by Ray Cotolo, for Red Mile

Lexington, KY — 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 2-year-old filly pace, presented by the Artspeak Syndicate and Hanover Shoe Farms, in 1:51 on Saturday (Sept. 30) at Red Mile.

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.

Kissin In The Sand won her fourth race from nine starts.

By Somebeachsomewhere out of 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 Gingras, she paid $6.40.

Nigel Soult photos

Bye Hanover won her second race from nine starts on Saturday at Red Mile.

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 (Oct. 1) for the first matinee program of the meet. The Sunday card is highlighted by two divisions of the $177,500 Galleria Bluegrass 3-year-old filly pace, presented by Fashion Farms, three divisions of the $183,900 Cantab Hall Bluegrass 3-year-old filly trot, sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms and Brittany Farms, three divisions of the $220,200 Somebeachcomewhere Bluegrass 3-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 3-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 p.m. EDT.