By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON,
KY— Trainer Joe Holloway sends two of the top freshmen pacers this season,
Closing Statement and Rainbow Room, to compete in the $302,000 Bluegrass
Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace and $262,700 Bluegrass Two-Year-Old Filly
Pace respectively on Saturday, September 30.
Rainbow
Room, by Somebeachsomewhere from the Artiscape mare Rainbow Blue, goes in the
first division of the Bluegrass Two-Year-Old Filly Pace, named “The Artspeak”
and presented by Hanover Shoe Farms and the Artspeak Syndicate. A winner of six
races in seven starts this season, Rainbow Room has amassed $311,199 in
earnings for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Val D’Or Farms, and Ted Gewertz. The
$100,000 Lexington-Select purchase exits a 1:52.2 win in the $240,000
Kentuckiana and will start from post six with David Miller driving.
Closing
Statement competes in the second of four divisions of the Bluegrass
Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace, named “The Western Ideal” and presented by
Hanover Shoe Farms and Brittany Farms. Owned by Val D’Or Farms, Rojan Stables,
and Ted Gewertz, the colt by Somebeachsomewhere from the Western Ideal mare
Ideal Newton enters off three consecutive victories, having five total to his
credit this season, earning $138,264 in the process. Purchased for $125,000 at
the Harrisburg Yearling Sale last fall, Closing Statement will start from post
four with David Miller driving.
The
second division of the Artspeak features Betterthangraduate, a Ron
Burke-trained daughter of Betterthancheddar from the Western Hanover mare
Western Graduate. A winner of two races in nine starts this season, the $52,000
Harrisburg Yearling Sale purchase has banked $87,845 this season for owners
Burke Racing Stable, Silva, Purnell, and Libby, Phillip Collura and Weaver
Bruscemi. Matt Kakaley will drive.
Come
See The Show, by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Put On A
Show, faces undefeated Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS)-champion Band Stand in the
final division of the Artspeak. Off a 1:51.1 third-place finish in the $405,000
She’s A Great Lady, Come See The Show, a winner of two races in six starts this
season, will start from post one for trainer Linda Toscano and driver Tim
Tetrick. The earner of $118,182 this season competes for the interests of
Richard and Joanne Young.
Band
Stand, winning all five of her outings, starts from post seven off a 1:52.4 win
in the $250,000 KYSS final. A $40,000 Lexington-Select purchase, the filly by A
Rocknroll Dance from the Artsplace mare Al’s Girl has earned $171,550 for owner
Brad Grant. Tony Alagna trains and Joe Bongiorno will drive.
The
opening division of the Western Ideal features I’m A Big Deal, a
Somebeachsomewhere colt from the McArdle mare Big Mcdeal, who exits a
fifth-place finish in the Metro Pace eliminations. A $300,000 Lexington-Select
purchase, co-owner Chris Ryder conditions the winner of two races in seven
starts for owners Craig Henderson and Robert Mondillo. Earning $17,260 this
season, David Miller will drive from post two.
Locally-based
Larry Karr races in the same division, going from post nine for owner-trainer
C. Kevin Thomas and partner Jason Thompson. By A Rocknroll Dance from the Art
Major mare Emily Car, the winner of three races in six starts this season exits
a career-best 1:52.2 victory, winning by eight-and-a-quarter lengths in a
two-year-old condition. Purchased for $35,000 at the Lexington-Select sale last
fall, he has earned $6,000 this season. Tim Tetrick will drive.
Manverick,
an undefeated New York-based colt by American Ideal from the Real Desire mare
Desirable Cindy, battles KYSS runner-up Grand Teton in the third division of
the Western Ideal. Starting from post one, the Jessica Okusko trainee enters
off a 1:54.1 qualifier at Lexington, following his fifth-straight win, a 1:52.2
lifetime-best mile in a division of the Excelsior Series. Compiling $26,400 in
earnings for owners M&L of Delaware, the $15,000 Lexington-Select purchase
will be driven by Brian Sears.
Sent
the 3-5 favorite in the KYSS Final, Grand Teton enters off a second-place
effort from post 10 and will start from post seven for owner and breeder
Diamond Creek Racing and trainer Jimmy Takter. A winner of five races in seven
starts, the colt by A Rocknroll Dance from the Western Hanover mare Western
Montana has amassed $125,000 in earnings this season. Mark MacDonald will
drive.
The
final division of the Western Ideal attracts Twin B Tuffenuff, the fourth-place
finisher in the $660,960 Metro Pace. By Rock N Roll Heaven out of the Dragon
Again mare In The Pink, he broke his maiden in the $32,800 Metro Pace
eliminations, pacing in 1:51.1. Earning $77,764 for owner Marvin Rounick, the
Steve Elliot trainee starts from post six with Brett Miller in the bike.
Post
time for the final evening program of the Grand Circuit meet is set for 7:00
p.m. EDT.
