By
Ray Cotolo, for The Red Mile
LEXINGTON,
KY—After winning in his Grand Circuit debut, 24-year-old trainer Carter Pinske
sent both winners in the $280,500 Artspeak Bluegrass Stakes—sponsored by the
Artspeak Syndicate and Winbak Farms—on the Friday, Sept. 27 card at The Red
Mile.
Marloe
Hanover made her way to the top early and withstood the backfield’s late rally
to take the $139,750 opening Bluegrass division in a lifetime-best 1:50.4.
Driver
David Miller brushed the Carter Pinske trainee to the front past a :27.4 first
quarter while Shouldabeenatd raced second. Beyond Ecstasy, the 6-5 favorite,
angled first over from fourth heading to a :56 half and progressed towards the
pacesetter while carrying Lady Lou on cover rounding the final turn. Beyond
Ecstasy stalled passing three-quarters in 1:24 and retreated through the
stretch as Marloe Hanover sprinted for the finish. Shouldabeenatd gave chase to
secure second while Lady Lou kicked off cover for third.
Winning
her second race from seven starts, Marloe Hanover has earned $124,279 for
owners Pinske Stables, David Hoese and Bridgette Jablonsky. She paid $12.40 to
win.
Sitting
behind dueling favorites around the final turn, driver Dexter Dunn pulled
Annabelle Hanover from the pylons and darted past 8-5 favorites Baby Your The
Best and Gai Waterhouse to take the second Bluegrass division.
Gai
Waterhouse took command from Annabelle Hanover moving to a :27.4 opening
quarter but soon bore a first-over challenge from Baby Your The Best heading up
the backstretch. Baby Your The Best crossed over to control after a :55.3 half,
leaving Love For Sail uncovered and Blood Red gapping from second over rounding
the final turn. Annabelle Hanover wove through the two-wide gap passing
three-quarters in 1:23.1 and surged by Baby Your The Best through the stretch
to win drawing away in a 1:50.2 mile. Gai Waterhouse settled for third.
“[She’s]
just a real gamey-looking filly,” trainer Carter Pinske said after the race.
“Just the right size, right build; [it’s] what we look for in a
Somebeach[somewhere]. There’s a pretty big story behind this horse—it’s about
one of the craziest breaking stories ever… just to have her here is awesome. It
took until about February until she was broke good. I just have to say thanks
to Erv Miller and everybody down in Florida that helped get her to the track,
let alone here.”
Owned
by Pinske Stables, Lawrence Means and Curly Tall Curly Small, Annabelle Hnaover
broke her maiden in her sixth start, collecting $115,233. The
Somebeachsomewhere filly paid $7.20 to win.
Grand
Circuit action resumes at The Red Mile on Saturday, Sept. 28 with four
divisions of the $324,800 Bluegrass Two-Year-Old Colt Pace and a single
$163,100 Bluegrass division for three-year-old pacing fillies. Racing gets
underway with first-race post at 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
