By Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON,
KY—Off at odds of 120-1, Strip It Down As reeled in tempo-setter Asiago and
nailed the 1-9 favorite on the wire to upset in the first of two $30,000
Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies at
The Red Mile on Saturday, Aug. 24.
Asiago
took control early and faced little challenge while setting a clip of :28.4,
:56.1 and 1:24. Driver Elliot Deaton had Strip It Down As positioned third and sent
the son of Archangel after Asiago rounding towards the top of the stretch.
Asiago led by open lengths into the sixteenth pole but Strip It Down As cut
into the leader’s margin and stuck a head in front at the finish in a 1:52.4
mile. Asiago settled for second while Back Splash gave chase a couple lengths
back in third.
Returning
$242.80 to win, Strip It Down As won her second race from four starts this
season and her fourth from 11 overall, earning $60,929. Anette Lorentzon
conditions the filly for owner-breeder Acl Stuteri Ab and co-owner Kjell
Johansson.
Driver
Andy Miller placed French Cafe on the front and set a slow tempo when going
coast to coast with a 1:54.3 mile in the second KYSS filly division.
The
Julie Miller-trained daughter of Father Patrick took command from Whispering
Oaks in second and Caterina Hall in third. French Cafe controlled the speed
through fractions of :29 and :58 before enduring minor first-over pressure from
Fade Into You circling the final turn. Race-favorite Queen Of Trixs sat second
over passing three-quarters in 1:26.1 before angling towards the center of the
track for a final-quarter sprint. French Cafe maintained the front through the
lane while Queen Of Trixs gave pursuit from second, with Fade Into You holding third.
Winning
her second race from six starts this season and her fifth in 15 overall, French
Cafe has earned $117,900. The homebred for Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld returned
$5.20 to win.
Chin
Chin Hall hustled off cover in the stretch drive to take the opening division
of KYSS for sophomore trotting colts in 1:52.4.
Sheer
Muscle moved for the lead with Thunder venturing wide to take control past a
:29 quarter. Pilot Discretion, sitting third, brushed for the front and cleared
command while accelerating towards a :56.4 half.
Super
Schissel tipped first over and ranged forward to match strides with the leader
nearing three-quarters in 1:25.2. Chin Chin Hall followed from second over and fanned
wide at the head of the stretch. Pilot Discretion clung to command as Super
Schissel stalled between horses before Chin Chin Hall kicked past the two in
progress to a two-and-a-quarter length victory. Pilot Discretion held second
while Super Schissel settled for third.
A
Walnut Hall Limited-bred gelded son of Cash Hall, Chin Chin Hall won his third
race from five starts this season and his fifth from 12 overall, earning
$259,680. Richard “Nifty” Norman conditions the $4.40 winner for owners Oldford
Racing LLC and David McDuffee.
Stalking
dueling leaders around the final turn, driver Andy Miller sent Yankee Glide
gelding Zack’s Got The W towards the center of the track to grab victory in the
second KYSS colt division.
The
Erv Miller trainee sat pocket to Manatlas, who passed the first quarter in
:27.4. Seven Hills, racing fourth, angled first over and marched towards his
stablemate after a :56.1 half. The pair raced side by side when approaching
three-quarters in 1:24.4 while Andy Miller moved Zack’s Got The W from the
pocket to the outside of the battling leaders when straightening for the
finish. Zack’s Got The W dashed to the lead nearing the finish while
Guaranteed, also stalking the leaders, rallied even wider for second. Seven
Hills held third.
Owned
by Ervin Miller Stable Inc, Greg Gillis and Harvey Eisman, Zack’s Got The W won
his second race from 11 starts, earning $34,120. Fredericka and Elizabeth
Caldwell bred the $19.20 winner.
KYSS action resumes at The Red Mile
on Sunday, Aug. 25 with two $30,000 divisions for three-year-old pacing colts
and a $30,000 single 12-horse dash for sophomore pacing fillies. The card will
start at 7:00 p.m. (EDT).
