By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON, KY— Flying up the pylons as the
even-money favorite Loreenas Ruffian drifted on the lead, Zane Hanover sprinted
to a 1:50.4 win at 93-1 in the first of four divisions of the $260,000
International Stallion Stakes (ISS) at The Red Mile on Saturday, October 8.
Robin J grabbed the lead from Loreenas Ruffian,
who then circled to take control after a :27.4 quarter. She led through splits
of :55.2 and 1:23.3 before drifting off the cones in the stretch. From off
cover, That’s The Ticket tried to storm down the center of the track, while
Robin J slid by Loreenas Ruffian to her inside along with Zane Hanover, who
emerged to the lead and drew clear to win. That’s The Ticket got up for second,
and Robin J finished third.
Winning her first race in nine starts, Zane
Hanover, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the American Ideal mare Zellweger Bluechip,
has earned $43,382 for owners Paymaq Racing, George Golemes and D. R. Van
Witzenburg. Trained by Ervin Miller and driven by Marcus Miller, she paid
$189.80 to win.
“I think this is a prime example that shows what
The Red Mile can do for a horse,” Erv Miller said. “We had been up [in
Pennsylvania] on the five-eighths racing and not really getting her stretched
out, but we got her a little stretched out last week and she seemed all week
like she was getting better.”
Sent to the top after the half,
Someomensomewhere maintained control as she advanced to a 1:52.4 win in the
second ISS division.
Miss Jones led through a :28 first quarter
before yielding to Someomensomewhere as she brushed to the lead before the
half. Unchallenged in :57.3, Someomensomewhere was soon pressured by Rockette
from first over into the far turn. Past three-quarters in 1:26.4,
Someomensomewhere turned away Rockette, who held onto second as Caviart Cherie
slid into contention to take third.
Earning $102,771 for owners Nick Surick Stable
LLC and Kdm Stables Corp, Someomensomewhere, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the
Western Hanover mare Omen Hanover, won her second race in nine starts. Trained
by Erv Miller and driven by Marcus Miller, she paid $5.40.
“I trained the mare Omen Hanover and my owner
bred her,” Nick Surick said. “Then I bought her here last year with Erv and
[Kdm Stables] wanted back in, so Erv trained her. She has been really good. She
tailed off in Pennsylvania at the end, but Erv said she was bleeding a little
bit. Marcus has driven her great in every start; never put her in a bad spot.
She was just never finishing. Now she’s finishing with the good drives.”
“We were really going slow and she was just
getting into gear; she wanted to go faster than I wanted her to into that
wind,” Marcus Miller said. “I just had to let her settle down and it was cruise
control from there.”
Off a second place finish in a $73,000 Bluegrass
split last week, Idyllic Beach took control after the half and was wrapped up
before winning in 1:52.2 over Big City Betty and World Apart.
Caviart Ally was sent to the top through a :27.3
first quarter. She was rough gaited when met with the backstretch headwinds and
took the pocket when Idyllic Beach rushed first over to the front. Leading
through a :57 half and 1:25.2 third-quarter, Idyllic Beach strolled to the
line, finishing about two lengths clear of Big City Betty.
Idyllic Beach, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the
American Ideal mare Idyllic, won her seventh race in 10 starts this year,
earning $500,132 for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, Brixton Medical
Ab, and Marvin Katz. She’s trained by Jimmy Takter, was driven by Yannick
Gingras, and paid $2.40 to win.
“I wanted to race her from the back today,”
Yannick Gingras said. “She has raced on the front so many times, but Andrew
[McCarthy]’s filly [Caviart Ally] was jumping shadows on the backstretch and we
weren’t going [fast], so I had to make a move. She was much the best in here.”
Roaring To Go won the final ISS split in 1:51.1
going wire to wire. She was unchallenged through fractions of :28.3, :55.3 and
1:23.2 before Planet Rock, moving first over around the far turn, gained ground
into the stretch. Awash tipped off her cover and chased Roaring To Go from the
center of the track, managing to take second from Planet Rock.
By Art Major out of the Western Ideal mare
Lionness Hanover, Roaring To Go won her sixth race in 12 starts, amassing
$242,636 in earnings for owner Frank Chick. She’s trained by Kevin Lare, was
driven by Brett Miller, and paid $3.00 to win.
“She’s not a half-mile track specialist and in
New York Sires Stakes that’s pretty much what you have to be,” Kevin Lare said.
“Brett has done a great job with her, getting her over the half-mile track all
year, and we thought the bigger track would help her out. I was very impressed
with her, going the second quarter in :27 flat. I was a little nervous into the
headwind, but Brett said she was kind of waiting on him and once she heard him,
she took off again.”
“She has the Breeders Crown left, but then after
that I think she’s done for the year. [Frank Chick] has talked about the
Matron, but I’ll leave that up to Frank.”
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.
