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Saturday, October 5, 2019

Mcwicked Massive in Allerage Farms Pace


By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile

LEXINGTON, KY—The richest racing stallion in harness history, Mcwicked added to his record-setting bankroll with a 1:47.2 victory in the $186,000 Mister Big Allerage Farms Pace—sponsored by Muscara Standardbreds—on Saturday, Oct. 5 at The Red Mile.

Mcwicked left the gate to secure the pocket as Dorsoduro Hanover took the front to a :26.4 first quarter. He sped through fractions of :53.2 and 1:21.1 before losing the lead into the stretch as driver Brian Sears shot Mcwicked from the pocket. The eight-year-old son of McArdle sprinted through the stretch and extended to an open-length victory over Filibuster Hanover, who launched off cover to take second. Dorsoduro Hanover held third from 9-5 favorite American History.

“Everybody knows through the years I’ve battled foot issues with this horse,” winning trainer Casie Coleman said after the race. “It’s been a non-stop battle. His first start back this year he went in [1]:49 and I was like ‘Wow, we’re going to have a huge season’ [but] then that foot blew right after his first start. I missed about a month and had to go into the Mohawk [Gold] Cup and it just messed up his early schedule but he’s back on track now.

“This horse does have his issue and this big track and the surface on this track—he absolutely loves it here,” Coleman also said. “He’s actually racing with a shoe you’d never race a horse with—a really severe bar shoe to heal up this foot he’s got. I don’t hide it; I put it on social media [and] everyone’s seen the foot he’s working with right now. He’s an incredible animal.”

Amassing $4,753,342 from 107 starts which includes 39 victories, Mcwicked races for owner S S G Stables. Brian Sears drove the Andray Farm-bred stallion who paid $6.20 to win.

Grand Circuit action concludes at The Red Mile on Sunday, Oct. 6 with the 127th renewal of the Kentucky Futurity, which goes as a single heat with a field of 12 for $450,000. The 54th Kentucky Filly Futurity also goes as a single dash with an 11-horse draw for $267,000. Two divisions of the $540,000 Tattersalls Pace, the $69,500 Allerage Farms Fillies and Mares Trot and $87,000 Allerage Farms Fillies and Mares Pace will also go on the eight-race card. Racing gets underway for the season finale with first-race post at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).