Oak Grove, KY – Uncle Rob secured his spot in the eliminations to the 2027 $500,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby by winning the $300,000 New York Sire Stakes Championship for 2-year-old trotting males on Saturday (Sept. 12) at MGM Yonkers Raceway. Driven by Andy Miller for owner Andy Miller Stable Inc. and trained by Julie Miller, Uncle Rob set a track record with a 1:56.2 performance. Cool Julio also secured a “Win and You’re In” spot for the Derby eliminations by breaking his maiden in the Ohio Sire Stakes Scarlet Championship for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings at Eldorado Scioto Downs, posting a time of 1:55 for driver Tyler Smith and trainer Jeff Smith. Cool Julio is owned by TD Trot LLC.
In the 2-year-old filly division, Kountry Plunge secured her automatic spot in the eliminations to the 2027 $300,000 Oak Grove Trotting Oaks by keeping her perfect record intact in the $300,000 New York Sire Stakes Championship. A $200,000 Lexington Selected yearling out of world champion Plunge Blue Chip, Kountry Plunge is driven and trained by Åke Svanstedt for owners OBM Stable, Svanstedt & Midnight Sun, Bender Sweden Inc., and Ecurie Diocles AB. Also securing a spot in the Oaks eliminations was Blue Ranger, who won the Ohio Sire Stakes Scarlet Championship for 2-year-old trotting fillies in a track-record 1:53.1 for driver Aaron Merriman and trainer Marcus Melander. Blue Ranger, a $210,000 Ohio Jug Yearling Sale graduate and full sister to superstar Big Ranger, is owned by Bender Sweden.
The “Road to…” series was established to reward top 2-year-old trotting performances and enrich Oak Grove’s premier events. A series of designated Grand Circuit and Sire Stakes races serve as automatic qualifying events for the Derby and Oaks eliminations.
Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Derby (Colts)
| Date | Automatic Qualifying Race | 2026 Race Winner |
| 8/8/2026 | New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship | Lifetime Dreamer |
| 8/29/2026 | William Wellwood | Ocean Storm |
| 9/7/2026 | Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship | Jimdougie Armitage |
| 9/12/2026 | Ohio Sire Stakes Championship (Scarlet) | Cool Julio |
| 9/12/2026 | New York Sire Stakes Championship | Uncle Rob |
| 9/18/2026 | Peter Haughton | |
| 9/20/2026 | Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series | |
| 9/26/2026 | Mohawk Million | |
| 10/9/2026 | Indiana Sire Stakes Championship | |
| 10/9/2026 | Ontario Sire Stakes Championship (Gold) | |
| 10/23/2026 | Breeders Crown 2YO Trot | |
| 11/14/2026 | Valley Victory |
Road to the Oak Grove Trotting Oaks (Fillies)
| Date | Automatic Qualifying Race | 2026 Race Winner |
| 8/8/2026 | New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship | Wall of Fame |
| 8/29/2026 | Peaceful Way | Athena’s Girl |
| 9/7/2026 | Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship | Birr Castle |
| 9/12/2026 | Ohio Sire Stakes Championship (Scarlet) | Blue Ranger |
| 9/12/2026 | New York Sire Stakes Championship | Kountry Plunge |
| 9/18/2026 | Jim Doherty | |
| 9/20/2026 | Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series | |
| 9/25/2026 | Kentuckiana Stallion Management | |
| 10/9/2026 | Indiana Sire Stakes Championship | |
| 10/9/2026 | Ontario Sire Stakes Championship (Gold) | |
| 10/23/2026 | Breeders Crown 2YO Filly Trot | |
| 11/14/2026 | Goldsmith Maid |