By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON,
KY— Nutcracker Sweet sat the pocket as Closing Statement moved for the top,
besting the 4-5 favorite in the stretch to win the second of four divisions of
the $302,000 Western Ideal Bluegrass Two-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Pace,
presented by Hanover Shoe Farms and Brittany Farms, at The Red Mile on
Saturday, September 30 in 1:50.3.
Taking
the front after a :28.3 quarter, Nutcracker Sweet later yielded to Closing
Statement, stretching him out through the backstretch before eventually letting
him clear at the half in :55.3. Tim Tetrick tipped the 8-5 second choice off
the rail midway around the final turn, drawing alongside Closing Statement
following a 1:23.2 third-quarter before putting him away into the final eighth
of a mile. Keystone Tenacious, tracking the contested lead from the rail, took
third.
Competing
for the interests of Howard Taylor, Order By Stable, and Richard Lombardo,
Nutcracker Sweet, by Bettors Delight from the Falcons Future mare Sweet Future,
won his third race in starts, amassing $85,116 in earnings. Trained by Jimmy
Takter, he paid $5.20 to win.
I’m
A Big Deal swept to the front off a fast setup, cruising to a 1:51:3 victory in
the opening division of the Bluegrass colt and gelding pace.
Positioned
fourth as Larry Karr rushed to control in a :25.4 quarter, David Miller tipped
I’m A Big Deal wide, gaining the lead after a :55 half. Somebaddude, tracking
his cover, was left first over around the final turn, applying pressure to I’m
A Big Deal through a 1:22.3 third-quarter before giving way into the stretch.
Scooting
away from the field, I’m A Big Deal was unchallenged through the stretch,
holding a clear lead as Shadow Cat rallied from second over to take second,
while Bounding Dragon, from third over, took third.
Owned
by Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo, and trainer Chris Ryder, I’m A Big Deal,
by Somebeachsomewhere from the McArdle mare Big Mcdeal, won his third race in
eight starts, earning $55,010. Driven by David Miller, he paid $5.40 to win.
Points
North popped from the pocket to the lead passing the quarter, proceeding to a
1:52.4 win in the third Bluegrass colt and gelding pace split.
Settling
for second as Grand Teton swept to control through a :28.4 quarter, Points
North angled outside to retake the lead before the half, hitting that station
in :56.1. Manverick moved first over into the far turn, challenging Points
North at three-quarters in 1:25.1 before faltering into the stretch.
Room
opened for Grand Teton to rally off the rail, rushing alongside Points North
into the eighth pole but finishing a neck shy of the winner while Rockin Away
closed from third over to finish third.
Scoring
his fifth-consecutive and overall win in nine starts this season, Points North,
a gelding by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Hanover mare Northwest
Hanover, returned $7.00 to win.
Owned by Pinske Stables, trained by Richard
“Nifty” Norman, and driven by Andrew McCarthy, Points North pushed his career
earnings to $75,030.
Tim
Tetrick, driving 4-5 favorite This Is The Plan, plotted a first-over trip to
take the fourth Bluegrass colt and gelding pace in 1:52.4.
Getting
away fifth, This Is The Plan sat off a :29 opening quarter set by Pro Beach
entering the backstretch. Twin B Tuffenuff moved wide from third, brushing to
the front before a :57.1 half to lead into the far turn while This Is The Plan
began his move uncovered.
Drawing
alongside Twin B Tuffenuff past three-quarters in 1:26, This Is The Plan fought
through the stretch to take the lead from Twin B Tuffenuff, edging by in the
closing strides to win while Twin B Tuffenuff finished second in a dead heat
with pocket-sitter Pro Beach splitting horses late.
A
gelding by Somebeachsomewhere out of the Western Ideal mare That’s The Plan,
This Is The Plan, winning his second race in nine starts this season, has
earned $149,149 for owner-trainer Chris Ryder and co-owner Robert Mondillo. He
paid $3.60 to win.
