Lexington, KY – With the
2017 Meadowlands Championship Meet complete the Grand Circuit morphs into
more of a traveling show, reminiscent of days gone by, with important races at
may venues over the next few months.
One very important
destination, The Red Mile, held qualifying races today on a perfect windless,
muggy morning beginning at 11 a.m.
Interest is high for the
Red Mile’s pre-Grand Circuit meet this year with the Kentucky Sires Stakes
(KYSS) including a mare residency clause to the conditions beginning with
the foals of 2015, resulting in more focus on this season’s two-year-old
stakes. As a result several of the Grand Circuit stables are here earlier than
usual giving their eligible colts and fillies a once over the track.
The first trotting
qualifier was won by Ooh La La La, a four-year-old mare with a strong Indiana
sophomore stakes resume in 1:56.2 for Trevor Smith over last year’s KYSS 2YO
colt trot final winner Starlight AS who is prepping for this
year's sophomore division.
A couple of freshman
pointing for next week’s KYSS first leg went along well in this one with
American Moni (Muscle Hill x Moni Maker) showing speed with a comfortable third
place finish behind a pair of older rivals for Lindy Farms and Domenico Cecere.
Godspell Hall also held his ground throughout, finishing fourth for Tony
Alagna.
Lindy Farms sent out an
imposing Somebeachsomewhere homebred pacing filly from Think Pink named Belle
who absolutely drug her driver Domenico Cecere through a 1:56.2 mile with a
restrained 28 flat final quarter. Day Dreamer was second for Alagna and partner
Riverview Racing. Both are eligible to the KY program.
Hat Trick Habit (Donato
Hanover x Habit’s Best) looked sensational for Cecere, stalking a pretty
accomplished older horse in Fusion Man then rolling right on by in a 27.2 end
to the 1:58 mile. He certainly has the look of a contender for the KYSS trots for
owner Fred Monteleone and trainer Frank Antonacci.
Race 4 was a field of
older pacers won in 1:55 by Carnoustie (Darrell Moore) getting a little work in
after a week off following five races in as many days at the Mississippi State
Fair late last month. Legal Power was the lone freshman in this one and he went
well for Alagna, passing several rival late to be fourth.
The fifth and final race
of the day saw Dawson Springs getting up on the wire after racing uncovered the
second half in 1:59.3 / 28.3 for Tony Alagna. He’s a Brittany-bred Cantab Hall
colt from Hot Springs owned by the trainer and the breeder along with Robert
LeBlanc.
Lindy trotters were in
close attendance with Eurobound second and Lovely Lindy third. Jack Gray’s
Yankee Glide colt Max is another KYSS eligible from this race.
The Sires Stakes kick
off next Thursday, August 17 with the freshman trotters. More information and
race dates for all KYSS events may be found on their website.
