exington, KY
– The Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) for 2-year-old pacers will begin on Saturday
with the first leg requiring two $30,000 divisions for both sexes.
The pacing colts are up
first in the fourth race where Grand Teton looks
to continue his perfect record. The Diamond Creek homebred
half-brother to their great filly Pure Country by first crop sire A Rocknroll
Dance has won three minor stakes in as many starts for trainer Jimmy Takter and
driver Brett Miller, flashing high speed in each. Grand Teton gets underway
from post three on Saturday.
Takter will send another
top contender out in the second colt division (race six) in the brilliantly
fast Somebeachsomewhere colt Decoy. Despite being winless in his two starts,
Decoy has faced top company in both and sprinted home in a withering 25.1 his
most recent start at The Meadowlands. Brett Miller drives this one too, from
post six for owners Brixton Medical, RAW Equine and Joe Sbrocco.
With horses coming in
from such a variety of state-bred programs it really makes for some very
interesting match-ups. The first filly division (race five) includes
representatives from no fewer than five regional programs.
Starting from the rail,
Worldofrockzee has been the scourge of the KY Fair scene with four wins
including the final for trainer Jack Gray. She’s a homebred, raised and raced
by Stanley Wildharber of Barlow, KY and top local pilot Randy Crisler drives.
To her far outside wait
a fast pair of fillies, from the eight hole it’s Lets Fall In Love a New York
sired Rock N Roll Heaven plucked from the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for
$150,000 by William Donovan. Trained in the Ron Burke stable, she recently won a
NYSS at Tioga Downs in 1:53.1 her last start and will have Dave
Palone in her sulky on Saturday.
Beginning from the
outermost post nine is the Lindy Farms homebred Belle, a daughter of
Soembeachsomewhere making her pari-mutuel debut. Belle has been a winner in
both of her schooling races, by the narrowest of margins in 1:57.3 at Vernon
Downs followed by a devastating 28 length romp at The Red Mile a week ago.
Domenico Cecere, assistant trainer to Frank Antonacci drove her in both
qualifiers while another assistant, Patrizio Ancora will drive in this race.
The seventh race
features the undisputed queen of the New Jersey Sires Stakes in Hurrikane
Empress who swept both legs and the final of that program in July for trainer
John McDermott. She’s a homebred, racing for the interests of Jonathan Klee
Racing, Kuhn Racing and Pegasis Investments. Brett Miller is named to drive
from post seven.
The pacers will
spend three preliminary legs vying for one of ten positions in the
September 17 $250,000 finals for each division.
Saturday is also the
night for the highly anticipated “Second Annual Wiener Dog Races” which has
grown to five divisions and includes a “Running Of The Bull…dogs” heat this
year.
Post time is 7:00 p.m.
