By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY— Huntsville and Downbytheseaside
were the quickest winners of the four divisions of the $262,000 International
Stallion Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday, October
8, winning in 1:49 to equal the world record set by Sweet Lou at Woodbine
Racetrack in 2011.
Sweeping to command after Rock The Boat set a
:27 quarter, Huntsville led to the half and three quarters in :55.2 and 1:22.1.
R J P, tracking Huntsville’s backside brush, found room to tuck into the pocket
at the top of the stretch, while Fear The Dragon chased Huntsville from first
over. He took second from R J P while driver Tim Tetrick encouraged Huntsville
to pace to the line, finishing about three-lengths clear of Fear The Dragon.
Hunstville, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the
Western Hanover mare Wild West Show, won his fourth consecutive race and his
fifth race overall this season in eight starts, earning $293,234 for
owner-trainer Ray Schnittker along with partners Ted Gewertz, Charles Iannazzo,
and Steven Arnold. He paid $2.80.
Downbytheseaside rushed to the top, taking the
lead from Eddard Hanover after a 27:4 first quarter. He blazed through the rest
of the mile, pacing a half in :53.4 and three-quarters in 1:22.3. Boogie
Shuffle attempted to pursue the leader from first over, while Eddard Hanover
slid by rivals towards the pylons. Downbytheseaside remained in front by about
two lengths over Boogie Shuffle and Eddard Hanover.
Sent off the 3-5 favorite, Downbytheseaside, by
Somebeachsomewhere out of the Allamerican Native mare Sprig Hanover, won his
sixth race in 10 starts, earning $239,706 for owners Country Club Acres Inc.,
Joe Sbrocco and Richard Lombardo. Trained by Brian Brown and driven by David
Miller, he paid $3.20 to win.
“I was a little worried; I knew we were going
too [fast] at the quarter,” David Miller said. “Rolling up the backstretch,
when [the half] flashed up :53, I was like ‘Oh boy, that’s not good.’ He’s a
strong horse. He did settle down for the third-quarter but then he had [Scott]
Zeron [on Boogie Shuffle] come at him. He had enough to fight him off. It was
impressive.”
“Brian told me the first-time I drove this horse
that this was his best horse and I told him he was crazy,” David Miller also
said.
“He has been getting a little bit grabbier every
week,” Brian Brown said, “so we tried to change some things. I was more worried
at the half than David was, but I was surprised that the horse had that much
fight in him.”
Drafting behind a blazing pace set by Filibuster
Hanover, Dragnet Alert tipped off the rail and swung down the center of the
track to upset at 18-1 in 1:49.2, a world record for two-year-old pacing
geldings that tops the previous mark of 1:49.3 set by Sheer Desire in 2008 at
The Red Mile.
Setting fractions of :27.2, :54.2, and 1:21.4,
Filibuster Hanover held an uncontested lead. Odds On Delray, the 1-2 favorite,
sat in the pocket while Dragnet Alert raced third. At the top of the stretch,
Odds On Delray edged off the pylons and was tracked by Dragnet Alert. Midway
through the stretch, Dragnet Alert moved towards the center of the track and
passed Odds On Delray, who took second, and Filibuster Hanover held on to
third.
By Dragon Again out of the Jenna’s Beach Boy
mare Jettin Jenna, Dragnet Alert won his second race in seven starts, earning
$58,463 for owner Crawford Farms Racing. He’s trained by Chris Oakes, was
driven by Brian Sears, and paid $29.80 to win.
“We bought him in early July,” Albert Crawford
said. “Chris [Oakes] gave us a call; he spotted the colt and really liked him.
He asked if we were interested and we were.”
“I thought he had this type of speed,” Chris
Oakes said. “He was coming quarters of :26.2 at The Meadows, which is pretty
solid; it’s not a real fast track. When I got the colt, he was sick, so I had
no choice but to quit with him for over a month, and he’s coming around nice
now.”
Chip Walther paced down the center of the track
to win the second ISS division in 1:50.3 at 41-1.
Blood Line pulled first over from fourth around
the first turn, taking the lead from Normandy Beach after a :28.1 first
quarter. Leading through a half in :55.4 and challenged at three quarters in
1:24 by Point Somewherelse from first over. Blood Line tried to hold control
through the stretch, but was passed by Normandy Beach sliding up the rail,
Mcthriller towards the center of the track, and Chip Walther from Mcthriller’s
inside. Chip Walther grabbed the front, while Normandy Beach finished second
and Mcthriller was third.
The Erv Miller-trained colt by Art Major, out of
the Western Terror mare Bittorsweet Terror, won his second race in 11 starts,
earning $63,111 for owners Ervin Miller Stable, Paymaq Racing, Nick Surick
Stable, and Louis Willinger. Driven by Marcus Miller, he paid $84.80 to win.
“The other night, when the track was off, Marcus
and Nick were pretty confidcent that the horse would race good,” Erv Miller
said. “But the horse has been getting better in the last three weeks; he had a
bit of a bad go in New York. Getting onto the mile track really helped him.”
“He’s one of those horses that when he’s good
he’ll go by somebody. He may not be good enough, but when he was following the
horse that kept carrying him I thought he’d be pretty good.”
Live racing will conclude on Sunday, October 9,
which includes the $100,000 Allerage Filly and Mare Pace, $101,000 Allerage
Open Trot, $138,000 Allerage Open Pace, two divisions of the $213,500 Glen
Garnsey Memorial, two divisions of the $416,000 Tattersalls Pace, two
eliminations and two heats for the $312,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity, and the
$431,000 Kentucky Futurity, where Marion Marauder races to be the ninth winner
of the Trotting Triple Crown. Sunday’s card also features a mandatory-payout
Pick 5 carryover of $5,289.36. First-race post for The Red Mile’s closing card
is 1:00pm.