Kissin In The Sand Sharp in Bluegrass Filly Pace
Making
a slingshot move in the stretch, Kissin In The Sand bested odds-on favorite
Rainbow Room to take the first of three divisions of the $262,700 Artspeak
Bluegrass Two-Year-Old Filly Pace, presented by the Artspeak Syndicate and
Hanover Shoe Farms, in 1:51.
Kissin
In The Sand, sitting second to Double A Mint around the turn, circled to the
front through a :28.2 opening quarter, soon opting for the pocket as Rainbow
Room brushed to the lead from third before a :55.4 half. Coming to
three-quarters, Yannick Gingras gradually edged Kissin In The Sand off the
rail, readying for a challenge past the third-quarter in 1:23.4, drawing
alongside Rainbow Room into the final eighth and edging by in the final strides
with Majorsspeciallady chasing in third.
By
Somebeachsomewhere from the Real Artist mare Kiss Me Kate, Kissin In The Sand,
returning $9.00, won her fourth race in nine starts, compiling $121,748 in
earnings. She competes for owners Marvin Katz and Hatfield Stables and is
conditioned by Nancy Johansson.
Sansovina
Hanover fanned off cover into the stretch, sliding to a 1:53.1 win in the
second division of the Bluegrass filly pace.
Cuts
Like A Knife took the lead from Yankee Will Dance, blasting to the rail off the
gate, before a :29.1 opening quarter. Kj’s Bekah, sitting third, moved off the
rail for the front, taking it prior to a :56.2 half. Sansovina Hanover, flushed
first over by Ana Hanover, advanced uncovered around the far turn, picking up
cover from Cuts Like A Knife edging off the rail to match strides with leader
Kj’s Bekah at three-quarters in 1:25.2.
Kj’s
Bekah remained in front turning for home. Sansovina Hanover moved toward the
center of the track, taking the lead inside the eighth pole while Kj’s Bekah
held second from Betterthangraduate, rallying from a rail trip to take third.
Winning
her second race in nine starts, Sansovina Hanover, by Somebeachsomewhere from
the Western Terror mare Shacked Up, has earned $73,520 for owners Burke Racing
Stable, Silva, Purnel and Libby, Michel Yanek and Weaver Bruscemi. Trained by
Ron Burke and driven by Yannick Gingras, she paid $6.40.
Bye
Hanover hurried through openings at the rail, winning the third Bluegrass filly
pace in 1:52.2.
Strong
Opinion set a mostly uncontested pace, going fractions of :28.1, :56.2, and
1:24.4 while enduring mild pressure from 3-5 favorite Come See The Show first
over. Drifting off the rail in the stretch, Strong Opinion and Alexa’s Power,
tipping wide off a pocket trip, left a seam for Bye Hanover to slide into
contention through the stretch, with Bye Hanover emerging on top within the
final sixteenth, besting Strong Opinion in second and Alexa’s Power finishing
third.
Trained
by Brian Brown and driven by David Miller, Bye Hanover, by Well Said out of the
Somebeachsomewhere mare Beachbunny Hanover, races for owners Richard Lombardo, RBH
Ventures, Joe Sbrocco, and Hutchison Harness. Winning her second race in nine
starts, she has earned $107,248, and paid $11.60 to win.
Grand
Circuit Racing at The Red Mile resumes Sunday, October 1 for the first matinee
program of the meet. The Sunday card is highlighted by two divisions of the
$177,500 Galleria Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Filly Pace, presented by Fashion
Farms, three divisions of the $183,900 Cantab Hall Bluegrass Three-Year-Old
Filly Trot, sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms and Brittany Farms, three divisions
of the $220,200 Somebeachcomewhere Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding
Pace, sponsored by the Somebeachsomewhere Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, and
three divisions of the $216,300 Explosive Matter Bluegrass Three-Year-Old Colt and
Gelding Trot, presented by the Explosive Matter Syndicate and Hanover Shoe
Farms.
First-race
post for the Sunday card is 1:00 p.m. EDT.
