By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY— Roaring To Go yielded for the
pocket as Idyllic Beach, sent off the 1-9 favorite, commandeered control into
the far turn, sitting before pulling outside into the stretch and pacing to a
1:50.4 victory in the first of four divisions for the $294,000 Bluegrass for
two-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday, October 1 at The Red Mile.
Sprinting to the top heading into the first
turn, Roaring To Go led through a :27.2 opening quarter, with Miss Jones
sitting second and Idyllic Beach in third. Midway through the backstretch,
Idyllic Beach moved first over and sprung to the lead through a :55.3 half.
Jaye’s A Lady tipped off the pylons around the far turn, but could not reach
Idyllic Beach’s wheel through a 1:24.1 third quarter.
Roaring To Go began to tip off the rail into the
stretch. Slightly rough in stride, driver Brett Miller held a firm grip of her
as she coasted by Idyllic Beach to win in a lifetime-best performance.
Winning her fifth race in 11 starts this year,
Roaring To Go, by Art Major from the Western Ideal mare Lioness Hanover, has
now earned $209,886 for owner Frank Chick. Trained by Kevin Lare, she returned
$14.00 to win.
“Luck of the draw really wasn’t in my favor; I
was hoping to miss her [Idyllic Beach],” Kevin Lare said. “She had been racing
in New York Sires Stakes and she is not a half-mile track specialist at all. I
knew the big track would really help her.”
“I keep swearing she needs a little bit more
hobble,” Lare said of Roaring To Go’s gait issues. “It’s hard to tell when
you’re basing off quarters in :26-and-a-piece on a half and :25-and-a-piece on
the mile tracks. We’re just trying to get through the year and we’ll play with
it more next year.”
Taking the lead belatedly around the first turn,
Loreenas Ruffian held off all challengers as she progressed to a 1:52 win in
her Bluegrass division over a track downgraded to good.
Ella Christina cleared the lead before the first
turn, forcing Loreenas Ruffian, having started from post one, to pull to the
outside and take the lead before the quarter. Passing the quarter in :29.1,
Loreenas Ruffian maintained control as Jenny’s Terror, pulling outside from
third, rushed first over heading to the half before losing stride after a :56.3
half mile. She remained in front through a 1:24.4 third quarter, holding
command as Someomensomewhere took second and Ella Christina raced in third.
Sent off the 2-1 second choice, Loreenas
Ruffian, by McArdle out of the Ruffstuff Baker mare She’s A Ruff One, paid
$6.60 to win. She won her fourth race in nine starts this year, earning $92,667
for owner-trainer-driver Charlie Norris along with partners Leonard Buckner and
Rebecca Ewing.
Awash flew down the center of a sloppy track to
win the third division of Bluegrass in 1:53.3 at 3-2.
Lady Juno led through a :29.1 opening quarter,
losing the lead to Happy Hannah midway down the backstretch. Emily R Hanover,
sitting restlessly in third, edged first over after a :57.2. Around the far
turn, That’s The Ticket grabbed her cover as well as Awash, who was positioned
third over through a 1:26 third quarter.
Emily R Hanover stalled through the stretch
while Happy Hannah held onto command. That’s The Ticket moved three wide and
Awash began a rush towards the center track, soon surpassing That’s The Ticket
heading to the wire. That’s The Ticket finished second, while Happy Hannah, the
4-5 favorite, finished third.
Winning her second race in nine starts this
year, Awash, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Jereme’s Jet mare Apogee Hanover,
has earned $128,503 for owner Bradley Grant. Trained by Tony Alagna and driven
by Scott Zeron, she paid $5.00.
Fanning three wide into the stretch off a
second-over trip, World Apart stormed down the center of the track to win the
final Bluegrass division in 1:53.4 over Caviart Ally and Sky Fulla Star.
Caviart Ally left for the lead into the first
turn, settling for second as Sky Fulla Star pulled alongside to brush to the
top heading to the quarter. Timed in :28.4, Sky Fulla Star led briefly down the
backstretch since Kiss Kiss, pulling first over from fourth, swept to the lead
before the half, taking control in :57.
Gallic Sea moved first over into the final turn,
providing cover to World Apart heading to three quarters. Kiss Kiss held
control narrowly at three-quarters in 1:26 as Gallic Sea took a short lead.
Caviart Ally and Sky Fulla Star found room at the rail to pace into contention
while World Apart swung off cover to take the lead. Caviart Ally attempted to
sprint by her at the inside, but ended up finishing second.
World Apart, by Art Major out of the Rocknroll
Hanover mare Polar Opposition, won her fourth race in nine starts this year,
earning $100,272 this year for owners South Mountain Stables, Bay’s Stable,
Little E LLC, and Radio Racing Stable. Trained by Linda Toscano and driven by
Tim Tetrick, she paid $8.00 to win.
Live racing resumes at The Red Mile on Sunday,
October 2 with three divisions of the $188,200 Bluegrass for trotting fillies,
two divisions of the $163,500 Bluegrass for trotting colts, two divisions of
the $147,000 Bluegrass for pacing fillies, and three divisions of the $173,900
Bluegrass for pacing colts. First race post is 1:00pm.
