Oak Grove, KY – After crossing the beam dead-on with Amigo Volo two weeks ago, Railee Something again crossed the finish line first but this time was all by her lonesome in a lifetime-best equaling 1:52 performance in winning the $40,000 Open Trot at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Tuesday afternoon (July 1).
Leaving from post 5, Railee Something (driven by Joey Putnam) swooped to the top and pocketed 3-5 favorite DP Freedoms Chrome (Marvin Luna) moving to a :26.3 first quarter. Railee Something snagged a breather to the half in :55.4 and stayed on the muscle as she soon endured a pocket-popping challenge from DP Freedoms Chrome to the backstretch.
Putnam still held a confident grip on his charge while staving off DP Freedoms Chrome through three-quarters in 1:24.1 and she then zipped clear of the competition straightening for the finish. Railee Something reached for the line wrapped up and on a widening advantage, crossing the finish 4-1/4 lengths better than 30-1 shot Oh Look Magic (Devon Tharps), who saved ground for second. DP Freedoms Chrome tired to third, another five lengths behind, and Whiskey Lou (Matt Krueger) rallied for fourth.
A 5-year-old homebred daughter of International Moni for owner Ron Mersky, Railee Something collected her sixth win from nine starts this season and her 26th victory from 54 starts, good for $1,045,946 in earnings. Roger Cullipher trains the mare, who paid $5.66 to win.
Black Button (Atlee Bender) won later in the afternoon in the co-featured $24,000 Open 2 Trot to start a natural hat trick for the meet’s leading trainer Erv Miller. Black Button grabbed the lead through a :27.1 first quarter and carved sensible fractions of :56 and 1:25.3 to then wrap up the 1:55.2 mile three lengths better than closing Empire Builder (Luna).
Miller trains the 4-year-old daughter of Tactical Landing, who paid $7.18 to win. Miller then won in the following races with TH Rizzo (Bender, 1:55.1; $8.64 to win) and Night Warrior (Bender, 1:56.3; $7.44).
Racing continues at Oak Grove on Monday (July 7) with the second preliminary of Kentucky Sire Stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:25 p.m. (CDT). For free past performances and more information on Oak Grove, visit oakgrovegaming.com.