By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY—
The hallmark event of the penultimate day of the Grand Circuit meeting, the
$436,600 Tattersalls Pace, featured two divisions of sophomore colt pacers on
the Saturday, October 4 afternoon card at The Red Mile.
Always B Miki
displayed resilience, guts, and determination as he blazed around the Lexington
oval as the 1/5 favorite and held off his late challengers, winning the first
division of the Tattersalls in 1:49.3.
Capital Account
attempted to set the pace, soon losing control to He’s Watching. He set an
opening quarter of :27.4. Always B Miki was patient in third, and was sent
after the lead before the half. Under slight whip taps, he displayed a freaky
amount of agility through a :54.3 (:26.4) half.
He’s Watching
soon backed out of competition, coming to a halt as Always B Miki grew a
monumental lead. Capital Account took second as Always B Miki set a 1:21.4
(:27.1) third quarter.
Capital Account
drew closer to Always B Miki in the stretch. Driver David Miller applied
left-handed urging to keep Always B Miki to task, which proved successful as
Capital Account could do no better than second in a 1:49.3 (:27.4) mile.
Caviart Luca finished third.
The son of Always
A Virgin-Artstopper-Artsplace is owned by Bluewood Stable, Val D’or Farms and
Roll The Dice Stable, trained by Joe Holloway, and driven by David Miller. He
has earned $676,866 in his career, and returned $2.40 to win.
“He [He’s
Watching] looked fine leaving the gate, and he got to the lead,” driver David
Miller said. “The quarter, I thought, was pretty soft: :27.4. It didn’t feel
like we were picking up [in speed] that much before I moved. I was thinking I couldn’t
let him [He’s Watching] get a half in :56-and-something. I took a shot and
moved him [Always B Miki], and I got around him [He’s Watching]. My horse did
the rest.”
Jk Endofanera
paced the faster of the two divisions, winning over Winds Of Change, a 76-1
shot, in 1:49.1.
Melmerby Beach
set the early tempo, pacing an opening fraction of :26.4. Stevensville sat in
second, with Jk Endofanera, beginning a brush to the top, pacing third. Favored
Jk Endofanera gained the lead approaching the half, soon progressing to that
station in :54.2 (:27.3).
Let’s Drink On It
applied pressure approaching the three-quarter station, carrying Winds Of
Change and Somesizesomestyle into the mix. Jk Endofanera led by three-quarters
in 1:22.2 (:28).
Let’s Drink On It
soon abandoned the mission, while Winds Of Change fanned off cover and
attempted to blow by Jk Endofanera. Somesizesomestyle also tipped off cover,
but drifted severely in his closing bid. Jk Endofanera, implored to the finish,
managed to hold off Winds Of Change, as well as Somesizesomestyle, traveling
eight wide, to win in 1:49.1 (:26.4).
Bankrolling
$1,188,575 in his career, the son of Art Major-Presidential Lady-Presidential
Ball is owned by 3 Brothers Stables, trained by Ron Burke, and driven by
Yannick Gingras. He paid $3.20 to win, with the $2 exacta returning $108.
“He’s [Jk
Endofanera] probably not at his best on the front,” driver Yannick Gingras
said. “I thought it was, on paper, a two-horse race. Brian [Sears on Let’s
Drink On It] got away on my back, and I didn’t want to give him the trip. I
figured, if my horse was good, he’d overcome being on the front, and he did.”
Live racing
resumes on Sunday, October 5 with the $89,000 Allerage Filly and Mare Trot,
$90,000 Allerage Filly and Mare Pace, $173,000 Allerage Open Trot, $160,500
Allerage Open Pace, $224,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity, and the $435,000 Kentucky
Futurity. Post time for closing day of The Red Mile’s meeting is set for
1:00pmEDT.
Race replays of
action from The Red Mile can be found on our YouTube channel:
Red Mile Harness.
Keep track of all happenings on the Grand
Circuit with our Facebook page: The Grand Circuit.
