By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY-- The annual Grand Circuit meeting
at The Red Mile commences on Thursday, September 29 with six divisions of the
$334,500 Bluegrass Stakes for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Race four gathers six trotters for the first
division. Long Tom, a Muscle Hill colt from the Windsong’s Legacy mare Ilia,
starts from post one for owner Amg Stable Oy and trainer Marcus Melander. He
enters off a lifetime-best 1:56.1 effort in a conditioned race at the
Meadowlands.
Stormy Kromer also enters off a lifetime-best
performance, drawing post six after a 1:58.4 win from first over as the
favorite in the $37,547 Ohio Breeders Championship at the Delaware County Fair.
He’s owned by Gene Oldford Farms LLC, Wrenn Racing LLC, and Kales Co. LLC.
Division two features another field of six.
Signal Hill, who finished seventh in the $266,000 William Wellwood final after
a runner up finish in his elimination, competes against Moonshiner Hanover, who
finished second in both the $260,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship at
Harrah’s Philadelphia and the $32,050 Standardbred Stakes at the Delaware
County Fair.
Moonshiner Hanover will start from post two for
owner-trainer Christopher Beaver along with partners Synerco Ventures Inc. and
Bill Manes. Signal Hill races from post five for owners Brittany Farms, David
Mc Duffee, Marvin Katz, and Adriano Sorella.
International Moni headlines the third division,
attempting to obtain the first win of his career. He ships in off a third-place
finish in the William Wellwood Memorial along with Mountain Of Love, who
finished eighth following a break at the start. Winless in six starts,
International Moni, by Love You out of Moni Maker, has amassed $43,165 in
earnings for owner Moni Maker Stable and trainer Frank Antonacci.
The fourth division collects seven trotters.
Julie Miller sends Fly On from, by Muscle Hill from the Credit Winner mare
Calchips Finisher, from post four for his tenth start this season. Winning five
of his nine starts and finishing third in his other four starts, he has earned
$60,622 this season for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Arden Homestead Stables
and Gaitway Stable.
Opposing Fly On is Lars Perry for trainer Jimmy
Takter, entering off a break as the 8-5 favorite in a $32,050 division of the
Standardbred Stakes at the Delaware County Fair. He’ll race from post seven in
pursuit of his first win of the season. He races for owners Christina Takter,
John Fielding, Mellby Gard, and Hatfield Stables.
Division five features Peter Haughton champion
What The Hill. Sent off the 9-5 favorite in the William Wellwood Memorial, he
broke into the last turn, finishing sixth. Winning three of eight starts this
season, he has compiled $236,378 in earnings for owners Burke Racing Stable,
Our Horse Cents Stables, Jerry & Theresa Silva Stables and Deo Volente
Farms.
What The Hill races from post six against New
Jersey Viking, an Ake Svanstedt-trainee who has won three of six starts this
year including a $55,780 division of the Reynolds at Tioga Downs and the
$29,000 Harold Dancer Memorial, as well as Muscles Jared, a George
Ducharme-trained son of Muscle Massive who has won four of seven starts this
year and exits the $252,000 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Championship off a
fourth-place finish as the 3-5 favorite. New Jersey Viking and Muscles Jared
start from posts four and two respectively.
Capping the card and Bluegrass splits is a field
of seven highlighted by the Jimmy Takter-trainee King On The Hill. The colt by
Muscle Hill from the Viking Kronos mare Lantern Kronos enters from a
fourth-place finish in the William Wellwood Memorial. Earning $86,963 over nine
starts this year and two wins, coming in an elimination for the Peter Haughton
and a preliminary for the Kindergarten, King On The Hill will start from post one
for owners Christina Takter, Goran Falk, Goran Andberg, and Hatfield Stables.
Thursday’s program is the first of four Grand
Circuit cards this week. Friday’s card, September 30, will feature divisions of
the Bluegrass for two-year-old filly trotters. The program on Saturday, October
1 will include divisions of the Bluegrass for two-year-old colt and filly
pacers, and Sunday’s card will feature divisions of the Bluegrass for three-year-old
colts and fillies of both gaits.
First race post for Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday’s cards is 7:00pm. Sunday’s card begins the matinee post time of
1:00pm, which will carry through the remainder of the meeting.
