Greg Gillis.
Erv Miller is the trainer and regular pilot
LeWayne Miller is in for the drive.
Those with Kindergarten eligibles are
reminded that next week’s leg has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 18
and entries are due for that one on Monday morning. Check the
condition sheet for details.
The fun starts at 7:00pm in Lexington on
Thursday.
